Make these keto chicken fajitas either on the stovetop(skillet) or in the oven (sheet pan) for a budget-friendly easy dinner everyone will love! It has marinated tender chicken strips with crisp bell peppers and onion, making a delicious meal with a slightly smoky flavor.
Table of Contents
- 1 Why you will love this keto fajitas recipe
- 2 What are fajitas?
- 3 Keto Chicken Fajitas Recipe
- 4 Ingredients and Substitutions
- 5 Equipment
- 6 HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN FAJITAS IN SKILLET
- 7 What cut of chicken is best for these keto chicken fajitas?
- 8 How to cut a chicken breast into strips
- 9 What does fajita seasoning contain?
- 10 What to serve with
- 11 Tips for making keto fajitas
- 12 How to store and reheat
- 13 Other Keto Chicken Recipes
- 14 Other Tex-Mex Recipes
- 15 Keto Chicken Fajitas
Why you will love this keto fajitas recipe
- Quick and easy: The fajitas are cooked in about 15 minutes on the stovetop and you only need budget-friendly, simple ingredients that you may already have in your pantry/fridge/freezer.
- Budget-friendly: All the ingredients are simple and affordable, and you can find them easily at your local grocery store.
- Healthy: It is high-protein, low-carb, gluten-free, Paleo, and Whole 30.
- Crowd-pleaser: It is the type of meal the entire family would enjoy.
What are fajitas?
Fajitas are a dish from Tex-Mex cuisine that consists of stripped grilled meat (skirt steak, chicken, pork, etc)with stripped bell peppers and onions, usually served on flour or corn tortilla.
Skirt steak (marinated in a skirt steak marinade) is the original meat used to make fajitas. However, there are some variations such as these pork fajitas and shrimp fajitas. You can even make a plant-based version such as these chickpea fajitas.
Keto Chicken Fajitas Recipe
Chicken fajitas are a flavorful dish made of well-seasoned, tender chicken strips with crisp bell peppers and onions.
The chicken is marinated in a blend of tangy lime juice, rich olive oil, and warm spices like chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper, infusing it with a zesty and slightly smoky flavor with a touch of heat.
The bell peppers and onions are low-carb and provide a refreshing and crunchy texture to the fajitas, as well as a sweet and slightly bitter taste that pairs well with the spiciness of the chicken.
As a final touch, fresh cilantro adds a bright and herbaceous flavor that balances the richness of the meat and vegetables, giving our keto fajitas a pop of color.
It is a popular dish in Texas and quite budget-friendly.
You can either prepare it on the stovetop or bake it in the oven according to your convenience.
Although the baking method calls for one sheet pan, making less mess to wash, it takes longer to cook. I personally prefer the stovetop method because it is quicker to cook and my dishwasher takes care of the mess. 🙂
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make these keto fajitas, you'll need:
- 3 tablespoon lime juice (or lemon juice)
- 4 tablespoon olive oil (2 for the marinate, 2 for cooking the chicken and vegetables), or other vegetable oil with high smoke point such as avocado oil
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (or smoked paprika if you prefer)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 large chicken breasts (or thighs), skinless and boneless, sliced into thin strips (600 grams )
- 3 medium bell peppers (1 red, 1 green, and 1 yellow), de-seeded and sliced into thin strips
- 1 medium red onion, sliced into thin strips (or white or yellow onion)
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped (or parsley if you are not a fan of cilantro)
NOTE: You can replace chili powder, cumin, paprika, and part of the salt and pepper with this keto taco seasoning.
Equipment
You will need the following tolls to make these keto chicken fajitas:
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Measuring spoons
- Large skillet
- Tongs
- Serving platter, or sheet pan
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN FAJITAS IN SKILLET
1. Prepare the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk lime juice and 2 tablespoon olive oil together. Mix in chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.
2. Toss the chicken strips until coated evenly in the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. While the chicken is marinating, slice the bell peppers and onion into thin strips (about ¼-inch thick).
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, and then the sliced onions and peppers. Stir now and then and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are slightly softened and charred. Transfer to a sheet pan or serving platter.
