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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
Excellent! I really loved the spice mix. Smoked paprika for the win!
Hey Shannon,
Fantastic!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! ?Tieghan
As usual, this turned out AMAZING! When I set the table, the first comment my husband made was “this must be a HBH recipe, there’s a sauce.” Lol!!! I love that you have all the sauces!!! They what make the meal! (He did enjoy the meal btw)
Hey Tamera,
Fantastic!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! ?Tieghan
I made these tonight and they were delicious! I am not a great cook but I was able to easily make these. Are these in your newest cookbook?
Hi Brooklyn,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it. These are only on the blog, the recipes in the cookbooks are exclusive to the books. Have the best week:) xx
I’ve made this twice this week and ate leftovers for lunch both times!!! And I’m not even a little bit over it! So delicious!!!! The tajin is such an amazing addition and I don’t even like that stuff! But I’ve been converted lol! Great recipe!
Hi Jolene,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
Absolutely perfect!
Hi Louann,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for trying it out! xTieghan
I’m making this tonight and am super excited, since all of your recipes are delicious! What rice recipe do you use as a side?
Hey Ana,
I don’t necessarily use a specific rice recipe, just white rice or Spanish rice and follow the package instructions:) I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Amazing and so simple! Wonderful weeknight meal.
Hey Anna,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for trying it out! xTieghan
yum yum
Thank you!
I made these last night and they were delicious! The recommendation to use a cast iron skillet, was perfect. I can’t wait to make this again!!
Hey Jill,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for trying it out! xTieghan
I made this for my family last night and it was a huge hit. Better than any restaurant fajitas I’ve ever eaten. Great recipe!
Hey Erica,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for trying it out! xTieghan
These are (a flavor) BOMB!! Husband LOVED them, kids loved them (and they can be picky). Sauce is a must, because there isn’t any liquid, as in more “traditional” fajita recipes where the meat & veggie combo simmers in the sauce. Honestly have nothing negative to say about this recipe… but I am a devoted Half Baked Harvest fan, because I never made a recipe that we didn’t like. If this is the first recipe by Tieghan that you are trying, just know that you will never be the same! Her recipes are so unique and full of flavor, while being easy on the grocery budget, and beginner friendly. I don’t know what else I can say… We use her recipes at least 2X/week, every week.
Hi Heather,
I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Thanks so much for your kind message! Have the best day:) xT
These tacos are amazing! Quick, easy, very flavorful. Definitely do not skip the sauce, it’s delish!
Hi Heather,
I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Have the best day:) xT
Never need to order in with this winner! We just had this tonight and 10 stars! Used my New Staub skillet and Fajin for the first time and I can’t believe I actually made something so incredible! Follow the recipe exactly and just have fun because it’s worth every bite! We did street tacos size. I have enough leftover for my sister to pick up tomorrow:) this was fun to cook and fun to eat!
Thank you T!!!!
Hey Melissa,
I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Have the best day:) xT
Husband says these are the best fajitas he’s had. As always, your finishing touches (in this case the creamy jalapeño sauce) are sublime. Thank you!
Hey Lesley,
I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Have the best day:) xT
This is amazing! I shouldn’t be surprised because we always love your recipes, but I’ve made different fajita recipes at home before and they’ve never turned out this good. So much flavor! The creamy jalapeño verde sauce would be perfect for taco nights too. This recipe will definitely be a new go to for us!
Hi Natalie,
I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Have the best day:) xT
Absolutely delicious!! And do not skip the verde sauce, in case you were thinking about cutting corners!
Hey Julie,
I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Have the best day:) xT