30 MINUTE SHEET PAN CHICKEN FAJITAS

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 These sheet pan chicken fajitas are loaded with flavor but take just minutes to prep and bake. You'll have a hearty dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes with this foolproof recipe!

YOU'LL LOVE THIS

  • The spice blend is made with classic pantry staple seasonings. Have you read the ingredient list on those store-bought fajita or taco seasonings? It's a long list filled with lots of preservatives. You can make a quick fajita seasoning that is just as flavorful (if not more so) with the seasonings you've already got in your pantry! Save yourself the money and preservatives and make your own seasoning. But also, I'm so NOT judging you if you decide to use a packet of fajita seasoning. I've done it before and I'll do it again. But when I have time I like to season with my own blend! This seasoning also works like a dream on vegan chickpea fajitas.
  • They're so quick and easy. We are talking maybe 5-10 minutes of prep to slice your veggies, which by the way you can totally do the day before or just whenever you get a few free minutes. Then another 15-20 minutes to bake everything together and voila! Restaurant quality chicken fajitas with minimal prep or effort! Those are my favorite kinds of dinners! If you're looking for more quick and easy recipes to switch up taco Tuesday be sure to check out my One Pan Walking Taco Casserole, Easy Doritos Casserole, Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas, or Crispy Sheet Pan Potato Tacos!
  • This is a great meal prep recipe! Prep a double batch on Sunday and you've got at least 3-4 dinners for your family! Or make it into a salad or burrito bowl and enjoy it for lunch at work. The chicken and veggies re-heat like a dream - either in the microwave or in a pot on the stove with a splash of water.

INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

  • Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast - Chicken breast is a nice lean cut, but if you like the rich flavor of chicken thighs you can use that too.
  • Red Onion - I like red onions in fajitas for their subtle sweetness and color, but you can use whatever onion you prefer. Vidalia onions add some sweetness too, but yellow or white onions are also fine.
  • Green, Red, and Yellow Pepper - A rainbow of bell pepper is one of my favorite things about fajitas, but use whichever ones you like. Some people really dislike the green, slightly bitter flavor of green bell peppers, so feel free to replace the green one with another color.
  • Olive Oil - A good organic, cold-pressed olive oil adds a richness to roasted veggies, but you can use veggie oil if that’s what you have on-hand.
  • Chili Powder - No chili powder? My favorite substitute is paprika with a pinch of cayenne powder. Paprika itself is a good substitute, but you won’t get the heat.
  • Cumin - Out of cumin? You can sub in half the amount of coriander or ground caraway.
  • Garlic Powder - If you don’t have garlic powder, you can use freshly minced garlic. Use about one clove per ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder. You can also sub in onion powder; it won’t taste like garlic, of course, but it will lend some of that savory flavor.
  • Paprika - The best substitute for paprika is ancho pepper powder, but most of us don’t keep that as a pantry staple. If you’re out of paprike, your best bet might just be to skip it for these fajitas. A lot of people use chili powder or cayenne as standard substitutes for paprika, but we’re already using chili powder and adding heat with other spices—adding even more, in place of paprika, might be too much.
  • Dried Oregano - Dried marjoram is a good substitute if you find yourself out of dried oregano. It’s more sweet, and more mild overall, than oregano, but works fine if you need a sub.
  • Onion Powder - Onion powder packs a super concentrated flavor punch, so if you’re out, you’ll need to substitute with more onion. You can replace the ½ teaspoon of onion powder in these fajitas with ½ tablespoon of onion flakes or ¼ cup of freshly minced onion.
INSTRUCTIONS
Place chicken, onion, and peppers in a single layer on a large baking sheet. 
Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with my signature fajita spice blend (hint: it's NOT a packet of fajita seasoning - have you seen the ingredients in those?!?!)
Toss to coat veggies and chicken evenly with the oil and seasoning.
Bake for 10 minutes. Then stir meat and veggies on the pan and bake for 5 more minutes. Broil on high 2-3 minutes just to get the edges of everything crispy and a little charred. 
Serve on flour tortillas with all your favorite fajita toppings!

TIPS

  • Buy chicken tenders instead of breasts - it'll save you time cutting them into fajita size strips! I'm all about time-saving and to be honest, I hate cutting raw meat. So I buy the chicken boneless, skinless chicken tenders so I just to slice each tender into 2-3 pieces which saves a few minutes of time!
  • Feel free to switch up the veggies to suit your taste! Sometimes I'll add poblanos if I have them on hand and I've even added thickly sliced mushrooms into the mix with a great result. This recipe is super versatile, just make sure whatever veggies you're using to account for their difference in cook time (ie: carrots and potatoes take longer to roast than peppers, onions, and mushrooms).
  • Add a couple pinches of cayenne to give the fajitas a little kick! If your family like it's hot, add a pinch of cayenne or chipotle powder for a little extra zing. Just remember - a little goes a long way!
  • Feel free to prep the veggies, chicken and spice mixture a day or two in advance. Then when you're ready for dinner you can throw everything on the sheet pan, toss it with the seasoning and bake!

FAQ

Can I use another kind of meat instead of chicken?

Sure! Thinly sliced steak or even shrimp would be DELISH in this recipe too!

What toppings do you put on a fajita?

I like to top my fajitas similarly to how I top my tacos! Some popular options include avocado, lime juice, sour cream, homemade salsa, cilantro, crumbled Cotija, sliced jalapenos, or homemade Pico de Gallo.

How do you make chicken fajitas from scratch?

This simple recipe will help you make oven-baked chicken fajitas from scratch. Just slice chicken and veggies, coat with olive oil and homemade fajita seasoning, and bake for 15 minutes. Finish under the broil for a couple minutes and then wrap in your favorite tortillas!

Can I use taco seasoning for fajitas?

Sure! Some of the ingredients vary between taco seasoning and fajita seasoning, but there are more similarities than differences - so you can use them interchangeably. Fajita seasoning includes garlic powder and onion powder, where taco seasoning does not, so you may want to add them to your fajitas if you're using a taco seasoning mix.

These sheet pan chicken fajitas are loaded with flavor but take just minutes to prep and bake. You'll have a hearty dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes with this foolproof recipe!
  • Author: Kylie
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Total Time: 28 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Mexican

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb. chicken breast tenders, cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 green pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • Kosher salt
  • fresh cracked pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken, onion, and peppers in a single layer on a large baking sheet. 
  • Drizzle with olive oil.
  • Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, onion powder and a large pinch of Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Toss to coat evenly. 
  • Bake for 10 minutes. Then stir meat and veggies on the pan and bake for 5 more minutes.
  • Broil on high 2-3 minutes just to get the edges of everything crispy and a little charred. 
  • Serve on flour tortillas with all your favorite fajita toppings!

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