5. Remove the chicken strips from the marinade and shake off any excess marinade.
6. Using the same large skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook the strip over medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
7. Transfer the keto chicken fajitas to a sheet pan or serving platter and mix them with the cooked vegetables.
8. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the top of the fajitas, and serve with tortillas, sour cream, salsa, and any other toppings of your choice. Enjoy!
SHEET PAN CHICKEN FAJITAS IN OVEN
- This is an alternative cooking method. To make oven-baked chicken fajitas, follow steps 1 and 2 above.
- After the chicken has marinated for 30 minutes, discard the marinade and transfer the chicken and vegetables to a large sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Toss them with 2 tablespoon olive oil and spread out everything evenly.
- Bake at a preheated 400 degrees F (200 C) oven for 35-40 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Squeeze extra lime juice over top of the meat and vegetables after they come out of the oven and sprinkle cilantro on top.
What cut of chicken is best for these keto chicken fajitas?
You can use either chicken breasts or thighs that are skinless and boneless. The most important is to cut the chicken evenly into long, thin strips. This way they will cut uniformly!
How to cut a chicken breast into strips
- Start by removing any excess fat (or skin) from the chicken breasts or thighs with a sharp knife.
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cut them lengthwise into thin, even strips. You can cut the strips as thick or thin as you prefer. However, cut them into a uniform thickness so that they cook evenly.
- If the chicken breasts are large, you may need to cut them in half horizontally and then slice them lengthwise.
- Once the chicken is sliced into strips, you can proceed with marinating and cooking it according to our keto fajitas recipe instructions.
What does fajita seasoning contain?
Most fajita seasonings contain a mix of cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, and sometimes also garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
What to serve with
Here are a few options:
- Fresh tortillas, warmed (low-carb tortillas preferably, or if you're not on a keto diet, you can serve your fajitas with corn or flour tortillas). Or, you can also serve in these keto taco shells.
- Toppings: Shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa, sliced avocado (or guacamole or creamy avocado dip), pico de gallo or diced tomatoes, and shredded cheese. Plus, these Mexican pickled red onions. All of them are low-carb!
- Sides: If you are not on a keto diet, you may serve it with Spanish rice (or cauliflower rice for a keto side) and refried beans.
Tips for making keto fajitas
- Cut the chicken and vegetables into uniform strips to ensure even cooking and easier eating.
- Don't over-marinate the chicken! The acid from the lime juice can break down the meat and make it mushy though (30 minutes should be enough for the chicken to absorb the flavors).
- If needed, cook the chicken in batches to prevent overcrowding the skillet and ensure the chicken cooks evenly.
- Don't overcook the chicken! It will become dry and tough. Just cook until the chicken is golden brown and has reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- If you prefer your fajitas spicier, you can add more chili powder or other spices, or use a hotter variety of chili pepper.
- To save time, you can prep ahead the marinade and also cut the chicken and vegetables ahead of time. Then store them in separate containers in the fridge until ready to cook.
- To serve, warm up the tortillas in the oven or on a skillet, and assemble the chicken fajitas. Top with cilantro and other toppings or condiments, if desired.
- Cutting chicken breast into strips: Chicken is the main protein source in this dish and provides a mild and versatile flavor that pairs well with spices and vegetables. You can use either boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs, depending on your preference.
- Low-carb vegetables: Bell peppers add color, crunch, and sweetness to the fajitas. You can use a variety of colors to make the dish more visually appealing and to add different flavors and nutrients. Moreover, onion adds flavor and texture to the keto chicken fajitas and helps to balance the sweetness of the peppers. You can use any type of onion you like, such as white, yellow, or red.
- Lime juice is a key ingredient in the marinade! It helps to tenderize the chicken and add tanginess to the dish. Use fresh lime juice, preferably!
- Olive oil: It is used in the marinade and helps to coat the chicken and prevent it from sticking to the pan. It also adds richness and flavor to the keto fajitas.
- Chili powder: Chili powder is a blend of ground chili peppers and other spices, such as cumin, garlic, and oregano, and adds heat and depth to the fajitas. However, you can adjust the amount of chili powder to your taste.
- Ground cumin: Ground cumin is a warm and earthy spice that complements the chili powder and adds complexity to the fajitas.
- Paprika: Paprika is a sweet and smoky spice that adds flavor and color to the fajitas. You can use either sweet or smoked paprika, or a combination of both, depending on the flavor you want to give to your fajitas.
