Steak might get most of the sizzle when it comes to the subject of fajitas, but the world’s poultry fans love the chicken version of this crazy popular dish. Like its beefy cousin, chicken fajitas are extra magical if you follow a few simple rules. We’re breaking it down, and also including plenty of our top-rated chicken fajita recipes.
Marinate the Meat
Marinating your chicken is essential to building full-flavored fajitas. You can use white or dark meat, whichever you prefer. Even if you’re short on time, just a 10-minute soak in seasoned marinade mixture works wonders. Of course, you can leave the chicken to marinate — in the fridge — for up to 4 hours.
Before searing your meat in the skillet, be sure and dab off excess moisture with paper towels. Drying the surface of the chicken helps to achieve the golden crust that makes fajitas so crave-worthy.
Marinade Recipes to Try:
- Easy Chicken Fajita Marinade
- Fajita Marinade III
- Tangy Chicken Fajitas
- Garlic Onion Chicken Fajitas with Lime
Scoring the Perfect Sear
Whether you’re cooking chicken fajitas on the grill or the stove top, hitting the proper temperature is essential for juicy, tender meat with the right amount of char. If you’re cooking whole chicken pieces, it’s best to start in a fiery hot pan or grill to achieve the most flavorful meat, but then turning down the heat after flipping it when the first side turns golden, so it cooks through a little more slowly on the second side. Cooking strips goes more quickly, as long as you remember not to crowd the pan. After cooking, let the whole pieces rest for five minutes before carving and serving.
The Supporting Cast
The sautéed veggies are nearly as important as the star attraction, so take a few minutes to do them up right. Thinly slice red, green, yellow, and orange bell peppers (either one or a mix of any of those) and sweet onions. Because the onions and peppers cook at different rates, you could fry them separately — say, the onions followed by the peppers and then mix those together before serving. Or, start with the onions and add the peppers after a few minutes. Again, don’t crowd the pan, or your veggies will steam rather than caramelize. Add a sprinkle of fajita seasoning to the mix as it cooks to amp up the flavor.
Our Favorite Chicken Fajitas:
- Homemade Chicken Fajitas
- Pollo Fajitas
- Cast Iron Chicken Fajitas
Cooking up satisfying, homemade chicken fajitas really is as simple as that. All that’s left to do is warm a pile of flour tortillas, and serve everything family-style. Oh, and don’t forget the guacamole.
