You know those nights when you’re like, WTF should I make? I have them more than I care to admit and 99% of the time my answer comes in the form of fajitas and DIY Burrito Bowls. These Poblano Chicken Fajitas are exactly that kind of weeknight hero.
The Best Chicken Fajitas at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: ~35 minutes
- 👪 Servings: 4–6
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: Mexican / Tex-Mex
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Smoky poblano peppers, juicy seasoned chicken, sautéed onions, and a squeeze of lime. Savory, lightly spicy, and super fresh
- 📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free; dairy-free; contains poultry
- 📦 Storage Notes: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet to keep the veggies from getting soggy
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: A fast, flavor-packed fajita night that feels restaurant-worthy but comes together easily on a weeknight. Smoky poblanos make all the difference.
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Why I Love This Recipe
This is one of those recipes that makes everyone at the table happy. It is fast, super flavorful, customizable for everyone at dinner, and feels way more exciting than the effort required. The poblano peppers bring just a little smoky heat, the chicken stays juicy thanks to a quick citrusy marinade, and everything gets that perfect char in a hot skillet. It is a true winner, great for leftovers, and works just as well tucked into tortillas as it does piled into a bowl with rice or greens.
Ingredients & Substitutions
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
Substitutions
🍗 Protein Options
- Chicken thighs — juicier and more forgiving than breasts.
- Chicken breasts — lean and classic.
- Steak (skirt, flank, or sirloin) — bold and super fajita-forward.
- Shrimp — quick-cooking and great with the poblano heat.
- Portobello mushrooms or extra veggies — easy vegetarian swap with lots of flavor.
🌶 Pepper Swaps
- Poblano peppers — mild heat with great smoky flavor.
- Anaheim peppers — similar vibe, slightly brighter heat.
- Roasted green chiles — great shortcut with deep flavor.
🧅 Veggie Add-Ins
- Yellow or red onions — classic fajita base.
- Red onions — slightly sweeter and more colorful.
- Mushrooms — soak up all the seasoning beautifully.
🌮 Tortilla & Base Options
- Flour tortillas — soft and classic.
- Corn tortillas — more traditional and naturally gluten free.
- Serve over rice or cauliflower rice — fajita bowl situation.
- Lettuce cups — fresh, crunchy, and lighter.
🧄 Seasoning & Flavor Tweaks
- Store-bought fajita seasoning — quick and reliable.
- Add lime zest or juice — brightens everything at the end.
🧀 Toppings & Finishes
- Cotija or queso fresco — salty and crumbly.
- Shredded Monterey Jack or pepper jack — melty and cozy.
- Avocado or guacamole — always a yes.
- Sour cream — cool contrast to the heat.
- Fresh cilantro — optional but classic.
How to Make Poblano Chicken Fajitas
Step 1: Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips, about the size of your finger.
Step 2: Combine the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, cumin, chili powder and red pepper flakes in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the chicken and marinate for 1 hour.
Step 3: Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chicken mixture, marinade included, and sauté until fully cooked.
Step 4: Using a pair of tongs, remove the chicken from the skillet and add the vegetables. Sauté until tender and charred. Add the chicken back into the cast iron skillet and toss to combine.
Step 5: Serve alongside flour tortillas.
Step 6: Top with desired toppings such as avocado, sour cream, guacamole and fresh lime juice.
🌶️🍗✨ Tips & Tricks for the Best Poblano Chicken Fajitas
- Slice everything evenly. Uniform strips of chicken, peppers, and onions cook at the same rate, so nothing gets dry or underdone.
- Season generously. Fajitas need bold seasoning. Salt early and don’t be shy with the spices so every bite pops.
- Cook in batches if needed. Crowding the pan leads to steaming instead of searing. Give everything space so you get those golden edges.
- Use high heat. Hot pan = juicy chicken and caramelized veggies. Medium heat won’t get you there fast enough.
- Add the chicken first. Let it get a little color before tossing in the veggies so it stays tender and flavorful.
- Finish with lime off the heat. A squeeze of fresh lime right at the end keeps the flavors bright and fresh, not cooked down.
