Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas is a flavor-packed and easier twist on the classic Tex-Mex dish with tender chicken, bell peppers, onions, and taco seasoning. This 25-minute recipe makes for a quick and delicious meal that's sure to please the whole family. Enjoy it in tortillas, lettuce wraps, or on top of salad with all your favorite toppings.
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Chicken fajitas are a staple in Mexican restaurants and for a good reason. They are a perfect blend of juicy-crisp meat along with grilled veggies such as onions and peppers.
What makes them a family favorite in my home is the array of toppings. Everyone has their preference for toppings (or two) including guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, sour cream, chopped avocado, and my personal favorite, mango salsa.
Today I am sharing my fast and easy approach to restaurant-quality chicken fajitas, using an air fryer. And if you don't have one, don't worry, I included an oven recipe as well!
Here's a meal-prep tip for chicken fajitas: Double this homemade chicken fajitas recipe and use it for multiple meals. Stuff it into taco shells or tortillas, or transform it into taco salad, enchiladas, and quesadillas.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Flavorful, fresh ingredients with minimal prep work required.
- Quick and convenient 25-minute recipe. Perfect for weeknight dinners.
- Paleo, Keto, Low Carb (using low-carb tortillas), Gluten-Free friendly (using gluten-free tortillas).
- Cook a big batch and use it for multiple meals.
- Great for entertaining. (Check out the 'how-to' notes below)
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
All it takes is some lean chicken, fresh vegetables, and store-bought seasoning mix to make chicken fajitas at home. We will need:
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or go for chicken thighs for a richer flavor. Cut the chicken breasts in half if they are on the thicker side, then proceed to cut the breasts or thighs into ½-inch strips. Chicken tenders are another option if you are looking to save on prep time.
- Bell Peppers: Use a variety of colors (green, orange, yellow, red) of bell peppers to keep it colorful and nutritious.
- Onion: Red onions are my preference for this recipe. One medium onion provides a sweet, pungent bite. You can also use yellow or white onion if you like.
- Taco Seasoning: Simply use 2-3 Tablespoons of your favorite store-bought taco or fajita seasoning. I use Trader Joe's Taco Seasoning Sachets.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil, such as avocado oil, canola oil, or light olive oil.
- Tortillas: Flour tortillas are a go-to, but you can also use corn tortillas for gluten-free or almond flour tortillas to keep it low-carb. Lettuce cups, such as large romaine leaves or tender butter lettuce cups are another alternative for tortillas to keep them light and low-carb.
- Toppings of Choice: These are optional and totally customizable. Topping choices include guacamole, salsa, avocado chunks, cilantro, sour cream, and pico de gallo.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chicken Fajitas in Air Fryer
These chicken fajitas in air fryer are ready in 25 minutes, from start to finish. Here are the step-by-step instructions and photos:
Step 1. Cut & Prep
Cut onions and bell peppers into ¼-inch slices. Cut chicken breast into ½-inch slices.
Step 2. Season Chicken, Onion & Peppers
In a large mixing bowl or a gallon-size ziplock bag, add sliced chicken, sliced bell peppers, and onions.
Add seasoning and toss till everything is coated evenly. Now add oil and mix well to combine.
Note: Adding oil after coating the chicken with spices ensures an even distribution of spices all over the chicken pieces.
Step 3. Air Fry
Spread half the seasoned chicken, peppers, and onions evenly in the fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to cook this in 2 to 3 batches.
Insert the fryer basket and cook at 360°F for 8 minutes, or until the chicken and vegetables are cooked through and golden brown at the edges.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken fajitas are best served with your favorite condiments, like guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, and salsa. Enjoy these as:
- Tacos / Burritos: Stuff the chicken vegetable mixture inside of your favorite taco shells or tortillas, like flour, corn, or almond flour tortillas.
- Taco Salad: Assemble a Mexican salad and top it with the chicken fajita mix to add some lean protein and make it a complete meal.
- Tostadas: Create homemade tostadas by baking corn tortillas in the oven, then top them with chicken fajitas, refried beans, cheese, and salsa.
- Enchiladas: Make homemade enchiladas by adding the chicken veggie mix to flour tortillas, and rolling them into a log shape. Place them in a baking dish and top with your favorite enchilada sauce, and cheese and bake until warm and bubbly.
- Side of Rice: Make it more of a filling meal by serving it with a side of Mexican rice or Mexican quinoa.
How to Store
Leftover chicken fajitas will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat in a preheated 350°F oven or air fryer for about 7-10 minutes, or until warmed through.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Chicken: To cut chicken breasts for fajitas, simply cut each breast lengthwise into pieces about ½ inch thick. This will produce chicken-tender-size pieces. If you prefer dark meat, use an equal amount of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, following the same slicing guidelines. Use chicken tenders to save on this prep time.
