Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
These Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are one of the easiest dinners you will ever make! Juicy chicken, sweet peppers and red onions, roasted in one pan and served with warm tortillas and your favorite Tex-Mex toppings.
Who doesn’t love dinners that are easy to prep and even easier to clean-up? Meals like these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, Sheet Pan Steak and Veggies and Sheet Pan Chicken with Spicy Potatoes are great to have in your back pocket for busy weeknights.
A few months ago, I asked my Instagram followers what they want to see more of here in the blog, and the overwhelming majority replied quick and easy dinner recipes.
As always, your wish is my command, so these super easy Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas were my latest project these past few weeks and are now here to make your lives easier, without compromising on flavor!
I know what you’re thinking: “Regular chicken fajitas are already easy to make. Why make it in a sheet pan?”
Well, when cooking chicken fajitas on the stove, you need to use several skillets or cook them in batches, as the chicken cooks separately from the veggies. Here, everything cooks together, at the same time! So you do save a bit of time (or dishes to wash). Not to mention, they are cooked in the oven, so no babysitting things on the stove.
The optional, broiling step also gives the fajitas a char that you would only get by using a grill.
If you are looking for an easy weeknight recipe, this is it, friends! Can’t beat dumping everything on a sheet pan and letting the oven do the work for you.
Ingredients
To make sheet pan chicken fajitas, you will need:
- Chicken – This chicken fajitas recipe can be made with either chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are less likely to dry out in the oven, but will take a little longer to cook. If using breasts, you will have to be extra careful – especially if you choose to broil them to get a nice char – so they don’t dry out!
- Peppers – I love using mini sweet peppers in this recipe. They are sweeter than regular bell peppers and I can just halve them, meaning they will be plumper and juicier than bell peppers that have been cut into strips. That being said, regular bell peppers can absolutely be used instead!
- Red Onions – Traditional fajitas use white onions, but I like using red onions to make the dish more colorful. They are also milder than white onions, making these fajitas more palatable for kids and/or people who don’t love onions as much as me!
- Garlic – We’ll toss some fresh minced garlic with the fajitas because garlic always makes everything better!
- Fajita Seasoning – I make my own fajita seasoning by mixing chili powder, smoked paprika, a touch of cumin, onion powder, salt and pepper. If you prefer, you can buy a packet of fajita seasoning mix and use that instead! You can also use taco seasoning if that’s what you have on hand.
- Olive Oil – For the marinade. It will help the chicken fajitas brown nicely in the oven.
- Lime Juice – Also for the marinade! Lime wedges can be served on the side, for those who love a little extra zing with their fajitas.
- Tortillas – 6 or 7-inch flour tortillas, for serving. You can warm them in the oven with the fajitas, in the microwave or – my favorite method – char them on a gas stove.
How to Make Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Chicken fajitas are one of my favorite dinners, and this sheet pan version is a life saver, especially for those days when I don’t have time to cook dinner!
They are versatile too. Don’t like onions? Just skip them! Not a fan of peppers? Use other veggies instead. Wanna cook just the chicken and skip everything else? Go ahead!
The recipe is pretty much foolproof, the only thing I urge you to do is to keep an eye on the chicken – especially if you are using chicken breasts – so it doesn’t dry out. I am a fan of charred fajitas, and I have taken these a step too far in the past. So I’ve learned that I have to compromise on the char factor so the chicken stays juicy!
I still pop them under the broiler, but I watch them like a hawk. If you don’t want to risk it, just skip the broiling altogether or use chicken thighs, which are more forgiving! 😊
Recommended tools and equipment: sharp Chef’s knife, mixing bowl, baking sheet, tongs.
Here’s how I make this Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas recipe. As always, you will find the printable (and more complete) version of the recipe at the end of this post!
Step 1: Prep the chicken and veggies
- Cut the chicken against the grain intro chunky strips. When using the sheet pan method, I prefer not to slice them too thin, so they don’t dry out too much.
- Halve, core and deseed the sweet peppers.
- Cut onions into petals. You could slice them instead, but they will cook down to almost nothing, especially if you are broiling them to get a nice char.
Step 2: Marinate the fajitas
- Combine the chicken, peppers and onions with the oil, lime juice and fajita seasoning. If you can, let it marinade for at least 15 minutes for the flavors to develop. Or, if you are good at planning ahead, you can marinate the fajitas overnight in the fridge!
Step 3: Roast in the Oven
- Arrange the fajitas in a large baking sheet. I recommend spraying the baking sheet with nonstick spray or greasing with oil, so the chicken fajitas won’t stick.
- Roast at 375ºF for about 20 minutes, giving the fajitas a good toss halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and the peppers and onions soften.
- For a nice char, toss the fajitas again and pop them under the broiler for up to 5 minutes, rotating often so they char evenly and to prevent the chicken from drying out!
