Fire up the grill and make these delicious grilled chicken fajitas at home! They’re even better than you’d find at your favorite Mexican Restaurant, with strips of juicy grilled chicken, tender smoky peppers and onions, and all of the classic toppings.
I love making grilled chicken fajitas at home! They’re also one of my favorite things to order at a Tex Mex restaurant, and I especially love when they bring out a sizzling platter of chicken and veggies for me to dig in to.
You can make the same sizzling fajitas on the stovetop, but when it’s nice outside, I like to turn on the grill and give this perfectly marinated chicken, peppers, and onions some beautiful grill marks and bits of charred flavor.
Don’t have a grill? Try my recipe for sheet pan chicken fajitas or air fryer chicken fajitas instead!
The Best Grilled Chicken Fajitas
- Perfectly Marinated – The key to juicy grilled chicken for fajitas is to marinate it for at least two hours in my flavorful mixture of homemade fajita seasoning, lime juice, olive oil, and garlic. This recipe works perfectly for grilling, but if you’re looking for a fajita marinade for the freezer, I have one for that too!
- Simple to Cook – The chicken, peppers, and onions can all go on the grill at the same time, so you won’t need to worry too much about timing. This cooking method also means that clean up is a breeze, and you get to cook dinner outdoors.
- A Family Favorite – This bbq chicken fajitas recipe serves 4, but you can easily double the recipe if your grill is large enough to fit everything.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make these juicy, flavorful grilled chicken fajitas:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: I prefer to use breast meat for fajitas, but this recipe will work just as well with boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins as well.
- Bell Peppers and Onions: Slice the peppers in half and remove the core and seeds. Quarter the onion, trying to keep the layers intact. In large pieces, the vegetables will be easier to grill, and can be sliced just before serving. I like to use yellow and red bell peppers for color and sweetness.
- Olive Oil: Adds moisture to the chicken and keeps everything from sticking to the grill grates.
- Fajita Seasoning: We’ll use this to add warm, spicy flavor to the chicken and veggies. My homemade fajita seasoning is super simple to make, or you can use your favorite store-bought version.
- For Flavor: Fresh garlic, lime juice, a bit of soy sauce, and cilantro.
How To Make Grilled chicken Fajitas
Give yourself a little bit of time to marinate the chicken before you cook it. The minimum marinating time is 2 hours, but you can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours if needed.
- Marinate the Chicken: In a bowl or a zip-top bag, mix together 3 tablespoons olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, 2 tablespoons of fajita seasoning, and chopped cilantro to make the chicken fajita marinade. Add the chicken. Seal the bag or cover the bowl, place in the fridge, and allow to marinate for 2-24 hours.
- Season the Vegetables: Slice the bell peppers in half and the onion in quarters. Drizzle the veggies with the rest of the olive oil, then season with fajita seasoning.
- Grill Chicken and Veggies: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, then clean and oil the grill grates. Add the marinated chicken and vegetables. Grill for 3 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F/74°C with an Instant Read thermometer.
- Rest and Slice: Once cooked, remove the chicken and vegetables from the grill and allow them to cool/rest for five minutes. Then, slice into easy-to-eat pieces.
- Serve: Serve your chicken fajitas in warm flour tortillas with your favorite toppings.
Tip!
Leave the chicken breasts in large pieces for grilling, and slice them only after they’re cooked and have been allowed to rest for a few minutes. This will keep the meat moist and juicy!
Recipe Tips
- Marinate overnight if possible. If you marinate the chicken in the fridge the night before, you’ll have extra delicious chicken fajitas.
- Grill the tortillas. Since you already have the grill warmed up, it’s easy to warm the tortillas on it as well. They only need about a minute over low heat, and keep a close eye on them so that they don’t char too much.
- Use a meat thermometer: You will know that the chicken is fully cooked because it will read 165°F/74°C on the inside.
Storing Tips
Leftover chicken fajitas can be used to make a delicious salad the next day or gently reheated to make more fajitas or quesadillas.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Chicken Fajita Toppings and Sides
Serve your grilled chicken fajitas with creamy sour cream, salsa, and fresh veggies such as lettuce and tomatoes. Sliced jalapeno or fresh chopped cilantro is also yummy! You should also try these other tasty Tex-Mex Dishes:
- Mexican Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice
- Lime Crema
- Salsa Ranchera, Pico de Gallo, or Homemade Guacamole
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Mexican Fruit Salad
- Pinto Beans
Recipe FAQs
Can I make fajitas without a grill?
If you’re unable to cook your chicken fajitas on the grill, you can still enjoy this tasty meal!
Cook the chicken and vegetables on the stovetop using an indoor grill pan or a large heavy skillet.
You can also make baked chicken fajitas in the oven!
How long should I marinate chicken for fajitas?
For flavor, you should marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours, but you can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours if needed. Any longer than 24 hours, and the muscle fibers in the chicken will start to break down from the lime juice in the fajita marinade.
What is the difference between taco seasoning and fajita seasoning?
Fajita seasoning and taco seasoning are very similar, and both generally include cumin and chili powder as their main flavor components.
Taco seasoning usually also includes oregano and more chili powder than fajita seasoning does. You can technically use these two spice blends interchangeably, but you may notice that the flavor is a bit different.
More Easy Meals on the Grill
All Grilling →
Grilled Chicken Fajitas are such a simple and enjoyable meal that you can cook outside! Save this recipe for the next hot summer evening, or make them today – you won’t regret it.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Grilled Chicken Fajitas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lime juice freshly squeezed
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons fajita seasoning homemade or store-bought
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 ½ pounds (675 g) chicken breasts sliced lengthwise into cutlets
- 2 bell peppers red and yellow
- 1 large onion white or yellow
- Tortillas for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl or a ziptop bag, mix together 3 tablespoons olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning, and chopped cilantro to make the marinade.
- Add the chicken to the marinade, and mix until it’s well coated. Seal the bag or cover the bowl, place in the fridge and allow to marinate for 2-24 hours.
- Core and slice the bell peppers in halves, and the onions in quarters keeping them intact. Drizzle the remaining olive oil all over them, and sprinkle the fajita seasoning.
- Peheat the grill to medium-high heat then clean and oil the grill grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and place on the grill along with the vegetables, and cook for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for 3 more minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F/74°C with an Instant read thermometer.
- Remove from the grill onto a clean dish, allow to cool for 5 minutes then slice and serve with warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.
Notes:
- Marinate overnight if possible. If you marinate the chicken in the fridge the night before, you’ll have extra delicious chicken fajitas.
- Grill the tortillas. Since you already have the grill warmed up, it’s easy to warm the tortillas on it as well. They only need about a minute over low heat, and keep a close eye on them so that they don’t char too much.
- Use a meat thermometer: You will know that the chicken is fully cooked because it will read 165°F/74°C on the inside.
- To Store: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat, or add the chicken and veggies to a salad or a wrap for lunch the next day.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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