Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas

These Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas are delicious and make for a great easy everyday meal. Chicken cooked in a flavorful marinade with fresh fajita veggies. They’re perfect for meal prep and excellent to have for Taco Tuesday.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas

For those of you who have been following me along for sometime now I’m sure you all know how much I love meal prep. It’s life to me! When I started my journey in healthy eating I discovered meal prep. Without it I wouldn’t have been able to stick to my healthy eating habits many times when I first started.

This year as I bring more recipes to you guys through my blog and work on developing it more; I want to concentrate on brining recipes that are perfect for meal prep. These include one sheet pan meals, Instant Pot/Crockpot friendly recipes, freezer friendly and more. I also want to try my best to include tips on how to prep each recipe I share ahead of time to incorporate on your meal plans every week.

I’m very excited for today’s recipe since it is perfect for meal planning and prepping. It’s a one sheet pan recipe and it’s absolutely delicious. These Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas are the go-to meal to make ahead and the whole family will enjoy for many reasons.

Ingredients needed to make Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas:

• Chicken Breasts– Boneless and skinless. You can also use boneless and skinless chicken thighs.
• Spices and Herbs– Fresh cilantro, garlic, chili powder, pink sea salt, paprika, and dried oregano.
• Lime Juice– Fresh lime juice is best.
• Fajita Veggies– Yellow onion and multi colored bell peppers.
• Avocado Oil– For cooking.

Equipment needed to make Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas:

• Large Baking Sheet Pan– To bake chicken fajitas in the oven.
• Parchment Paper– For lining baking sheet pan to prevent chicken and veggies from sticking to it.
• Small Mixing Bowl– To make marinade.
• Whisk– For whisking marinade ingredients.

How to make Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas:

• Step 1– Preheat oven at 375 degrees F. 
• Step 2– In a small mixing bowl combine; 1 tablespoon avocado oil, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, cumin, pink salt, paprika, and oregano. Pat dry chicken breasts. Pour and rub marinade on chicken breasts and let it sit. Julienne onions and bell peppers and set aside. 
• Step 3– Line a large baking sheet pan with parchment paper. Place marinated chicken breasts in the center of the baking sheet. Pour over any leftover marinade evenly throughout the chicken breasts. Line julienne onions and bell peppers around chicken breasts. Drizzle remaining tablespoon of avocado oil over onions and bell peppers making sure all are well coated.
• Step 4– Place prepped ingredients in the oven and Bake for 30 minutes.
• Step 5– Remove chicken and fajitas from the oven. Place chicken breasts on a cutting board and slice into bite size chunks. Place back on sheet pan and toss together with fajitas. Squeeze some extra lime juice over fajitas if desired. Serve immediately with warm tortillas, as burrito bowls, or any preferred way.

Tips and Substitutions:

1. Butterfly chicken breasts if they are too thick- slice them in half lengthwise to make them thiner. This will make sure that the breasts get cooked through without having to add more time. They will stay tender and juicy too.
2. Line baking sheet pan with parchment paper- Like this the chicken and veggies won’t stick to the pan. It will make it easier to clean up after too.
3. Use different colored bell peppers- it makes the dish look so much prettier.
4. Marinade chicken for a while if possible- The flavors will set more making the fajitas more flavorful.

How to serve Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas:

One of my favorite things about these Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas is how versatile they are. They can be served in many different ways. We love serving these with warm tortillas as tacos with some of our favorite toppings. I love them over some rice and other toppings to make burrito bowls. These chicken fajitas are also great to make regular burritos.

What to serve Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas with:

• Best and Easiest Homemade Guacamole
• Easy Homemade Spanish Rice
• Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Black Beans
• Refried Beans
• Rice
• Pico De Gallo
• Sour Cream

Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas FAQ’s:

Should I cut chicken for fajitas before cooking?

When it comes to making fajitas, it is actually best to cut your chicken (or whatever meat you are using) after it has been cooked. The reason for this is because the chicken being whole will hold more juices. Making the fajitas juicier and more tender.

Can you substitute lemon juice for lime juice in fajitas?

Traditional fajitas and other Mexican inspired foods call for lime juice to give it that distinct flavor. However, if all you have available is lemon juice you can easily swap the lime juice for it. The acidity from the lemon juice will still elevate all the flavors.

