Chicken Fajitas (Fajitas de Pollo) – a quick and easy recipe that consist of seasoned chicken strips that are juicy and tender with sautéed crispy vegetables. They are usually served with tortillas, cheese, guacamole and sour cream. They can also be accompanied with Mexican rice and refried beans.
This popular dish is a blend of Texan-Mexican cuisine along its border. Fajitas were initially prepared with grilled skirt steak. Today, they are prepared with grilled shrimp or with chicken strips. Since my only two nephews are both Puerto Rican and Mexican, I decided to present my version of Chicken Fajitas to honor their Mexican Heritage.
Cutting the Chicken Breasts into Strips!
Rinse and pat dry 2 pounds of skinless and boneless chicken breasts with a paper towel. For this recipe, I will use 1 pound to make the chicken fajitas.
NOTE: The other 1 pound was vacuum sealed after it was marinated and stored in the freezer for future use.
Cut all 3 chicken breasts into strips, measuring ¼ to ½-inch thick and at least 2 to 3 inches long.
NOTE: You can slice the chicken breast in half horizontally and then cut into strips if the chicken breast is too big.
Since I did not initially slice the chicken breast horizontally, any chicken center cuts that are too thick just cut them again into strips.
Preparing the Marinade for the Chicken Fajitas!
In a bowl, pour 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 2 minced garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon lite salt or to taste, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon oregano, and 1 teaspoon paprika.
With a whisk, stir until all the ingredients are well blended.
Marinating the Chicken Strips!
Before pouring the marinade over the chicken strips, evenly coat the chicken with ground cumin, using approximately 1 to 1½ teaspoons.
Pour the marinade over the chicken fajitas.
Turn the meat over several times until it is completely coated with the marinade. Cover bowl with lid and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours or overnight.
NOTE: This is 2 pounds of marinated chicken. However, 1 pound was vacuum sealed after it was marinated.
Cutting Vegetables for the Chicken Fajitas!
Cut 1 large green and red bell peppers into strips along with 1 large onion cut into slices. You can use medium-sized vegetables if you wish.
Cooking the Chicken Strips!
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 pound of the marinated chicken to the skillet. Make a well in the center and place 2 to 3 jalapeno pepper slices along with 2 teaspoons of its own liquid.
With a spoon, break the slices of jalapenos into smaller pieces. Afterwards, give the chicken a quick stir so it can absorb the flavors from the jalapeno juice.
When the chicken is done cooking on one side, turn them over to cook on the other side. Continue this process until all the chicken strips are completely cooked.
Check the chicken for doneness. If they are thoroughly cooked, then remove them from skillet and place in a bowl.
Sautéeing the Vegetables!
When the chicken is removed from the skillet, retain the juices released from the chicken.
Add the bell peppers and onions to the skillet. Stir the vegetables occasionally to absorb the juices released from the chicken. Cook until they are crisp-tender, but not too soft. If you prefer a softer texture, then cook them longer.
Combining the Chicken Strips and Vegetables!
Once the vegetables are crispy tender, return the cooked chicken to the skillet.
With a spoon, mix the chicken and the vegetables together. Continue cooking for at least 2 to 5 minutes.
The chicken fajitas are ready after a few minutes of cooking,
Chicken Fajitas (Pollo de Fajitas)!
Place the fajitas on a cast iron plate or a large platter so each guest can assemble their own based on the toppings and the side orders presented.
The chicken fajitas are usually served with flour tortillas, sour cream, guacamole and jalapenos. They can also be accompanied with Refried beans and Mexican rice.
Click on the button below to watch my YouTube video on How to Prepare Chicken Fajitas!
Recipe and Nutritional Facts!
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. Please refer to our Nutritional Facts Disclaimer for more information.
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Chicken Fajitas (Fajitas de Pollo)
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 20 Minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Description
Chicken Fajitas (Fajitas de Pollo) – a quick and easy recipe that consist of seasoned chicken strips that are juicy and tender with sautéed crispy vegetables. They are usually served with tortillas, cheese, guacamole and sour cream. They can also be accompanied with Mexican rice and refried beans.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into strips, measuring ¼ to ½-inch thick and 2 to 3 inches long
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 to 3 slices jalapeño peppers along with 2 teaspoons of jar liquid
- 1 large or medium green bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 large or medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 large or medium onions, cut into slices
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon lite salt or to taste,
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut into strips and place in a bowl.
- In a bowl, prepare the marinade.
- Evenly coat the chicken strips with ground cumin.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and turn the meat over several times to completely coat. Cover bowl and place in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours or overnight.
- At this point, I vacuum seal 1 pound of the marinated chicken. The following steps will be for the remaining 1 pound of the marinated chicken.
- Cut the peppers into strips and the onions into slices.
- Using a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.
- Add marinated chicken (1 pound) and make a well in the center. Place the jalapeño pepper slices along with 2 teaspoons of its own liquid. With a spoon, break the slices of jalapeños into smaller pieces. Give the chicken a quick stir so it can absorb the flavors from the jalapeño juice.
- When the chicken is done cooking on one side, turn them over to cook on the other side. Continue this process until all the chicken strips are completely cooked.
- Remove chicken from skillet and place in a bowl. Retain the liquid released from the chicken in skillet.
- Add the peppers and onions and stir them occasionally to absorb the juices from the chicken. Cook until crisp tender.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and mix the chicken and the vegetables together. Cook for at least 2 to 5 minutes.
- Serve warm with flour tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, and shredded cheese.
- Category: Poultry
- Method: Sauteeing
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Chicken Fajitas, Fajitas de Pollo, Fajitas
