Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Grilling season isn’t over yet, and lately, my family has loved these easy Grilled Chicken Fajitas. Imagine tender, juicy chicken, bell peppers, and onions cooked with lime juice and homemade fajita seasoning with the perfect charred edges from being cooked on the grill.

Our favorite way to make this recipe is to make a huge batch on the grill and then let everyone build their perfect tacos piled high with their favorite fajita toppings.

Then, I keep the leftovers for easy meal prep all week. We use it for quesadillas, tostadas, burrito bowls, salads, pasta, and more.

Looking for more fajita ideas? Don’t miss our delicious Crockpot Chicken Fajitas, Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas, and easy Salmon Fajitas.

Why You Should Make Grilled Chicken Fajitas

There are so many reasons to love this tasty dinner.

• Quick and easy: This entire meal is cooked in less than 30 minutes on the grill, so there is no complex meal prep and hardly any dirty dishes!
• Only 8 Ingredients: You only need 8 common and affordable ingredients to make this meal.
• Versatile: Serve this grilled fajita chicken in many different ways - tacos, bowls, wraps, pasta, quesadillas, enchiladas, salads, nachos, and more.

Ingredients and Easy Swaps

Here is everything you need to make this delicious dinner.

• Chicken: Most chicken fajitas are made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you could also substitute chicken thighs or tenderloins.
• Bell peppers: To add color to your fajitas, use a combination of green, red, yellow, or orange bell peppers. If you like some spice, add a poblano pepper or two.
• Onions: You can use red, yellow, or white onions to make fajitas. I love the sweetness of red onions, but white onions are the most traditional.
• Lime juice: Lime juice serves two purposes in these fajitas. It helps ensure the chicken is juicy and tender and adds fresh, bright flavor.
• Fajita seasoning: Normally, I make fajitas with homemade fajita seasoning. You could also use store-bought seasoning, swap in taco seasoning, or use a combination of chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
• Tortillas: Traditionally, fajitas are served with flour tortillas. You can swap in corn tortillas, low-carb tortillas, or lettuce wraps.
• Toppings: Fajitas taste so much better with toppings. Add pico de gallo, salsa, avocado or guacamole, fresh cilantro, lime juice, sour cream, or pickled jalapenos.

How to Make Chicken Fajitas on the Grill

These fajitas can be cooked directly on the grill, in a grill basket, flat top, or in a foil packet.

1. Prep and Marinate the Chicken and Vegetables

Start by prepping the chicken. If you plan to cook it directly on the grill, lightly pound the chicken breast to a uniform thickness. This helps it cook evenly. Cut the chicken into one-inch slices if you plan on using a grill basket, foil packet, or flattop/grill skillet.

Next, prepare the bell peppers and onions. If cooking directly on the grill, cut them into large planks that won’t fall through the grill grates. For the other options, slice them into strips.

Finally, combine the chicken, sliced peppers, onions, lime juice, and fajita seasoning in a large bowl. Toss to combine and let marinate for 15-30 minutes.

2. Directly on Grill

Make sure the grill is nice and hot. If your grill tends to stick, you may want to oil the grates. Place the onions on the grill and cook for a few minutes, since they take longer to cook.

Add the chicken breast and bell pepper to the grill. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. The chicken is ready to flip when it easily releases from the grill.

Tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the chicken, bell peppers, and onions into thin strips.

3. Grill Basket or Flat Top

If you are grilling these chicken fajitas in a basket or a flat top, start by heating the grill over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, peppers, and onions to the basket. Cook for 8-12 minutes, shaking the grill basket every 2-3 minutes so everything cooks evenly.

If using a flat top, add everything in a single layer. Once nicely browned on one side, stir it for about 3-4 minutes and continue cooking until it is nicely charred and cooked through.

4. Fajita Foil Packets

Start by laying a few pieces of heavy-duty foil on a table to create a packet. Usually, I make a separate packet for every two servings so they are easier to handle.

Add the chicken and fajita veggies to the packets, making sure they are not overfilled, or the chicken will steam. Fold up the sides of the packets without closing them completely.

Grill for 4-5 minutes and give everything a stir. Cook an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are tender and crisp.

If you prefer to close the foil packets, that will also work. Just note that the chicken and vegetables will have a softer texture since they steam instead of the packets.

5. Garnish and serve

While the chicken rests, warm the tortillas on the grill for 30-60 seconds per side. Fill the tortillas with the warm chicken and veggies. Pile high with all your favorite toppings.

Best Fajita Toppings

Like tacos, fajitas taste the best when piled with all your favorite toppings. Here are some to consider:

• Diced or pickled onions
• Shredded lettuce or cabbage
• Diced tomatoes
• Avocado or guacamole
• Red or green salsa
• Pico de gallo or corn salsa
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Fresh lime juice
• Cilantro
• Creamy chipotle sauce
• Black, pinto, or refried beans
• Shredded cheese or queso fresco

How to Make Homemade Fajita Seasoning

Making homemade seasoning using spices you probably already have in your pantry is easy. Making homemade seasoning allows you to control the flavor and eliminates the sugar and preservatives that store-bought blends usually have.

• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp ground pepper
• Optional additions: 1-3 tsp brown sugar, cayenne pepper to taste, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp chili lime seasoning, swap in chipotle or ancho chili powder, dehydrated minced onions, garlic, or jalapenos

Recipe Variations and Ideas

There are many easy ways to change this recipe with different proteins, veggies, spices, and more. Here are some favorites:

• Add more veggies: Think outside the box from traditional fajita veggies and add portobello mushrooms, green beans, eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower, or broccoli.
• Change up the protein: Grilled fajitas can be made with any protein, including steak, shrimp, tofu, pork tenderloin, or salmon. Just adjust the cooking time.
• Use taco seasoning: If you only have taco seasoning on hand, swap that in for fajita seasoning. They almost taste the same.
• Make spicy fajitas: Add poblano or jalapeno peppers to the mix to add more spice. Add red pepper flakes or extra cayenne to the seasoning mix.
• Add corn or beans: Toss the warm chicken and veggies with some corn or beans to add flavor and fiber.

Five Ways to Serve Grilled Fajita Chicken

There are so many different ways to serve this tasty chicken. Consider making a double or triple batch for leftovers.

• Fajita Burrito Bowls: Start with a base of steamed rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. Add canned black beans or pinto beans. Pile on the chicken, peppers, and onions. Finish with all your favorite toppings and salsa.
• Chicken Fajita Quesadillas: Fold the chicken and veggies into a healthy chicken quesadilla with shredded cheese and your favorite toppings.
• Fajita Salad: Grab your favorite crunchy greens (we love Romaine lettuce), diced tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, and other veggies you like. Add the chicken and veggies. Finish with queso fresco and your favorite dressing. We love fajita salads with this jalapeno ranch dressing.
• Fajita Pasta: This one-pot fajita pasta is perfect for making with leftovers. It is creamy, slightly spicy, and loaded with chicken and vegetables.
• Nachos: Grab some baked tortilla chips or mini bell peppers and make healthy nachos with your leftover grilled chicken, shredded cheese, beans, and salsa.

Meal Prep, Storage, and Leftovers

This chicken is great for meal prep, and the leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container.

Leftover cooked chicken can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in a hot skillet, air fryer, or back on the grill for a couple of minutes.