- Seasoning: Use 2-3 Tablespoons of your favorite store-bought seasoning Taco or Fajita Seasoning.
- Bake in a single even layer: Whether you're using the air fryer or oven, spread the filling in a single even layer and cook to achieve a charred, crispy texture. If using the oven, use a large enough sheet pan so the chicken and vegetables are spread into one even layer. If you decide to use the air fryer, you will need to cook the fajita filling in two batches.
- For healthy and low-carb fajitas, serve the chicken and vegetable mixture over almond flour tortillas or a bed of greens or crisp lettuce cups, such as romaine or butter lettuce.
- Carb-count with corn tortillas: Chicken fajitas served with 2 corn tortillas per serving--> 32 total carbs - 6 g fiber = 26 g.
- Carb-count with almond flour tortillas: Chicken fajitas served with 2 almond flour tortillas per serving--> 35 total carbs - 21 g fiber = 14 g.
- Meal Prep tip: Double this chicken fajitas recipe and use it for multiple meals. Stuff it into taco shells or tortillas, or transform it into taco salad, enchiladas, and quesadillas.
- How to make for entertaining: Multiply the recipe to account for the number of people you are serving and air fry as directed. Create your own 'fajita bar' by arranging the chicken and veggies on a large platter with a mix of tortillas, lettuce cups, and all your favorite toppings!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can put raw chicken in the air fryer. The high heat from the air fryer will cook it all the way through.
Place the seasoned fajita veggies in the fryer basket in a single layer. Place it in the air fryer and cook at 360°F for 8 minutes, or until they're cooked to your desired tenderness.
Chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F on an instant read thermometer.
If the chicken is cut in ½-inch strips, or if you are using chicken tenders, it takes about 8-10 minutes to cook chicken fajitas in an air fryer at 360°F. This time may vary a bit across different models of air fryers.
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Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
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Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast sliced in half & cut in ½-inch slices
- 1 green bell pepper cut in ¼-inch slices
- 1 orange bell pepper (or yellow) cut in ¼-inch slices
- 1 red bell pepper cut in ¼-inch slices
- 1 red onion cut in ¼-inch slices
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning or fajita seasoning
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or canola
For Serving
- 8 almond flour or corn tortillas or lettuce cups
- 4 tablespoons guacamole or salsa, sour cream, pico de gallo
Instructions
Season Chicken, Onion & Peppers
- Cut onions and bell peppers into ¼-inch slices. Cut chicken breast into ½-inch slices. In a large mixing bowl or a gallon-size ziplock bag, add sliced chicken, sliced bell peppers, and onions.
- Add seasoning and toss till everything is coated evenly. Now add oil and mix well to combine.
Air Fry
- Spread half the seasoned chicken, peppers, and onions evenly in the fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to cook this in 2 to 3 batches.
- Insert the fryer basket and cook at 360°F for 8 minutes or until chicken and veggies cook through and turn golden brown at the edges.
Serve
- Serve chicken fajitas with your favorite condiments in tortilla wraps, tacos, salad or with a side of Mexican Rice.
Notes
- Chicken: To cut chicken breasts for fajitas, simply cut each breast lengthwise into pieces about ½ inch thick. This will produce chicken-tender-size pieces. If you prefer dark meat, use an equal amount of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, following the same slicing guidelines. Use chicken tenders to save on this prep time.
- Seasoning: Use 2-3 Tablespoons of your favorite store-bought seasoning Taco or Fajita Seasoning.
- Bake in a single layer: Whether you're using the air fryer or oven, spread the filling in a single layer and cook to achieve a charred, crispy texture. If using the oven, use a large enough sheet pan so the chicken and vegetables are spread into one even layer. If you decide to use the air fryer, you will need to cook the fajita filling in two batches.
- For healthy and low-carb fajitas, serve the chicken and vegetable mixture over almond flour tortillas or a bed of greens or crisp lettuce cups, such as romaine or butter lettuce.
- Carb-count with corn tortillas: Chicken fajitas served with 2 corn tortillas per serving--> 32 total carbs - 6 g fiber = 26 g.
- Carb-count with almond flour tortillas: Chicken fajitas served with 2 almond flour tortillas per serving--> 35 total carbs - 21 g fiber = 14 g.
- Meal prep: Double this recipe and use it for multiple meals. Stuff it into taco shells or tortillas, or transform it into taco salad, enchiladas, and quesadillas.
- How to make for entertaining: Multiply the recipe to account for the number of people you are serving and air fry as directed. Create your own 'fajita bar' by arranging the chicken and veggies on a large platter with a mix of tortillas, lettuce cups and all your favorite toppings!
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