Chicken Fajita Skillet Tacos

Chicken Fajita Tacos are sizzling with flavor. Seasoned chicken is paired with sauteed onions and peppers for a mildly spicy Mexican meal that's easy to prepare. This chicken fajita skillet cooks quickly for a delicious weeknight meal.

Our family often has taco night. We can never get enough tacos. I like to make things a bit on the healthy side, and these fajita tacos fit the bill. What could be better than making a taco dinner with only one skillet? This chicken fajita tacos recipe is the perfect easy dinner idea!

What Is A Fajita Taco?

Fajitas, tacos, burritos, fajita tacos. It can be hard to keep up with the nuanced differences in these Mexican staples, so you may be wondering what makes this a chicken fajita taco as opposed to just chicken fajitas or just a taco.

Fajitas - The term 'fajita' comes from the Spanish word faja, which means little belt. Usually, fajita refers to a filling option made of thin strips of seasoned meat and grilled vegetables. It's an excellent cooking method for tougher cuts of meat.

Taco – A taco is more of a serving method. Essentially, tacos are like sandwiches. Chopped meat and vegetables are served in soft corn or flour shell. Tacos are usually topped with shredded lettuce and tomato, whereas fajitas are not.

So fajita tacos are essentially sandwiches filled with fajita meat and served taco style.

Ingredients Needed

• Seasonings – A combination of chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder and salt will season the chicken perfectly. You can also use a store bought taco seasoning or fajita blend.
• Chicken – I used boneless, skinless chicken breast. You could use chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat. But you may need to adjust the cooking time.
• Olive Oil – Or use your prefered light, neutral-flavored oil.
• Onion – I like yellow or red onion but use what you have on hand. Or if you aren't an onion fan, you could add extra peppers and some onion powder instead.
• Red or Green Bell Peppers – Choose any color or use a combination.
• Poblano Pepper – Poblano adds a mild spice. You can omit if your prefer.
• Tortillas – I like taco sized flour tortillas. Use corn tortillas for a gluten free meal. Serve the tortillas warm.
• Toppings – Serve with a variety of toppings like salsa, sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheddar cheese, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice from lime wedges and more. Your favorite taco toppings will work in this recipe. 

How to Make a Chicken Fajita Skillet

1. Mix the spices and salt in a small bowl. Set aside ¼ of the mixture and rub the rest on the chicken breast.
2. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat and cook the seasoned chicken until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees. Set aside.
3. Cut the onion and peppers into thin strips.
4. Remove the tender chicken from the pan, then season and cook veggies.
5. Slice the cooked chicken fajita meat into thin strips then return to the pan with the vegetables until all is well cooked. Mix well.
6. Heat tortillas and fill them with the chicken mixture. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Tips for Making Fajita Tacos

• Select chicken breasts that are similar in size.
• Trim chicken of excess fat.
• If necessary, pound chicken breasts to an even thickness.
• Pat the chicken dry before seasoning.
• Reserve some of the seasoning to add to the veggies.
• Cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
• Slice the veggies while the chicken cooks.
• Allow the chicken to rest before slicing against the grain into strips.

Variations

• Gluten Free - You can eliminate the soft flour tortillas and serve over rice for an easy meal. Or substitute lettuce leaves for the taco shells make a lower carb meal.
• Healthy Salad - Serve the chicken fajita mixture on a bed of greens to make a chicken fajita salad that is healthy, low carb and also gluten free.
• Change Up the Protein - Try using steak, ground beef or shrimp for a whole new meal.

If you like cooking chicken in a cast iron skillet, also try this juicy one-pan chicken breast recipe.

Storage and Leftovers

These delicious chicken fajita tacos store well but make sure to store the chicken and fajita veggies separate from the tortillas. The chicken and vegetables should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator while the tortillas should be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in a cool pantry or bread bin.

Once you reheat the chicken strips and fajita vegetables, you can make the tacos. Leftovers should not be kept for more than 3 days.

This chicken fajita skillet is fun, frugal, and flavorful, no matter how you fill them, top them, or serve them. How do you like your Chicken Fajita Tacos?

Serving Suggestions

These tacos are a meal in themselves but here are a few extras that go great with them.

• Super Easy Mexican Guacamole
• Black Beans and Corn Salsa
• Pico de Gallo by Fantabulosity
• Easy Cilantro Lime Rice from The Suburban Soapbox

If you like this chicken fajita skillet, please leave a 5-star rating below.

RECIPE

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