Fajitas de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Fajitas)

These Fajitas de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Fajitas) make the perfect quick, delicious weeknight or weekend meal.  Made with the perfect amount of peppers, onions and tender chicken pieces.  Served with corn or flour tortillas and a side of sour cream and guacamole.  Make these at home and your family will feel like they’re eating at their favorite Mexican restaurant!

I’m not sure I know anyone who doesn’t like Fajitas de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Fajitas).

Surely, because of how hyper-delish and super simple they are to make.

Fajitas, nonetheless, make a perfect quick lunch or a healthy light dinner.

Season the chicken strips well and there’s really no way to mess this recipe up!

Fajitas are usually made with chicken, beef or shrimp.  Sometimes a combination of the two or even all three.

Today I went with these Mexican chicken fajitas.

I wanted to bring you a quick delicious fajitas recipe that not only you will love but also everyone else you’re serving too!

Not everyone likes shrimp and everyone likes their steak slightly different.

So to give you a fool proof, quick weeknight meal and an “everyone will love kind of recipe,” I went with chicken fajitas!

These fajitas are even perfect for a small gathering, weekend entertaining with friends or even Friday night happy hour at home!

Serve these up with some Dos XX, homemade margaritas and you’ll be all set!

Ingredients You Will Need to Make These Delicious Fajitas de Pollo

• 2 pounds chicken breasts sliced into thin strips
• 3 tri-colored peppers (green, red and yellow) thinly sliced
• 1 onion cut into slices and then cut into half moons
• 2 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon oil

Spices and Herbs

• ¼ cup cilantro chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt or to taste

Serve with:

• Flour tortillas
• Corn tortillas
• Sour cream
• Guacamole
• Lime wedges
• Additional chopped cilantro

Additional Delicious Toppings

Super Easy Jalapeño Salsa

Avocado Cilantro Sauce

Best Mexican Salsa Recipe (Green Salsa)

Creamy Sour Cream Salsa Verde Sauce

Avocado Salsa Verde

Hyper Delicious Tomato Jalapeño Salsa

Habanero Tomatillo Salsa (for fiery kick!)

Normally chicken fajitas are made with chicken breasts but some prefer to use chicken thighs.  This is a personal preference or even sometimes what you may have available.

However, if you are using chicken breasts, maybe at some point you may have come across a recipe on the internet  suggesting to cook the whole chicken breast first and then cut into strips.

This is so that the chicken will remain tender and juicy on the inside and not dry out.

But I prefer to cut my chicken into strips before cooking so that every bit gets the delicious seasoning and marinade on each piece.

Then I quickly stir fry the chicken strips which not only gives it a beautiful golden color but also keeps the chicken perfectly moist and tender.

When you hear someone complain about their chicken being dry or tough, it’s usually because they have overcooked it.

So below I will specify how to avoid this and achieve the most perfect tender chicken strips for your fajitas de pollo!

How to Make Fajitas de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Fajitas)

1. For the guacamole, follow my simple guacamole recipe.  You can also feel free to buy store bought but honestly nothing beats homemade guacamole especially when it’s so easy to make!
2. Rinse and cut chicken breasts into thin strips.  Set aside in a bowl.
3. Peel and mince garlic cloves.
4. Rinse and chop cilantro.
5. Add the chili powder, ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt, garlic, cilantro and lime juice to the chicken strips and stir well.  Cover the bowl and set in the refrigerator to marinade for 15-30 minutes.
6. In the meantime, rinse and cut all the peppers into thin strips.  Discard pepper membranes and seeds.
7. Cut onion into slices and then straight down the middle to form half moons.

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add the oil and allow to heat through for a few seconds.
3. Add the peppers and onions and salt to taste.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Stir and cook for another 2 minutes or until veggies are to your liking.
4. Remove the veggies from skillet and set them aside.

Note:  I like my veggies with a bit of a crunch, so for this part, cook the peppers and onions to your liking.

1. Once the chicken has marinated, heat the cast iron skillet over medium HIGH heat.
2. Add a tablespoon of oil to skillet.  Allow oil to heat up.
3. Add a few chicken strips at a time and sear keeping the heat on medium high.
4. Stir the chicken and cook until pieces look slightly light in color.  About 5 minutes.
5. Remove chicken strips from pan and set aside.
6. Allow pan to reheat before adding new chicken strips.  Add additional oil if needed.
7. Continue cooking the rest of the chicken strips in the same manner until they are all done.

Note:  The key to perfect tender chicken strips is to make sure your pan is hot and remains hot.  Do not overcrowd skillet with the chicken strips and always allow pan to reheat again before adding the new batch of strips.  Remove when chicken is slightly golden on each side so chicken does not overcook.

Place tortillas on a plate and cover with a clean cotton towel.

You can also sprinkle a paper towel with a little bit of water and top the tortillas with the paper towel.  This will create a sort of steam action and keep tortillas moist.

Heat for 40 seconds in the microwave.

Note:  You can also heat tortillas through in a skillet or pan.

How to Assemble Mexican Chicken Fajitas (Fajitas de Pollo)

At this point, you can mix the chicken, peppers and onions together and serve fajitas on top of tortillas.  Top with additional chopped cilantro, sour cream and guacamole.

*However, if you would like to serve the fajitas buffet style then maybe instead serve the chicken beside the peppers and onions so that everyone can add as much or as little of the peppers and onions as they would like.

Top with additional fresh chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

Place tortillas, small bowls of guacamole and sour cream beside fajita skillet.

Enjoy!

For More Amazing and Delicious Chicken Dishes, you will also love these:

Caldo de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Soup)

Salpicón de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Salad)

Pinchos de Pollo (Puerto Rican BBQ Chicken Skewers)

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

Pollo Guisado (Puerto Rican Chicken Stew)

Authentic Mexican Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce

📖 Recipe