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These Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are fast, easy, and loaded with fabulous flavor! Ready in minutes with a smoky spice rub (and optional Chipotle Yum Yum Sauce), they're guaranteed to get rave reviews around the table.
We've been enjoying various renditions of this Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas recipe for the past few weeks as I tested different oven temperatures, spice rubs, and techniques to achieve the most tender, juicy chicken and perfectly roasted veggies. After lots of tweaking, we're thrilled with the final recipe... and I think you will be too!
Table of contents (Use the links below to quickly navigate to any section of the post!)
A weeknight and entertaining win!
I love dinners that are quick, easy, and outrageously delicious. And if they're fresh and healthy too? Total win! These Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas check all those boxes, making them ideal for busy weeknights or relaxed entertaining.
The technique
I start by making a Mexican-inspired spice rub then combining it with olive oil.
This mixture gets divided in half and drizzled over the chicken and veggies (in separate bowls). Then use a spatula (or your hands) to mix and coat everything with the delicious flavored rub.
As I mentioned above, I experimented with lots of oven methods before landing on this one. Many sheet pan fajita recipes toss the chicken and veggies on a pan and roast everything together. While easy, I found the chicken often turned out tough and the veggies soggy.
So I borrowed a technique from my Oven Roasted Pork Tenderloin recipe: preheating a sheet pan in a super hot oven before adding the meat. This creates an "oven sear"... when the chicken hits the sizzling pan, the juices are sealed in and the edges caramelize beautifully, enhancing the natural flavor.
Another minute in the hot oven for the chicken and from there, it's just a matter of adding the veggies and popping the pan under the broiler to get a bit of char.
Finish with a drizzle of our creamy Chipotle Yum Yum Sauce (so easy!) or our Mexican Cilantro Sauce (or both!), and you've got a restaurant-worthy meal in under 30 minutes.
Against the grain
For the most tender, juicy chicken in these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, it's essential to slice the meat against the grain.
What does that mean? If you examine a raw chicken breast, you'll notice faint lines running in one direction. These are the muscle fibers (the grain). See the image below:
See the grain lines running up and down? Slicing against the grain means cutting perpendicular to these lines. This is probably not the way you usually slice chicken breasts (most people just slice them width-wise). But it's an easy little trick that shortens the muscle fibers, resulting in tender, juicy chicken.
How to slice against the grain? First of all check out the direction of the muscle fibers. Then position your knife perpendicular to these grain lines and slice away!
For this chicken fajitas recipes, slice the chicken into ÂĽ-inch strips. After slicing against the grain, I like to cut the strips in half to create bite-sized pieces that are perfect for wrapping in tortillas or adding to salads.
What you'll need
Here's what to add to your shopping list:
- Chicken breasts - This recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but thighs also work (just increase the cook time slightly).
- Bell peppers - You'll need three medium or large peppers. I like to use a mix of red, yellow, and orange for a pretty presentation.
- Red onion - Adds color and flavor. Yellow or white onions are fine too.
- Olive oil - Helps keep everything moist and encourages caramelization.
- Spices - The rub includes garlic salt, oregano, onion powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, and a touch of brown sugar for balance.
How to serve these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
We love these fajitas tucked into warm, Homemade Flour Tortillas (a reader favorite!) with a drizzle of creamy Chipotle Yum Yum Sauce (recipe included) or Mexican Cilantro Sauce. You can add crumbled queso fresco or cojita cheese, sliced avocado or chopped cilantro.
A delicious dish to pair with these fajitas, is our Easy Mexican Rice. The rice can be made a day or two in advance and warmed in the microwave for busy days and/or relaxed entertaining.
Serve right from the sheet pan and let everyone help themselves.
Or fancy things up a bit and transfer the fajitas to a platter.
Put these fajitas on your must-make list!
Whether you're feeding a hungry family on a busy weeknight or looking for a fun and flavorful meal to serve guests, these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are a guaranteed hit. They're vibrant, healthy, and bursting with fabulous flavor. One bite, and you'll know why they've become a regular on our dinner table!
Thought for the Day:
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through Him,
and without Him nothing was made that was made.
John 1:1-3
What we're listening to for inspiration:
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The Best Sheetpan Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
For the spice rub:
- 2 ½ teaspoons garlic salt
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
For the chicken and veggies
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced against the grain (see post if you're not sure how to do this)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large red bell peppers, cut into ÂĽ-inch slices (or 1 red and 1 green)
- 1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into ÂĽ-inch slices
- 1 medium red onion, halved and cut into ÂĽ-inch slices
For serving:
- Chipotle Yum Yum Sauce, optional
- Mexican Cilantro Sauce, optional
- avocado slices, optional
- crumbled Cotija or Queso Fresco cheese, optional
- chopped cilantro, optional
For the Chipoltle Yum Yum Sauce: (optional)
- ½ cup mayonaise, I like the lower fat mayo
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder, or your favorite chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
For the prep:
- Preheat the oven to 475ËšF with a sheet pan (13x18) on a rack about 6 inches below the broiler.
