Next Post
Easiest One Pan Caprese Pesto Orzo Bake.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Seasoned chicken pan-seared with bell peppers and onions, and served up fajita-style with a quick creamy jalapeño verde sauce and warm tortillas. Everything is cooked in a piping hot skillet and comes together easily. A fun, any night of the week dinner!
When my younger brother Malachi asked if we could do a fajita night recently, I was all for it. Any kind of themed dinner is always fun for me to plan out and create. They take the average weeknight dinner from boring to exciting.
I love to do up Mexican night with all the sides, sauces, lots of avocado, toppings, and of course, a fun drink too. Usually I’ll serve tacos for Mexican night, but I often forget about using fajitas. I don’t know why, because fajitas are so delicious and colorful!
Kai’s two requests were that the fajitas have a killer sauce and plenty of rice on the side. His food requests are pretty simple these days. So I was able to really have fun with this and get creative with this recipe.
Here are the details
Fajitas are great for a lot of reasons, but everyone’s favorite reason is how quick and simple they are. You really just need a skillet.
Start with the chicken. My little trick is to use some Tajin in the spice mix in place of chili powder. It keeps the flavor delicious, but the spice level just right. I’ve been using Tajin so much lately.
I like to season the chicken directly in the skillet with olive oil, then start cooking. You want to use a pretty high heat to cook the chicken so that you get that nice light char around the edges of the meat that feels so classic for a fajita. If you have one, a cast-iron skillet is best.
When the chicken is cooked, I like to pull it out of the skillet and then add the onions. Give the onions a cook quick, and add in all of the peppers.
The peppers and onions are really KEY here. They make these fajitas. I use a mix of sweet onions, bell peppers, and smoky poblano peppers so that there’s plenty of flavor.
The chicken is added back to the peppers to warm back up. Could not be simpler.
The sauce
No surprise here, but the sauce might just be the reason to make these fajitas. There are just 3 ingredients, but don’t let that fool you, it’s so delicious.
A mix of cream cheese, green salsa verde, and pickled jalapeños. It’s very creamy with just the right amount of heat.
Serve the chicken and peppers right out of the skillet with warmed flour tortillas and plenty of sauce. I do lots of cilantro and cotija cheese on top, then guacamole and rice on the side.
And that’s it, dinner is ready. It feels fresh and colorful and it tastes even better. It’s that sauce, it’s very different but so delicious. I really cannot think of a better way to spend my Thursday night, you know? Fajitas and a fun cocktail (currently loving this margarita). I don’t believe anything is ever really perfect, but this all sounds pretty close. And if family is involved…even more fun!
FAQ:
Can I use pre-cooked chicken?
Yes—slice and warm it briefly with the onions/peppers so it doesn’t dry out; you’ll lose some sear but the sauce makes up for it.
How do I get that restaurant-style char without drying the chicken?
Cook over medium-high heat, don’t overcrowd, and let the chicken sit undisturbed for a minute or two per side before tossing.
What’s the best way to make this milder?
Use chili powder instead of Tajín, skip chili flakes, and reduce or omit the pickled jalapeños in the sauce.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes—make and chill up to a couple of days. Re-warm gently over low heat, whisking and loosening with a splash of water until creamy again.
Looking for other quick Mexican recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Crispy Jalapeño Cream Cheese Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
Sheet Pan Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa
Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Avocado Jalapeño Crema
Lastly, if you make these Skillet Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Skillet Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 656 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder or tajin
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- chili flakes
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 1 poblano pepper, sliced
- 8-10 tortillas, warmed
- cotija cheese, limes, and cilantro, for serving
Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup salsa verde
- 1-3 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, chopped
Instructions
- 1. In a large skillet, combine the olive oil, chicken, paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper, toss to coat. Set the skillet over high heat. Cook until seared all over and cooked through, 8-10 minutes. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the butter, garlic, and chili flakes. Cook 1 minute, then remove everything from the skillet.2. In the same skillet, add the onions and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Toss in the bell peppers and poblano peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the peppers are tender, another 5 minutes. 3. Add the chicken to the peppers and toss to combine. 4. To make the sauce, melt together the cream cheese and salsa verde in a small skillet over low-low heat, whisking constantly until creamy. Remove from the heat and stir in the jalapeños. 5. Stuff the chicken, peppers, and onions into the warmed tortillas, and top with the verde sauce, cilantro, and cheese. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on March 30, 2022
The sauce was so delicious!! This recipe was really enjoyed by the entire family. ?
Hi Erin,
I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Have the best day:) xT
We just made these for dinner and they are the best! Will go on our company approved recipes! The house smells incredible. I usually forget to comment but I couldn’t let these go by.
Hey Kay,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed! xx
I always forget to leave reviews but this recipe left such an impact on me and my husband that I had to share! So so good and the perfect amount of spiciness
Hi Amber,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed! xx
I decided to try this recipe instead of our regular go-to fajita recipe and all I can say is WOW!! This is our NEW go-to recipe. Another 5-star winner from Tieghan! You never disappoint. I can’t wait for your new cookbook to arrive on my doorstep!!!
Hi Mindy,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed! xx
If I could rate these 10 stars, I would! These were literally the best fajitas we’ve ever had! The flavors were amazing and they were easy to make. The sauce was delicious…! A favorite in our home!
Hi Sandy,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed! xx
The creamy jalapeño verde sauce – the best ! We couldn’t find verde sauce at the store here in regional Australia so we made our own and boy oh boy delicious!
The chicken was nicely done too! I really enjoyed making this and serving it to our friends x
Hey there,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
These were so flavourful!! And that sauce. *chefs kiss*
Loved these.
Hey Meagan,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
These were so tasty! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Hi Katie,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
Looks delicious adding to my recipe list for the week! I also just purchased your book, can’t wait!!
Thank you so much Laura, I hope you love the recipe!!
Very easy to make, easy clean up, and delicious! Thanks so much!
Hey Melisa,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
This is an awesome fajita dish! My husband said, keep the spice mix in a jar. He wants me to put it on everything. I will be making this over and over again.
Thanks, Tieghan!
Hi Cristina,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
Made this tonight for my husband and son. They are picky about their fajitas and it got a “make again” rating! Easy to make and able to adjust spice for them (left out chili flakes and jalapenos) and add the jalapenos to mine at the end. I used the Trader Joe’s chili lime seasoning for the tajin and it worked well. Thanks for the recipe. I can not wait to try a recipe from the new cookbook. I am thinking of the roasted whole chicken with orzo for Sunday dinner.
Hey Heather,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try and sharing your feedback! xx
I have been looking for a fajita recipe!! This was amazingly good and was a hit in my home! Thank you for the great recipes!
Hey Jennifer,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try and sharing your feedback! xx
So yummy & a pretty quick and easy dinner!! Plus there are leftovers. ? The spices were just right & the sauce was AMAZING.
Hey Kim,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend!☀️ xx
Made this recipe last night and the tacos were wonderful! Made two small changes — there was a bare spot where the pickled jalapeños usually are at my grocery store, so I just added about 1 t. of Tajin (not sure why I didn’t just go back to the produce and get a fresh one…); and I topped with some guacamole. Just the right amount of spice. The fajita mix is to die for!
Hey Donna,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend!☀️ xx