Chicken
$1.66per plate
Prep
15 min
Chicken · Chicken Fajitas
Chicken Fajitas
Chicken fajitas are a fast, colorful skillet dinner, and they are cheaper to make at home than almost anywhere you would order them: strips of seared chicken and sweet bell peppers and onions tossed in a smoky homemade fajita seasoning. A single pound of chicken stretches to feed four because the peppers and onions do half the work, so the filling lands at about a dollar sixty a plate before you pile it into tortillas. It is a stovetop recipe, seared hot and fast in one pan, which is what gives you those charred edges instead of steamed, watery vegetables. Serve it with our chicken quesadillas for a taco night, and see the rest of our cheap chicken recipes, price up front. Served in the skillet rather than a tortilla it is 15g of carbs a serving, like the rest of our low-carb dinners.
$1.62per plate
Estimated recipe total
$6.49 · serves 4
Cook
15 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/chicken-fajita-recipe
Equipment
- Large skillet, cast iron if you have it
- Tongs
Variations
- Squeeze extra lime over the top just before serving for brightness.
- Add a sliced jalapeno with the peppers for more heat.
- Serve over rice instead of tortillas for a fajita bowl.
1 How to make it
1
Slice and season the chicken
Slice the chicken breast thinly across the grain into strips, so it stays tender and every piece cooks in the same amount of time. If the chicken is soft and hard to slice, firm it up in the freezer for 15 minutes first. Toss the strips with the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, pepper, and half the lime juice. A quick toss like this is all the marinating fajitas need.
2
Get the pan hot
Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet, cast iron if you have it, over medium-high until it is shimmering and nearly smoking. A properly hot pan is the whole secret to fajitas; it sears and chars instead of steaming.
3
Sear the chicken in batches
Add the chicken in a single layer, without crowding the pan, and cook undisturbed for a minute before tossing. Cook just until browned and cooked through to 165 F, 4 to 5 minutes. Crowding the pan traps steam and the chicken turns gray and watery instead of browning, so work in two batches if your skillet is not big enough. Move the cooked chicken to a plate.
4
Char the peppers and onions
Add the last tablespoon of oil to the same hot pan and add the peppers and onion. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, tossing now and then, until they are crisp-tender with lightly charred edges. Let them sit undisturbed between tosses so they char instead of steam, and if your skillet is small, cook them in two batches like the chicken so they are not mounded up. Stop while they still have a little bite; fajita vegetables should be tender-crisp and bright, not cooked down to mush.
5
Combine and finish
Return the chicken and any juices to the pan, squeeze over the rest of the lime, and toss everything together for a minute to warm through and coat. Taste and add a pinch more salt if it needs it.
6
Serve
Pile the sizzling chicken and peppers into warm tortillas and add your toppings. Tortillas, rice, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole are figured separately.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Chicken thighs for breast. Boneless skinless thighs are usually cheaper and stay juicier over high heat. Slice them the same way and cook to 165 F.
- Store-bought fajita seasoning. A packet of fajita or taco seasoning works in place of the homemade blend if you are short on spices, though the from-scratch mix is cheaper and lower in salt.
- Add heat. Toss in a sliced jalapeno with the peppers, or add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes to the seasoning.
- Marinate for more flavor (optional). For a deeper flavor, let the seasoned chicken sit in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes before cooking. It is not required; a quick toss is plenty.
3 Budget tips
- A pound of chicken plus three bell peppers and an onion feeds four, because the vegetables make up half the filling.
- A homemade fajita blend from pantry spices costs pennies and beats a seasoning packet.
- Buy whichever bell peppers are cheapest and mix the colors; green are usually the least expensive.
- Round it into a full meal with cheap tortillas or a side of rice and beans rather than pricier toppings.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate the chicken and pepper filling in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep the tortillas and toppings separate so nothing goes soggy.
Freezer
The cooked filling freezes for up to 3 months; the peppers soften a little on thawing. Cool completely and freeze in a flat, sealed bag.
Reheating
Reheat in a hot skillet for a minute or two to bring back the sear, or microwave in a pinch. The skillet keeps the chicken and peppers from turning soft and watery.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
290
Protein
28g
Fat
13g
Carbs
15g
Estimates per serving of filling, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
What cut of chicken is best for fajitas?
Boneless skinless chicken breast is the classic, lean choice, and boneless thighs are cheaper and juicier. Either way, slice it thinly across the grain so it cooks fast and stays tender.
How do I keep the chicken and peppers from steaming?
Use a properly hot pan and do not crowd it. Cook the chicken in two batches if you need to, and give the peppers room. Crowding traps steam, so the food goes gray and watery instead of getting the seared, charred edges fajitas are known for.
Do I have to marinate the chicken?
No. A quick toss with the seasoning and lime right before cooking is all fajitas need. If you want a little more flavor, let the seasoned chicken sit for 15 to 30 minutes, but it is optional.
How is $1.62 a plate figured?
About $6.49 for the whole skillet of filling, four servings, so roughly $1.62 each. The chicken and peppers are the main costs. Tortillas, rice, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole to serve are figured separately.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
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