Sizzling Skillet Chicken Fajitas (w/ BEST Marinade)

Sizzling Skillet Chicken Fajitas are truly restaurant-worthy! Soak the chicken in a super flavorful marinade, then cook in a cast iron skillet to create that signature seared chicken that’s still perfectly tender and juicy. Mix with charred bell peppers and onions, then pile it high on a soft tortilla for the ultimate Mexican dinner. After marinating, it can all be done in under 20 minutes! 

If you love recipes as easy as this one, check out our other favorite one pan dinner recipes to make dinner time simple!

These cast iron skillet chicken fajitas are the BEST. End of story. It might just be the only chicken fajita recipe you will ever need.

They are intensely flavorful. It’s all made in a single skillet. The chicken is juicy, yet crusty. The veggies are soft and charred. And then you pile it in a soft tortilla with as many toppings as it can hold. Are you drooling yet? 😋 This is definitely a recipe the whole family will love!

The original recipe was inspired by Carlsbad Cravings, but we adapted it slightly. The absolute best part of the recipe is the marinade. It includes enough citrus and acid to tenderize the chicken, but tons of spices to give it flavor as well. I can't say enough about the fajita seasoning!

🍳 Essential tools

Do you want to know the secret to amazing fajitas? It’s the large skillet! Think about how restaurants serve their fajitas… in a sizzling skillet, yes? If you do the same at home by using a cast iron skillet, you’ll get that signature restaurant-style chicken that is juicy on the inside with a golden sear on the outside.

You don’t even need a high-end cast iron to do the trick. My favorite 12-inch cast iron skillet (affiliate) has a double handle feature. They’re affordable, easy to clean, and last forever!

🌶 Ingredient list

Marinade

• Canola oil: This is the base of the marinade.
• Brown sugar: Just for a bit of sweetness to balance all of the spices.
• Orange juice and lime juice: Use fresh squeezed whenever possible, especially the lime juice. Cartoned orange juice will work fine if that’s what you have.
• Soy sauce: Adds a little tang to the marinade.
• Dijon mustard: Don’t substitute with regular or brown mustard, as those will change the flavor profile.
• Liquid smoke: This is made using condensation from real smoke, so it is not artificial smoke flavor. The amazing flavor it adds is SO worth the extra effort to get it from the store.
• Spices: Chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, dried Mexican oregano, pepper.

Chicken Skillet Fajitas

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: To prepare chicken breast for fajitas, cut them in half horizontally, then cut into thin slices about ½ inch wide. Feel free to use chicken thighs if desired.
• Bell peppers: Use a variety of colorful peppers! Red, green, yellow, or orange are all perfect. Remove the seeds and cut into ½ inch slices.
• Onion: I use yellow onion, but purple or white onion are great also. Remove the skin and cut into ½ inch slices.
• Olive oil: You can also use canola oil.
• Salt and pepper: Just a simple way to add extra flavor to the veggies.
• Tortillas: Flour or corn tortillas, depending on your preferences. Our favorite tortillas are the ones that come uncooked. Nothing like warm homemade tortillas without all the work.
• Toppings for fajitas: Shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, fresh lime juice, guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, salsa and/or pico de gallo.

🥘 How to cook fajitas in a cast iron skillet

• Marinate the chicken. Start by whisking all the marinade ingredients together. Place your sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts in a bag, then pour the marinade on top. Seal the bag and agitate it to coat the chicken. Then let it marinate for at least 6 hours-overnight, or freeze it. 
• Drain the meat. Before cooking, drain the chicken in a strainer. Allow the marinade to drain thoroughly. This helps prevent soggy chicken. 

• Cook the veggies. Add ½ tablespoon oil to a cast iron skillet (affiliate) and place on the stove top over high heat until very hot. Add the onions, bell peppers, salt, and pepper to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes. The veggies should be tender with plenty of charred spots. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• How to make fajitas sizzle. Add another tablespoon of oil to the hot skillet and allow it to get hot. Still over high heat, add half of the drained chicken to the fajita pan and sear, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. You should hear that nice sizzle sound if the cast iron pan is hot enough and the meat was drained thoroughly. Remove the meat from the skillet and repeat with the second half. 

• Mix and serve. Add the veggies back into the skillet with the chicken and toss with tongs. Then serve with tortillas and toppings.

🍽 How are fajitas traditionally served?

Traditionally, fajitas serve the strips of meat and charred vegetables on a sizzling iron skillet with sides such as refried beans, Mexican rice, warm tortillas, and a variety of favorite toppings. A true Tex-Mex favorite!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 For a crowd

There are a few important things to consider if you want to serve skillet chicken fajitas to a crowd. First, you can freeze the chicken in the marinade up to 3 months in advance, so a big chunk of the work can be out the way. You can also prep veggies the day before, which really just leaves the cooking for the day of. 

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that the amounts in this recipe are designed to fit in one cast iron skillet. To double the recipe, you will have to use two large skillets simultaneously. It is possible, but depending on how comfortable you are it may be a lot going at once. To serve, either leave in the skillets or place ingredients in groups on a long platter.

🙋 Questions and Answers

📖 Other Mexican food recipes

• Pollo de Tinga - Use rotisserie chicken and a simple tinga sauce to make flavorful tacos for a busy weeknight. 
• The Ultimate Grilled Taco Marinade - This marinade is quick to make in the blender, perfect for skirt steak or chicken. It makes amazing tacos, nachos, or Mexican bowls. 
• Roasted Pineapple Habanero Salsa - Roasted veggies, sweet pineapple, and fiery habaneros make the most addicting salsa recipe.
• Authentic Dutch Oven Carnitas - You can't beat tender pulled pork with crispy edges. It makes great tacos, enchiladas, and more!
• Avocado Green Salsa - A 5 minute fresh salsa recipe that just needs 5 ingredients.

👨🏼‍🍳 Tips & Tricks

• Don’t skimp on the marinade. I know it’s a lot of ingredients and you might be tempted to skip a few…. But don’t. It’s worth it, I promise. 
• Drain the fajita meat very well before cooking. To get that signature sear, you want to eliminate as much liquid as possible. 
• Use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet for best results. It gives you the best char while maintaining the juiciness of the meat. 
• If liquid accumulates while cooking the chicken, remove the chicken and drain off the extra liquid. This extra step helps keep the outside crispy instead of soggy. 
• Cook the meat in batches for best results. Overcrowding the pan causes the chicken to steam instead of sear.

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