Chicken Fajitas are a family favourite and great for feeding a crowd. They have just gotten easier, as these Baked Chicken Fajitas are all thrown into one pan and cooked in the oven. No need to stand over the hob - just let it cook away in the oven whilst you get all the accompaniments ready. Guac and Salsa deserve your attention too!
Who doesn't love a dinner where you can throw everything into one pan and cook it in the oven? It means less washing up, which is always good with me.
If you are trying to get dinner cooked whilst looking after the kids, then you want something that you don't have to keep stirring.
I find making fajitas on the hob means they need constant attention and stirring so they don't stick and burn. This chicken fajita recipe looks after itself in the oven and stay deliciously moist.
Looking for more Mexican recipes? Why not try our tasty Vegetable Fajitas, comforting Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa or easy Breakfast Burrito?
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Ingredients needed
- Chicken - We used boneless and skinless chicken breasts to keep these fajitas lean, however you could swap them for boneless and skinless chicken thighs, which do tend to have more flavour. Cooking time will vary though.
- Bell peppers - These add a nice crunch to the chicken fajitas. You can use any colour you like. The more colour the better!
- Onion - We use red onion in ours, to add lots of colour. However you can use brown onion, or even shallots which are a little sweeter.
- Fajita seasoning - We make our own Fajita Seasoning, as it is so easy to do, and it means that we can keep it low in salt and sugar, and also change the chilli levels if we are making it for the kids. You could use a store bought version if you prefer.
- Tortillas - You could serve the fajitas on rice or even a big salad. However we serve them with soft tortilla wraps to keep it traditional. You could use hard taco shells if you prefer.
- Sour cream - This adds some creaminess to the finished dish. To lighten it up a little, swap it for Greek yogurt.
- Salsa - What's a Mexican dish without salsa? Why not try our Restaurant Style Salsa or even a Pineapple Salsa for something a little different.
- Guacamole - Making your own is easy with our Best Ever Guacamole Recipe. If you can't be bothered to make avocado, then some chunks of avocado will work.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How to make oven baked fajitas - Step by step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
One: Mix together the seasoning.
Two: Put the chicken in a large bowl with the oil, chopped vegetables and seasoning and mix well. Put in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, but preferably overnight.
Three: Add the chicken and vegetables to a large oven-proof pan.
Four: Put into the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
Five: Squeeze the lime over the cooked dish and sprinkle with coriander. Serve with wraps and toppings.
Variations
Although this is a chicken based dish, adding vegetables gives the finished meal lots of added texture, and colour too. We are fans of any meal that we can add lots of vegetables to, and this fajita recipe is one of those.
We used bell peppers and onion, however you could also add mushrooms, aubergine (eggplant), courgettes (zucchini), broccoli and spinach. Using sliced portobello mushrooms is a great way to bulk them out and use less chicken. Make sure they are quick cooking vegetables, rather than root ones like carrots, a they will take longer to cook.
For a vegetarian version, why not check out our Halloumi Fajitas?
Serving Suggestions
You could just serve these chicken fajitas on top of rice like our Cilantro Lime Rice, Oven Baked Rice or Spanish Rice. But we like to go all out with these fajitas and serve them with tortilla wraps, homemade salsa, guacamole, sour cream (or yoghurt for a lower fat alternative), jalapeños and some homemade tortilla chips on the side. You could try our Air Fryer Tortilla Chips too.
We also like our Sweetcorn Salsa for crunch and Jalapeno Sauce for extra spice.
Homemade fajita seasoning
You can buy fajita seasoning in a packet, but it's usually loaded with extra sugar and salt. It's really easy to make yourself, and then you can make a big batch and keep it in a jar for whenever you make fajitas. We like to sprinkle it on salmon before grilling too.
We mix together 1 tablespoon each of chilli powder and smoked paprika with 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and ground coriander, then a pinch each of sea salt, black pepper and sugar.
We also have a full Fajita Seasoning recipe.
Extra tips
- You don't have to use chicken in this. Swap the chicken for extra veggies, or use tofu, king prawns, halloumi or steak strips.
- When mixing everything together, use your hands to make sure everything is fully coated with oil and the seasoning.
- Make sure you don't overcrowd your baking dish, as this will make the chicken and vegetables steam, rather than get those caramelised edges.
- You could serve this on top of rice, or with tortilla wraps, salsa and guac.
- Try making your own fajita seasoning and store it in an air-tight container.
- For extra flavour, try marinating the chicken and vegetables over night.
FAQs
This is a delicious and nutritious meal. It uses lean chicken breasts and is packed with vegetables. You can add lots more vegetables if you like, to make it even healthier. Just make sure you are careful with the toppings like sour cream and cheese, as these can add lots of fat to the dish.