- Warm your tortillas. Cold tortillas are sad. Heat them directly over a flame or in a dry skillet for maximum flexibility and flavor.
- Serve with all the extras. Avocado, sour cream, salsa, cilantro. Fajitas love toppings, and everyone likes to build their own.
- Great for leftovers. The chicken and veggies reheat beautifully, making this a perfect next-day lunch or quick dinner remix.
- You can swap the seasonings for a few teaspoons of either Chile Lime or Taco seasoning if you prefer a seasoning blend!
FAQs
Can I make these Chicken Fajitas ahead of time?
Yes. You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance and slice all the vegetables ahead of time. Cook it to order for max flavor!
Can I grill Chicken Fajitas instead of using a skillet?
Absolutely. Grill the chicken and vegetables separately over high heat, then slice and toss together before serving.
What other protein could I use in these Fajitas?
This recipe is super flexible. Try chicken thighs, skirt steak, beef, shrimp, or even sliced portobello mushrooms for a vegetarian option. Just adjust cooking time as needed.
I love poblanos, what other dishes can I use them in?
So many things. Poblanos are amazing roasted and stuffed, blended into creamy soups, sliced into breakfast tacos, folded into quesadillas, mixed into rice or grain bowls, or added to enchiladas, chili, or even mac and cheese for a little smoky heat. Checkout my poblano stuffed peppers, where they are the star of the dish. Also great in my poblano skillet enchiladas and poblano corn cheese dip.
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If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Poblano Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
- 1 poblano pepper thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 yellow pepper thinly sliced
- ½ yellow onion thinly sliced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
For the Chicken
- 1 ½ lb chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts into very thin strips, about the length of your finger.
- In a bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, cumin, chili powder, and red pepper flakes. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for 1 hour.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chicken along with the marinade and sauté until fully cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the sliced vegetables to the skillet and sauté until tender and lightly charred, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet and toss everything together.
- Serve with warm flour tortillas and top with guacamole, sour cream, and fresh lime juice.
Notes
- Slice everything evenly. Uniform strips of chicken, peppers, and onions cook at the same rate, so nothing gets dry or underdone.
- Season generously. Fajitas need bold seasoning. Salt early and don’t be shy with the spices so every bite pops.
- Cook in batches if needed. Crowding the pan leads to steaming instead of searing. Give everything space so you get those golden edges.
- Use high heat. Hot pan = juicy chicken and caramelized veggies. Medium heat won’t get you there fast enough.
- Add the chicken first. Let it get a little color before tossing in the veggies so it stays tender and flavorful.
- Finish with lime off the heat. A squeeze of fresh lime right at the end keeps the flavors bright and fresh, not cooked down.
- Warm your tortillas. Cold tortillas are a buzzkill. Heat them directly over a flame or in a dry skillet for maximum flexibility and flavor.
- Serve with all the extras. Avocado, sour cream, salsa, cilantro — fajitas love toppings, and everyone likes to build their own.
- Great for leftovers. The chicken and veggies reheat beautifully, making this a perfect next-day lunch or quick dinner remix.
- You can swap the seasonings for a few teaspoons of either Chile Lime or Taco seasoning if you prefer a seasoning blend!
These are the best fajitas, we make them at least once a week!! We add zucchini but I wouldn’t change a think. Tha marinade is so tasty!!! Thanks Gaby!
I’m making this for a pre-game get together. Would these be ok kept warm in the crockpot after cooking? I’m serving at 6 and plan to make them as late as possible so they don’t sit too long.
My go to recipe! Family loves it and so easy and delicious.
On regular rotation in my house. Huge hit. So easy and delicious! Thank you!
Back again three years later to say we still make these constantly. Thank you for such a hit of a recipe!
thrilled to hear it!! TY
Made this on Monday and oh, my!! So delicious and easy!! Definitely a keeper!
I love this recipe and am thinking about making it for a small dinner party/get together. How many people does this serve? Trying to decide if I need to double it. 🙂
4ish people
These were very good!