This tender and juicy cilantro lime chicken fajitas are baked in a sheet pan in the oven with delicious spices, bell pepper, onion, and tomato. It's a healthy and fast dinner that your oven will take care of.
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The aroma of chili lime chicken breasts mingling with colorful bell peppers and onions is a familiar smell in my kitchen. These cilantro lime chicken fajitas have become a go-to dish for my family and for good reason. The amazing flavors in this Mexican-inspired recipe make it a winner on our dinner table, especially with the touch of cilantro and lime. I simply love sheet pan meals.
Why You'll Love These Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas
Quick and Easy: Add (almost) all ingredients to a sheet pan, place it in the oven for a few minutes, and you'll have a delicious, quick, and filling dinner in no time! This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights when you crave a delicious homemade meal.
Flavor Explosion: Combining zesty lime juice, aromatic cilantro, and a blend of Tex-Mex spices creates an incredibly mouthwatering dish! You'll see for yourself!
Versatility: Whether you're a fan of warm tortillas or prefer a fajita bowl, this recipe adapts easily to your personal preferences, making it a versatile choice for any occasion.
Ingredients
Let's break down the ingredients in this recipe:
- Chicken breasts: Opt for boneless, skinless chicken breasts to prepare them even faster. You can also use boneless skinless thighs as a substitute.
- Fajita Seasoning: Create your own blend with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic, and salt. Adjust the spice levels to suit your taste. You can use store-bought fajitas seasoning as a substitute if needed.
- Bell Peppers and Onions: The colorful duo adds a sweet crunch to the fajitas. Feel free to experiment with red onion and different colored bell peppers for a visually appealing dish.
- Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes bring a burst of freshness to the fajitas. You can use diced Roma tomatoes or cherry tomatoes.
- Olive Oil: A drizzle of olive oil adds richness and helps the chicken and veggies get a beautiful color.
- Lime Juice and Cilantro: These two ingredients bring a fresh and bright taste to these fajitas, making them irresistible. Use fresh lime for a better taste.
How to make Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas
These sheet-pan chicken fajitas are so easy to make! Just add everything to a large rimmed baking sheet and let your oven do the work! Here are the step-by-step photos for guidance.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cut chicken breasts, bell pepper, and onion into thin slices and dice the tomatoes.
Add chicken strips and seasonings into a medium bowl and mix them all together.
Place seasoned chicken and veggies into a greased sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle olive oil, sprinkle salt on veggies, and cook for about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
Once cooked, add freshly squeezed lemon juice and cilantro. Serve it with warm tortillas or make a fajita bowl, and add your favorite toppings.
Homemade Fajitas Seasoning is Better
You could definitely use store-bought seasoning, but homemade is so much better! It requires just a few ingredients, and the flavor is incredible. Not to mention that it eliminates unnecessary additives often found in store-bought versions, making it healthier, too! You know exactly what's in it and can control the sodium, spiciness, and predominant flavors according to your liking.
You probably have all the spices in your pantry. The only one that's a little different is the smoked paprika. It has a smoked flavor that changes it to a new level. Regular paprika is not my favorite spice, but smoked paprika is life-changing in the kitchen. You can use regular paprika if you don't have it, but I highly recommend buying the smoked one. Since the smoky taste is strong, you don't use as much, so it lasts a long time.
Why making chicken fajitas in the oven is easier
Baking the chicken and vegetables in a sheet pan in the oven makes dinner so much easier! It's the best way to optimize your time. Since it's hands-free, while everything is baking in the oven, you can warm up your corn or flour tortillas or prepare the sides you want with them.
Also, if you like some char, you can turn on the broil for the last 5 minutes or so to get some beautiful color and taste.
Chicken Fajitas cooking time is Important
Proper cooking time ensures a juicy chicken. Overcooking may result in tough and dry chicken, while undercooking can compromise the safety of the dish.
Since you cut the chicken breasts into strips, they'll cook faster than whole chicken breasts.
When you think they're done, cut one strip in the middle and check for doneness. The meat should no longer be pink, and juices should be running clear. If you have a meat thermometer, it should read 165ºF (74ºC) when inserted in the center of the chicken strip.
Variations
Experiment with different protein options like shrimp or beef, or go vegetarian using tofu or portobello mushrooms. There are so many delicious possibilities!
Serving Suggestions
You can serve these delicious chicken fajitas with butter rice, black beans, sauteed chickpeas, and lettuce, making a fajita bowl. Or, you can eat it in tortillas. Put the fajitas inside a tortilla and add some shredded cheese, avocado slices, green onions, and sour cream. Garnish with additional fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Do you have more ideas on twisting this recipe and making a new meal for the next day? Tell me in the comments; I would love to hear it!!
Storage
Store leftover fajitas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave for a quick and delicious meal.
FAQs
Certainly! Chicken thighs are tender and juicy, adding a rich flavor to this dish.
Yes. When prepared with lean protein like chicken breasts and homemade fajita seasoning, cilantro lime chicken fajitas can be a healthy and balanced meal.
Chicken fajitas are a Tex-Mex creation, originating in the borderlands of Texas and Mexico. The dish gained popularity in the 1930s and has since become a classic in Mexican-American cuisine.
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📖 Recipe / Receita
Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas (Sheet pan recipe)
Equipment
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 large rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 garlic cloves (minced) (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced (any colors you like)
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced (optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a big, rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly grease it. Cut chicken into thin strips and season it with garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and paprika. Make sure that all strips are covered with the seasonings.
- Transfer the chicken and veggies to the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle some salt over the veggies and drizzle olive oil over everything.
- Bake for about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked*. Do not overbake it. Remove sheet pan from oven, squeeze lime juice over everything, and sprinkle cilantro on top.
- Serving suggestions: Spoon small amounts of chicken and veggies onto tortillas and top with some cheese, sour cream, and avocados, or serve them in a bowl with white rice and beans. You can also serve both ways, on different days, and save some time in the kitchen. 🙂 Enjoy!!
Notes
Nutrition Estimate:
All nutritional information above is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Nutritional content may vary according to brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, substitutions, optional ingredients, etc. Simple Living Recipes is not responsible for any miscalculation or misinformation in the nutrition label.
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