Description
These Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are the ultimate weeknight dinner solution. Tender chicken breast strips, colorful bell peppers, and sweet onions are tossed in a homemade fajita seasoning blend and roasted together on one sheet pan until perfectly caramelized. With just 10 minutes of prep and 40 minutes in the oven, you’ll have restaurant-quality fajitas with minimal cleanup. The homemade seasoning adds incredible flavor, and the oven roasting creates delicious caramelization you can’t get from stovetop cooking. Serve with warm tortillas and your favorite toppings for a family-friendly meal everyone will love!
Ingredients
For the Fajita Seasoning:
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1 Tbsp chili powder
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½ Tbsp paprika
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½ tsp onion powder
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¼ tsp garlic powder
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¼ tsp cumin
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⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
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1 tsp sugar
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½ tsp salt
For the Fajitas:
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1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 450 g)
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2 small yellow onions (or 1 large), sliced into ¼-inch strips
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3 bell peppers (any color mix), sliced into ¼-inch strips
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2 Tbsp cooking oil (olive, vegetable, or avocado oil)
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1 lime (for juice)
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6-inch tortillas (flour or corn, your choice)
Optional Toppings:
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Sour cream
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Fresh cilantro
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Shredded cheese (Mexican blend or cheddar)
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Salsa
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Guacamole
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Extra lime wedges
Instructions
Turn it to 400°F and actually wait for it to heat up. I know we’re all busy and preheating feels like a waste of time but it actually matters. I used to just throw stuff in a cold oven to save time and wondered why everything cooked weird. Now I preheat like an adult.
Put all the spices in a bowl and mix them around. My eight-year-old loves doing this part and acts like she’s on a cooking show. Sometimes she dumps the measuring spoons in the bowl too and I have to fish them out but she’s helping and not fighting with her brother so I’m calling it a win. I started making big batches of this and keeping it in an old parmesan shaker container so I don’t have to measure every time. Game changer.
Cut everything into strips about the same size, though mine are never actually the same and it still turns out fine so don’t stress about it. Just try not to have some giant chunks and some tiny pieces or the tiny ones burn before the big ones cook. I cut the peppers lengthwise into long strips, onions the same way. Chicken gets cut into strips maybe half an inch thick but I’m totally guessing, I never measure. Sometimes if the chicken’s still a little frozen in the middle it’s actually easier to cut cleanly. Don’t tell anyone I said that.
Everything goes on the pan in one big pile. Drizzle oil over it—I don’t measure this, just glug glug probably two tablespoons-ish. Dump the seasoning on top. Now get your hands in there and toss it all around like you’re mixing a salad until everything looks coated in spices. My kids think this is hilarious and gross. Make sure you’re getting seasoning on all the pieces not just the top layer. Wash your hands after obviously.
Push everything around so it’s spread out flat in one layer with some breathing room between pieces. If it’s all piled on top of each other it steams instead of roasts and you end up with sad wet vegetables. This is the mistake I made the first two times I tried this and couldn’t figure out why it tasted off. Spread it out. If it doesn’t fit, your pan’s too small or you made too much. Use two pans.
Put it in and set a timer for 20 minutes. This is important—when that timer goes off you have to open the oven, pull the pan out (it’s hot, use mitts), and stir everything around with a spatula. Bottom to top, top to bottom, everything gets mixed. Don’t skip this because I have and you get burnt stuff on the bottom and pale raw looking stuff on top. Set another timer for 15-20 minutes. I check mine at 15 because my oven runs hot and has burned things before. If your oven runs cool maybe go the full 20.
When it’s done and everything looks cooked with some brown color on the edges, pull it out and immediately squeeze half a lime over it. Right away while it’s still super hot. It’ll sizzle and smell amazing and that’s flavor happening. Don’t skip the lime. I’m serious. This is what makes it taste restaurant-good instead of just oven-baked.
Warm up tortillas however you do that. I stack them, wrap them in a damp paper towel, and microwave for 30 seconds. My husband likes to hold them over the gas burner flame with tongs for a few seconds each which I think is unnecessary and showing off but he thinks makes them taste better so whatever. Put out all the toppings in bowls—cheese, sour cream, salsa, cilantro, whatever you’ve got—and let everyone make their own. This prevents the cilantro argument because my husband thinks it’s essential and my daughter says it tastes like soap and they’re both very passionate about their positions.
Notes
For extra char and crispiness, turn on your broiler for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking. But stay right there and watch it like a hawk – the line between perfectly charred and burnt is about 30 seconds!
Chicken thighs are more forgiving than breasts if you’re worried about dry chicken. They have more fat and stay juicier. Just adjust cooking time by 5-10 minutes since they’re thicker.
Make it a sheet pan party by adding other veggies you love – sliced mushrooms, zucchini strips, or fresh jalapeños for heat seekers.
Common mistake to avoid: Don’t use frozen chicken or vegetables. The excess moisture will make everything steam and you’ll miss out on that beautiful roasted flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mexican