Chicken fajitas are a classic, but you don't have to use chicken in these. You could keep them vegetarian and add some extra veggies like courgette and broccoli or even some tofu. Or, you can use king prawns of steak strips for a change. Cooking times will vary, but it's a great way to change things up on fajita night. How about our Easy Halloumi Fajitas?
If you get confused when it comes to folding a fajita, then we have a simple way to do it. Add your filling (not too much, as this makes it harder to roll), in a line across your tortilla, towards the bottom and leaving a couple of inches at each side. Fold in the sides, and then fold up the bottom flap. Continue rolling up, and tuck everything in as you go.
These Baked Chicken Fajitas are best made in advance. Not only to save you time, but to allow everything to marinate. Put all of the ingredients into a bowl or a zip-lock back and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours - but overnight is preferable. This will allow all the flavours to really come alive.
Making these ahead of time makes them the ultimate easy family dinner, as you can just throw them in them in the oven when everyone is ready to eat.
The best way to check that the chicken is cooked, is to use a meat thermometer. Insert the meat thermometer in the middle of the chicken strip, and if the internal temperature of the chicken is 75°C or 165°F, then you know that it is cooked through. If it it isn't cooked, then put it back in the oven and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes and then check again.
If you have any leftovers, then you can store them in an air tight container in the fridge for 2 days. To reheat them, simply heat them through in a pan, making sure they are piping hot.
More Mexican recipes
If you’ve tried these baked fajitas, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe
Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
- 300 g (11 oz) Chicken breast - cut into chunks
- 1 tablespoon Chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon Smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground coriander
- 1 pinch Sea salt
- 1 pinch Ground black pepper
- 1 pinch Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 3 Bell peppers - thinly sliced
- 1 Red onion - thinly sliced
- 4 Tortilla wraps
- 1 Lime
- 10 g (0.5 cups) Fresh coriander (cilantro)
To serve (all optional):
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- Make the seasoning by mixing together 1 tablespoon Chilli powder, 1 tablespoon Smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Onion powder, 1 teaspoon Cumin, 1 teaspoon Ground coriander, 1 pinch Sea salt, 1 pinch Ground black pepper and 1 pinch Sugar.
- Put 300 g Chicken breast into a large bowl with 1 tablespoon Olive oil, 3 Bell peppers, 1 Red onion and the seasoning. Mix well. Put in the fridge for at least two hours, but preferably overnight.
- Add the chicken and vegetables to a large oven-proof pan.
- Put into the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Once cooked, squeeze the juice of 1 Lime over the cooked dish and sprinkle with 10 g Fresh coriander (cilantro).
- Divide the mixture between 4 Tortilla wraps and serve with Salsa, Guacamole, Sour cream and Tortilla chips
Recipe Tips
- You don't have to use chicken in this. Swap the chicken for extra veggies, or use tofu, king prawns, halloumi or steak strips.
- When mixing everything together, use your hands to make sure everything is fully coated with oil and the seasoning.
- Make sure you don't overcrowd your baking dish, as this will make the chicken and vegetables steam, rather than get those caramelised edges.
- You could serve this on top of rice, or with tortilla wraps, salsa and guac.
- Try making your own fajita seasoning and store it in an air-tight container.
- For extra flavour, try marinating the chicken and vegetables over night.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Holly Casares says
I love this recipe - have been making it for years and it always goes down a treat - thank you!
Dannii says
That's great to hear that it has been a favourite for so long!
Pam says
Love spicy foods, fajitas and anything that can be prepared ahead. So, this recipe is a winner in my book, for sure!
Veena Azmanov says
Anything Baked makes it always healthy. Love the color and look of this delicious dish.
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder says
Huge fan of chicken fajitas here too and your oven baked version was really easy and fuss free, big thumbs up!
Suzy says
I make this all the time!
Sandhya Hariharan says
We love Fajita's and this is a fantastic recipe for feeding the crowd.
Stephanie says
These look and sound great and I love that you can make them in advance. Perfect for a yummy easy weeknight dinner.
Julia says
This recipe is definitely a keeper! :)
kim says
What a fabulous dish! So delicious and flavorful!
Jacqueline Debono says
Love that these baked chicken fajitas can be prepared the day before (actually better!) and then cooked just before eating! I feel a Mexican night coming on!
Anurag Singh says
The another yumm dish!! one thing I also liked that it is easy to make in oven.
You enjoy to cook when your tasty food is ready easily and quickly.
Corina Blum says
My family all love chicken fajitas. It's one of those meals that I know I can rely on if I want everyone to eat well but I haven't tried them in the oven yet. That's definitely something I need to do soon!
Danielle Wolter says
ive never thought to make fajitas in the oven before - what an awesome idea!! so easy and delicious.
Noelle says
Everything is better when it is cooked in the microwave! Making this tomorrow for "taco tuesday", Can't wait!