How do you cook fajita meat so it’s not tough?

Make sure to not overcook your meat. This is another reason for leaving your meat whole and not cutting it until after it has been cooked. Especially chicken since it takes a longer time to cook. Overcooked meats like chicken can get tough and rubbery. When you cook them is smaller pieces they cook much faster. Which can result in them being easily overcooked.

What is fajita marinade made of?

Fajita marinade is made out of the essential spices found fajita seasonings such as chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, and oregano. We like to add cilantro and lime juice for a fresh and zesty flavor.

Meal Prepping it:

These Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas are a perfect meal to make ahead or at least plan ahead. It’s great to add to a night that you know will be the end to a long day and you will have little time to prepare dinner. You can cook the whole fajitas ahead of time and refrigerate. 

If you’re not a fan of leftovers then slice your veggies ahead of time. Keep in a mason jar with some water and lemon juice to keep them fresh. Then marinade your chicken and keep in a silicone bag. Then just add everything to your sheet pan the day you want to cook them and stick them in the oven. All done!

Storing and Reheating:

Place any leftover cilantro lime chicken fajitas in an airtight container. Keep them refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or back in the oven.

Freezing Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas:

Chicken fajitas are freezer friendly and they are actually a great meal to freeze. They are super easy to make, add to a freezer bag and freeze for later use. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. You can even prep the chicken and veggies, pour the marinade and place in a freezer friendly bag and freeze.

Did you like this Cilantro Lime Fajitas recipe? You may also like these other Mexican inspired recipes:

• Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
• Shredded Chicken Tacos
• Shrimp Fajitas (Stovetop)
• Slow Cooker Carne Asada Tacos
• Instant Pot Taco Meat
• Air Fryer Shrimp Fajitas
• Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

5 from 2 votes

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Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas

These Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas are delicious and make for a great easy everyday meal. Chicken cooked in a flavorful marinade with fresh fajita veggies. They're perfect for meal prep and excellent to have for Taco Tuesday. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 201 kcal

Author Angelica Arias

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts (skinless and boneless)
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 3 cloves of garlic pressed
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp pink salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 yellow onion
• 3 bell peppers (different colors)
• 2 tbsp avocado oil (divided)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven at 375 degrees F.

2. In a small mixing bowl combine; 1 tablespoon avocado oil, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, cumin, pink salt, paprika, and oregano. Pat dry chicken breasts. Pour and rub marinade on chicken breasts and let it sit. Julienne onions and bell peppers and set aside.

3. Line a large baking sheet pan with parchment paper. Place marinated chicken breasts in the center of the baking sheet. Pour over any leftover marinade evenly throughout the chicken breasts. Line julienne onions and bell peppers around chicken breasts. Drizzle remaining tablespoon of avocado oil over onions and bell peppers making sure all are well coated.

4. Place prepped ingedients in the oven and Bake for 30 minutes.

5. Remove chicken and fajitas from the oven. Place chicken breasts on a cutting board and slice into bite size chunks. Place back on sheet pan and toss together with fajitas. Squeeze some extra lime juice over fajitas if desired. Serve immediately with warm tortillas, as burrito bowls, or any preferred way.

Recipe Notes

Tips for making Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas:

1. Butterfly chicken breasts if they are too thick- slice them in half lengthwise to make them thiner. This will make sure that the breasts get cooked through without having to add more time. They will stay tender and juicy too.
2. Line baking sheet pan with parchment paper- Like this the chicken and veggies won’t stick to the pan. It will make it easier to clean up after too.
3. Use different colored bell peppers- it makes the dish look so much prettier.
4. Marinade chicken for a while if possible- The flavors will set more making the fajitas more flavorful.

Nutrition Facts

Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas

Amount per Serving

Calories

201

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

8

g

12

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Trans Fat

 

0.01

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

4

g

Cholesterol

 

72

mg

24

%

Sodium

 

529

mg

23

%

Potassium

 

617

mg

18

%

Carbohydrates

 

7

g

2

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

4

g

4

%

Protein

 

25

g

50

%

Vitamin A

 

2263

IU

45

%

Vitamin C

 

83

mg

101

%

Calcium

 

28

mg

3

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.

**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used. 

**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family. 

*Post updated as of 3/31/2020

*Recipe and Pictures updated as of 9/4/2020