How to make the juicy, flavorful chicken fajitas with our easy garlic and citrus marinade and lots of vegetables. Jump to the Easy Chicken Fajitas Recipe or read on to see our tips for making them.
Is there anything better than a big skillet of sizzling chicken fajitas next to bowls of crisp lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo and creamy sour cream? It’s hands on. We love that.
We’re allowed to pack warm tortillas with whatever we like. I go heavy on the veggies and sides. So much so that I’m always shocked at just how large I’ve made it. Adam, he’s a little more restrained – a few slices of chicken, a pepper or two and some shredded lettuce.
To really take these fajitas to the next level, try making your own flour tortillas! Here’s our favorite recipe for you to look at.
Use This Garlic Citrus Marinade For Crazy Good Fajitas
It’s the fresh, bright marinade that makes these chicken fajitas so good. Since we use chicken breasts, we love adding lots of flavors. If you’re in the mood for something different take a look at our spice rubbed fajitas.
To freshen things up, we use fresh orange juice, lime juice, and cilantro. Then garlic, chili powder, and cumin give it a backbone. It comes together very quickly and is amazing with the chicken.
It’s best to marinate for at least 30 minutes, but you can go longer. Keep the chicken in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours. Once marinated, we cook the chicken and serve alongside freshly cooked vegetables. Dinner perfection.
Recipe updated, originally posted January 2013. Since posting this in 2013, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne
Easy Garlic Citrus Chicken Fajitas
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
Who doesn’t love a big skillet of sizzling chicken fajitas? It’s best to marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes. The chicken breasts become a little more tender and flavorful. You can marinate the chicken for up to 8 hours.
You Will Need
Fajitas1 1/2-pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Citrus garlic marinade, recipe below
2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil (or use olive oil)
2 large onions, halved and sliced
3 bell peppers, seeded and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1 jalapeño, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
What to Serve with Fajitas12 flour or corn tortillas, warmed, try homemade flour tortillas
1 romaine heart, shredded
Sour cream
Salsa or pico de gallo, see our pico de gallo recipe
Guacamole, see our guacamole recipe
Queso fresco or shredded cheese
Garlic Citrus Marinade1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons chili powder, see our homemade chili powder recipe
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Directions
- Make Marinade
1In a small bowl, combine the orange juice, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, minced garlic, cilantro, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Set aside two tablespoons of the marinade.
- Prepare Chicken
1Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper then place in a resealable bag. Pour in the marinade and seal the bag. Move the chicken around to coat well. Place the bag in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 8 hours). Flip the bag over from time to time to move around the marinade.
- Cook Vegetables
1Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add one tablespoon of the oil. When the oil is hot, add onions and cook, stirring, until they soften and begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the bell peppers and jalapeño and cook, stirring, until peppers start to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
2Reduce the heat to medium, and then add the garlic and season with salt and pepper, and then cook another 5 to 8 minutes until the peppers and onions begin to caramelize. Pour in the reserved two tablespoons of marinade and use a wooden spoon to scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan up and into the vegetables. Remove vegetables from the pan and keep warm covered in foil while you cook the chicken.
- Cook Chicken
1Heat the skillet used for vegetables over medium-high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Remove chicken from the marinade and place into the pan. Cook until well browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip and continue to cook, flipping over from time to time, until browned on both sides and an internal thermometer reaches 165 degrees F; 10 to 15 minutes.
2Transfer chicken to a cutting board and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let sit 3 to 5 minutes then cut into 1/2-inch thick strips.
- To Finish
Place the vegetables back into the skillet and if necessary reheat. Nestle the chicken on top, and then serve with warm tortillas and your favorite fajita toppings.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- To warm tortillas, wrap them in foil and warm in a low oven, or wrap in a towel and warm in the microwave.
- Nutrition Facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA Supertracker recipe calculator to calculate approximate values. We did not include tortillas in the calculations since brands vary so much.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
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This turned out fantastic! I added the zests of the orange and lime and also put some honey in the marinade. I made fresh guacamole and salsa… so yummy! Thanks for a great recipe. I’ll be making it again soon.
WOW just what I was searching for. Came here by searching for chicken fajitas recipe
Made this last night and it was delicious! Thank you sharing your recipes. I am always looking for good recipes and I am so glad I found your site. Now I have something new to brag to my husband when he gets home. Thank you again.
If some one wishes expert view about blogging afterward i advise him/her to pay a quick visit this blog, Keep up the pleasant work.
We’ve made this a few times now, comes out great every time. Really easy, and tastes so much better than any store bought marinade. Thanks for this one!
I never review stuff, but just had to write a comment here. Delicious! Made exactly as written, minus Cilantro which no one in my family cares for. Used a cast iron skillet for chicken and then veggies. One thing people must know with mexican – get yourself a tortilla warmer (terra cotta) and wrap tortillas in a wet cloth napkin, put in 350 degree oven for 15-20 mins – it will make even so-so tortillas so much better! Always seek out better quality tortillas; you won’t be disappointed. Nice job on this recipe.
Thanks Andy, we’re glad you liked the fajitas and love your tips on tortillas.
Can I use lemon instead of lime ?
Yes, lemon will be slightly different, but should still taste good.
This is the first Internet recipe I have ever been compelled to review. I feel that I must provide a review if only to convey my gratitude for this delicious meal. The marinade is excellent, and the steps for cooking were helpful. Thanks for posting a better-than-restaurant quality fajita recipe!
Thanks Tom. So glad you enjoyed the recipe enough to come back and share. All the best!
Hi,
Going to try this recipe, I am very excited! Just wondering if there is something else I could use other then cilantro or if I could just skip it completely?
Thanks!
Skip it completely or you could try arugula or parsley.
I just spent the last twenty minutes trying to find this site. I used your marinade a few weeks back to make lobster fajitas and they were out of this world. I’m looking forward to tasting how good they are tonight using chicken and shrimp. Fabulous recipe!
I saved the recipe to my recipe file and printed a hard copy so this doesn’t happen again.
So glad you found us again 🙂
This was fantastic! The marinade really makes the dish. I forgot the garlic when usually I double or triple it but it was very tasty.
So glad you liked it 🙂
Looks Fantastic!
*But, I don’t get the new measurement of “cup tablespoons ” as in the lime juice.
Found you thru Pinterest, you’re site is so user friendly, great instructions, pics/videos and most importantly…you guys respond to questions! Thank you!
Thank you so much and great catch! It was definitely supposed to be cups. I just fixed it.
I like to marinate meat with kiwi, but I’m going to try using orange juice this time. Like you, I go heavy on veggies, guac, and of course cheese ;). I’m not a huge fan of sour cream. Fajitas are always a crowd-pleaser and so fun to eat. Thank you for sharing. I just found your blog, and it is so lovely! I’m incredibly inspired…
Wow, we would never have thought to use kiwi – so cool!
I bet the Orange juice in this makes it really sweet and good. Ive never thought about putting orange juice in my fajita marinade before. I can’t wait to test it out now. I’m glad I found a new healthy recipe I can add to my collection of new meals to try.
Hi Tanya – The OJ works well with the tart lime. We really like how it “sweetens” it up a little.