Chicken Fajita Bowl
An easy recipe for a Chicken Fajita Bowl with peppers and onions, seasoned beans and corn, and delicious toppings. It's perfect for meal prep too.
Equipment
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet or other large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts boneless and skinless and cut into thin cutlets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fajita seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for cooking
For the fajita bowls:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil divided
- 3 bell peppers red and green, thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon fajita seasoning
- 1 15- ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 15- ounce can whole corn kernels drained
- 1 tablespoon Trader Joe's Everything But the Elote seasoning or 1 tsp chili, ½ tsp chipotle powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups cooked mexican rice or cilantro lime rice
Optional Garnishes
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Pico de gallo
- Lime wedges
- Cilantro
- Cheese shredded cheddar, or crumbled cotija
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine chicken with olive oil, fajita seasoning, and garlic. Cover with plastic wrap, and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. You can also use a ziploc bag if you prefer. Similar recipe: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/mexican-chicken-marinade/
- In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, add bell peppers, onion, and fajita seasoning. Quickly saute and allow to char a little but keep the peppers crunchy (2-3 minutes). Remove to a bowl.
- To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of oil, and add black beans to one side and corn to the other side. Season the black beans with ground cumin, and the corn with everything but the elote seasoning (or the other spices listed). Cook for 1-2 minutes to warm them up, remove the black beans then cook the corn kernels for 1 more minute allowing them to char a little. Remove onto bowls.
- To the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons oil and the marinated chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F/74°C. Remove from the skillet onto a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Build 4 fajita bowls. Add one-fourth of the rice, peppers with onion, black beans, corn, and chicken to each bowl. Then top with your favorite garnishes.
Notes
- If you don't have fajita seasoning, you can use taco seasoning instead. The two are similar, but fajita seasoning is usually a bit spicier.
- Marinating the Chicken is Key: You need to give the chicken at least a half hour to marinate with the garlic and seasonings, but you can let it marinate for up to 24 hours if you need to.
- Get Everything but the Elote seasoning at your local Trader Joe's! If you can't get it, season the beans and corn with more fajita seasoning, or a mixture of 1 tsp chili, ½ tsp chipotle powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, and ½ tsp salt.
- I like to warm up the beans and corn at the same time, but if that seems tricky, it's fine to do the beans first and then the corn.
- Don’t be afraid of a bit of char in the pan! It adds authentic flavor to the veggies and chicken. You can wipe out the pan between items if you like, but it’s not necessary.
- Chicken Fajita Bowls are perfect for Meal Prep. This dish is delicious eaten cold or at room temperature if you can't easily reheat it at lunchtime.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days. If you're planning to have leftovers, I would keep the toppings off, and add them just before serving to keep them fresh.
Nutrition
Calories: 752kcal | Carbohydrates: 107g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1717mg | Potassium: 1518mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3295IU | Vitamin C: 123mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 6mg
Find it online: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/chicken-fajita-bowl/