- Salt and pepper are basic seasonings that help to enhance the flavor of the fajitas and balance the other spices.
- Cilantro is a fresh and fragrant herb that adds a lot of flavor and aroma to our keto chicken fajitas. You can chop the cilantro leaves and sprinkle them over the dish before serving though.
How to store and reheat
- FRIDGE: Let your leftover fajitas cool down to room temp before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The airtight container will prevent them from drying out or absorbing odors from other foods
- REHEAT: Either microwave them or heat them up in a pan on the stove over medium heat.
- FREEZER: You can freeze our keto chicken fajitas in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Then, thaw them in the fridge overnight and reheat them before serving. However, the vegetables won't be as crunchy as they were at first.
Other Keto Chicken Recipes
- Honey butter chicken
- Baked chicken breast
- Baked chicken thighs
- Honey mustard chicken breast
- WW Chicken tortilla soup
- Keto buffalo chicken dip
- Keto ranch chicken
Other Tex-Mex Recipes
PIN & ENJOY!
Keto Chicken Fajitas
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 cutting board
- 1 Chef's knife
- Measuring spoons
- 1 large skillet
- 1 tongs
- 1 Serving platter, or sheet pan
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice
- 4 tablespoon olive oil 2 for the marinate, 2 for cooking the chicken and vegetables, or other vegetable oil with high smoke point such as avocado oil
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika or smoked paprika if you prefer
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 large chicken breasts or thighs, skinless and boneless, sliced into thin strips (600 grams )
- 3 medium bell peppers 1 red, 1 green, and 1 yellow, de-seeded and sliced into thin strips
- 1 medium red onion sliced into thin strips (or white or yellow onion)
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped (or parsley if you are not a fan of cilantro)
Instructions
SKILLET CHICKEN FAJITAS (STOVETOP)
- Prepare the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk lime juice and 2 tablespoon olive oil together. Mix in chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Toss the chicken strips until coated evenly in the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- While the chicken is marinating, slice the bell peppers and onion into thin strips (about ¼-inch thick).
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, and then the sliced onions and peppers. Stir now and then and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are slightly softened and charred. Transfer to a sheet pan or serving platter.
- Remove the chicken strips from the marinade and shake off any excess marinade.
- Using the same large skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook the strip over medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer the chicken fajitas to a sheet pan or serving platter and mix them with the cooked vegetables.
- Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the top of the fajitas, and serve with tortillas, sour cream, salsa, and any other toppings of your choice. Enjoy!
SHEET PAN CHICKEN FAJITAS (OVEN-BAKED)
- This is an alternative cooking method. To make oven-baked chicken fajitas, follow steps 1 and 2 above.
- After the chicken has marinated for 30 minutes, discard the marinade and transfer the chicken and vegetables to a large sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Toss them with 2 tablespoon olive oil and spread out everything evenly.
- Bake at a preheated 400 degrees F (200 C) oven for 35-40 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Squeeze extra lime juice over top of the meat and vegetables after they come out of the oven and sprinkle cilantro on top.
- What cut of chicken is best for these keto chicken fajitas?
- You can use either chicken breasts or thighs that are skinless and boneless. The most important is to cut the chicken evenly into long, thin strips. This way they will cut uniformly!
- How to cut a chicken breast into strips
- Start by removing any excess fat (or skin) from the chicken breasts or thighs with a sharp knife.
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cut them lengthwise into thin, even strips. You can cut the strips as thick or thin as you prefer. However, cut them into a uniform thickness so that they cook evenly.
- If the chicken breasts are large, you may need to cut them in half horizontally and then slice them lengthwise.
- Once the chicken is sliced into strips, you can proceed with marinating and cooking it according to our recipe instructions.
Recipe Notes
- FRIDGE: Let your leftover fajitas cool down to room temp before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The airtight container will prevent them from drying out or absorbing odors from other foods
- REHEAT: Either microwave them or heat them up in a pan on the stove over medium heat.
- FREEZER: You can freeze our keto chicken fajitas in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Then, thaw them in the fridge overnight and reheat them before serving. However, the vegetables won't be as crunchy as they were at first.
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
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