Updated 30 September 2026
Chicken fajitas are the midweek dinner everyone likes: sizzling spiced chicken, soft peppers and onions, and a pile of warm tortillas so everyone builds their own. This chicken fajita recipe uses diced chicken breast, which saves you the slicing and cooks in minutes, and a homemade fajita seasoning you can make from the spice rack. It is on the table in about 25 minutes.
Quick answer: serves 4 · prep 10 minutes · cook 12–15 minutes · 600g diced chicken breast.
Ingredients
- 600g diced chicken breast (from a Diced Chicken Breast 1kg pack)
- 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
- 3 peppers (a mix of red, yellow and green), sliced into strips
- 1 large red onion, sliced
- Juice of 1 lime
- 8 small flour tortillas
Homemade fajita seasoning:
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½–1 tsp chilli powder or chilli flakes, to taste
- 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp sugar
To serve: soured cream, guacamole or sliced avocado, salsa, grated Cheddar, shredded lettuce, coriander and lime wedges.
How to make chicken fajitas
- Season the chicken. Mix the fajita seasoning. Put the diced chicken in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil and the seasoning and toss well. If you have time, leave it for 15–30 minutes in the fridge, but you can cook it straight away.
- Warm the tortillas. Wrap them in foil and put them in a low oven at 150°C (130°C fan) while you cook.
- Cook the vegetables. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan or griddle over a high heat. Add the peppers and onion and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until softened and charred at the edges. Tip them onto a plate.
- Cook the chicken. Get the pan really hot again and add the chicken in a single layer. Leave it for 2 minutes so it browns, then stir and cook for another 5–7 minutes until golden and cooked through. Work in two batches if your pan is small; crowding the pan stews the chicken instead of searing it.
- Check it is cooked. Cut a large piece in half: it should be white all the way through with no pink, and the juices clear. The Food Standards Agency advises cooking chicken until it is steaming hot throughout.
- Bring it together. Return the peppers and onions to the pan, squeeze over the lime juice and toss for 30 seconds.
- Serve. Put the pan on the table with the warm tortillas and toppings and let everyone build their own.
Which chicken is best for fajitas?
Diced chicken breast is the quickest, as it is already cut into even pieces that cook in under 10 minutes. Our Diced Chicken Breast 1kg is £12.99, enough for this recipe with some left for a stir-fry. For big batches, Misshaped Diced Chicken Breast 2kg (Previously Frozen) (£7.99) is the same chicken breast in irregular pieces, which does not matter at all once it is wrapped in a tortilla.
Prefer strips? Slice Chicken Breast 1kg (£8.99) into 1cm strips and cook in the same way. Boneless thighs also make excellent fajitas: juicier, and harder to overcook.
Oven-baked and air fryer fajitas
Sheet-pan fajitas: heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, gas 7). Toss the seasoned chicken, peppers and onion with the oil on a large baking tray in a single layer and roast for 20–25 minutes, turning halfway, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are charred.
Air fryer fajitas: cook the peppers and onion at 200°C for 6 minutes, then add the seasoned diced chicken and cook for another 10–12 minutes, shaking twice, until cooked through.
Tips for the best chicken fajitas
- High heat is everything. You want colour on the chicken and char on the peppers.
- Make your own seasoning. It is cheaper than a kit, and you control the salt and heat.
- Slice the peppers thinly. They cook in the same time as the chicken.
- Finish with lime. A squeeze at the end lifts all the spices.
- Batch the seasoning. Make a jar of fajita seasoning and it keeps for months.
Variations
- Steak fajitas: use Extra Lean Rump Steak Strips 400g (£9.99) and cook for just 2–3 minutes over a very high heat.
- Fajita rice bowls: skip the tortillas and serve over rice with black beans, salsa and avocado.
- Leftovers: fajita chicken is good cold in wraps and salads the next day. Keep it covered in the fridge and eat within two days.
For more quick chicken dinners, see how to cook diced chicken breast or one-pan chicken breast with peppers, or browse all our diced chicken and chicken.
Chicken fajita FAQs
How long do you cook chicken for fajitas?
Diced chicken breast takes about 7–9 minutes in a very hot pan, stirring after the first 2 minutes, until golden and cooked through with no pink meat.
What seasoning is in fajitas?
A classic fajita seasoning is smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, oregano, chilli powder, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.
What cut of chicken is best for fajitas?
Chicken breast, diced or sliced into strips, is the most popular. Boneless chicken thighs are juicier and more forgiving.
Can you make chicken fajitas in the oven?
Yes. Roast the seasoned chicken with peppers and onions on a tray at 220°C (200°C fan) for 20–25 minutes, turning halfway.
How much chicken do I need for fajitas for 4?
Around 600g of raw chicken breast is plenty for four people, with two fajitas each.