For the spice rub:
- Combine all of the spice rub ingredients in a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice. Stir well to combine and set aside.
For the chicken and veggies:
- Slice the chicken about ÂĽ inch thick, across the grain (see the post above for explanation) and place in a medium bowl.
- Drizzle the chicken with about half of the olive oil/spice mixture. Toss with a tongs or your hands to evenly coat the chicken. Set aside
- Slice the bell peppers into ÂĽ inch slices and place in a medium size bowl.
- Peel and half the red onion and slice into ÂĽ-inch thick wedges. Transfer to the bowl with the peppers.
- Add the remaining oil/spice mixture to the bowl with the veggies. Toss to coat then set aside.
To bake/broil:
- When the oven is preheated, remove the pan from the oven and drizzle with the additional 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Tilt the pan to coat the surface.
- Transfer the chicken to the hot, oiled pan. With a spatula or tongs, spread the chicken to an even layer. Return the chicken to the oven for 1 minute.
- Remove the pan from the oven and turn the broiler to high.
- Add the veggies to the pan with the chicken and toss everything with a tongs or metal spatula then spread to an even layer.
- When the broiler is nicely heated, return the pan to the oven and broil for 1-3 minutes or until the chicken and veggies are caramelzied and beginning to char in places.
- Remove from the oven and squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the chicken and veggies. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
To serve:
- Serve with warm tortillas. Optional toppings: salsa, Chipotle Yum Yum Sauce, Mexican Cilantro Sauce, avocado slices, sour cream, crumbled cotija or queso fresca cheese, and/or fresh lime wedges.
For the Chipotle Yum Yum Sauce:
- Combine all Yum Yum Sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Taste, if you like things spicier, add more chili powder.
Notes
Frequently asked questions and Café Tips
The fajita mixture also warms up nicely at 50% power in the microwave if you have leftovers.
Nutrition
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Could a cast iron skillet be used?
Hi Kathy, You could certainly use a cast iron skillet in place of the sheet pan under the broiler. This method works best when the ingredients are spread out in an even layer, so you'd want to be sure that your skillet is large enough to accommodate all of the chicken and vegetables without overcrowding. Hope this turns out well for you!
I made your sheet pan fajitas for our dinner tonight. It was very easy and delicious. I will definitely make it again...but I will change one thing. The spice mix is wonderful but next time I will use it on the chicken only. I found that the vegetable mix with the spice blend on it, made that flavour a bit dominant. I would like to enjoy the brightness of the peppers and onion with only a little olive oil on them. This is just my opinion of course , for my taste. Also the Yum Yum sauce is very yummy!
I have tried MANY of your recipes and love them all! A favorite site for sure! Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Thanks for your review, Cathi!
Well Chris, the chipotle yum sauce is great! I added some cayenne to the spice mix - because we like things spicy. I did find though that the cooking took more than double the time that your recipe called for. And after the first cooking of the chicken I poured off quite a lot of juice/fluid before adding the veggies - otherwise they would have stewed, not broiled. I'm thinking that next time I make these I might roast the veggies for a few minutes first, then add the chicken/roast a few more minutes, then submit the pan to the broiler. Next time I'll set aside time to make the tortillas. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for sharing your review, Katy. I’m so sorry you had this problem. I’m wondering, if somehow, your pan didn’t get hot enough. The chicken should sizzle when it hits the hot pan, which is essentially a sear, and the juices should be sealed in. Did the pan have plenty of time to heat up in the oven?
Chris,
I accidentally forgot to click on the stars to leave a rating when I commented this morning. This most definitely is five stars and then some! It is amazing!
Lynda
Chris,
Everything about this recipe is five star! The rub was delicious, the chicken was moist and perfectly cooked, and the veggies were charred perfectly!
My husband , who always orders beef fajitas, said this was the best chicken he’s ever had. I served it with the chipotle yum yum sauce, and nothing else. It was wonderful too.
Oh, I did serve it with your homemade tortillas. I had never made them before and they were so easy, turned out perfectly, and were delicious!!
Thank you so much for another wonderful recipe!!
And thank you for sharing Scripture,and praise music. It was beautiful!
Blessings,
Lynda
Wonderful! Thank you for the kind review, Lynda!
Is it possible to substitute sour cream for the mayonnaise in the YumYum Sauce? The fajitas sound so good - can't wait to try them!
Hi Lynne, sure, you could try that! Or half and half.
Thank you Chris for another great recipe, will be making this week. Also, I appreciate your inspirational quotes! I have several saved.
Many thanks!
Wonderful! Thank you for letting us know, Pamela!
This is how I make my chicken fajitas but will now use your spice blend with recipe. One thing I add that adds a nice flavor is tequila. The alcohol burns off nicely so our younger family members can also enjoy them. There is never a leftover!
Sounds delicious, Marge!