- Serve with warm tortillas and your favorite fajita toppings!
Olivia’s Tips
- If you have time to spare, let the fajitas marinate for 15 to 30 minutes on the counter (or for a few hours/overnight in the fridge) before cooking in the oven. That will make them extra juicy and flavorful!
- I recommend making your own fajita seasoning for this recipe! It is easy to make and made with spices that you probably already have in your pantry. That being said, using store-bought fajita seasoning (or even taco seasoning) works fine!
- The chicken is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. I highly recommend using a kitchen thermometer to start checking after 15 minutes of the fajitas being in the oven.
- If you, like me, love a good char on your fajitas, go ahead and drizzle them with more olive oil before they go under the broiler. That will encourage them to char more quickly, which will prevent the chicken from drying out too much!
- Double up! If serving a crowd, make two (or several) sheet pans at the same time. You can also save the leftovers for easy lunches.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your chicken fajitas with toppings such as sour cream, guacamole, lime wedges, sliced jalapeños, shredded cheese, your favorite salsa, hot sauce, fresh cilantro and – of course – flour tortillas.
To round out the meal, I serve mine with yellow rice and seasoned black beans! 😋
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas Variations
These sheet pan chicken fajitas are one of those tried and true recipes that work every time! That being said, sometimes you might want to change things up a bit, either to use up some produce that has been in the fridge or to adapt the recipe for dietary needs or preferences.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Use steak, pork, fish or shrimp instead of chicken. Cooking times will vary.
- Add other veggies, such as zucchini, mushrooms, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and/or tomatoes.
- Make them hot by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper (or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce) to the marinade.
- Make Chicken Fajita Bowls by serving your fajitas on a bed of rice.
- Go low-carb by serving your fajitas on lettuce wraps or low-carb tortillas! You can also use them in a salad.
Storing and Reheating Chicken Fajitas
Fridge: Let your cooked fajitas cool completely, then store in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.
Freezer: The uncooked fajitas can be frozen, in the marinade, for up to 2 months. I do not recommend freezing the cooked fajitas, as the veggies get soggy and mushy. You can, however, freeze the cooked chicken.
Reheat: Reheat your cooked chicken fajitas in a skillet, over medium-low heat, for about 5 minutes, or in the microwave, for 30-60 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
I find that chicken fajitas taste best when freshly made. That being said, you can prep and marinate them in the fridge overnight (or for up to 2 days).
You can use boneless chicken breast or thighs to make sheet pan chicken fajitas. Breasts cook quicker but they can dry out if you’re not careful!
You know the chicken is cooked through when a thermometer inserted in a chunky piece reads 165ºF. If you don’t own a thermometer, you’d have to cut a piece of chicken to check.
It will take 15 to 20 minutes to cook chicken fajitas at 375ºF. A little longer (3 to 5 minutes) if you choose to broil the fajitas at the end.
More Tex-Mex Recipes
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut against the grain into chunky strips
- 1 pound mini sweet peppers, halved, cored and deseeded
- 2 large red onions, peeled and cut into petals
- 12 (6 or 7-inch) flour tortillas, warmed (see notes)
- Optional toppings: sour cream, guacamole, cheese, salsa, hot sauce, jalapeños, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, etc
For the Marinade:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- Juice of one lime
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Prepare a large baking sheet by coating with nonstick spray or oil.
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, halved peppers and onion petals with the marinade ingredients. Toss to combine, ensuring everything is well coated. If you have the time, let it marinate for 15 to 30 minutes on the counter, or overnight in the fridge.
- Spread the fajitas in the prepared sheet pan.
- Roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, giving a good toss halfway through, or until the veggies are softened and the chicken is cooked through. You will know the chicken is done when a thermometer inserted in a chunky piece reads at least 165ºF.
- If desired, you can broil the fajitas to get them charred. Just give them another toss, then pop them 3 to 4 inches under the broiler, letting them cook for an extra 3 to 5 minutes, rotating often so they can char evenly.
- Serve immediately, with the warmed tortillas and desired toppings.
Notes
- Oven – Wrap a stack of 5 tortillas in aluminum foil and place in the oven for about 15 minutes, until they are heated through. This method is the most convenient, as you can place them in the oven at the same time the fajitas are cooking.
- Skillet – You can warm your tortillas in a skillet, over medium heat. Working with one tortilla at a time, lay it on the skillet cook, turning often, until warm.
- Microwave – Place 3 to 4 tortillas at a time on a microwave-safe plate, covered with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 30 second increments, until hot.
- Charred on a Gas Stove – Place a tortilla, one at a time, directly over your gas stove burner, on medium-low heat. In about 20 seconds it will start to puff slightly, signaling that you should turn with tongs to let it cook for a few more seconds on the other side.
