Grilled Chicken Fajitas with charred chicken, caramelized onion, and bell peppers. The fajita marinade brings this easy recipe restaurant-quality flavor.
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Grilled fajitas have a special flavor from the char by cooking on the grill. Using a flat top surface like a griddle, this chicken fajitas on the grill is easy to make at home with these step-by-step photo instructions for better than restaurant results in 30 minutes.
With a great-tasting chicken fajitas marinade that works in only a few minutes, serve them hot off the griddle with the toppings of your choice.
These fajitas can fit a healthy diet, like a low-calorie and low-fat diet. It can also work in a low-carb or keto diet.
Check out other options for excellent chicken fajitas, like Stovetop Chicken Fajitas, Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, and Chicken Fajita Quesadillas. Or try some easy Marinated Steak Fajitas or Pork Tenderloin Fajitas.
🐓Ingredients
- Chicken —Skinless boneless chicken breast or thighs cut cross grain about ½ inch thick
- Aromatics—garlic and onion
- Lime—fresh or lime juice
- Vegetables—bell peppers
- Pantry ingredients—chili powder, black pepper, salt, vegetable oil, olive oil, vinegar (red wine preferred)
- Optional spices—cumin, cayenne pepper, fajita seasoning
- For serving—corn or flour tortillas, salsa, guacamole, cheese, and more
👨🍳How to make Grilled Chicken Fajitas
- Trim and cut chicken breasts or thighs into strips across the grain.
- Mix the marinade and add the chicken for 10 to 30 minutes.
- Cut onion and peppers and coat with olive oil and salt.
- Grill the vegetables first on a preheated griddle with vegetable oil.
- Push the vegetables to the side, place the chicken on the griddle, and cook for about 6-8 minutes to an internal temperature of 165°.
- Mix the vegetables and chicken and serve.
This is a summary of the steps and ingredients. See the recipe card or the step-by-step photo instructions below for full instructions.
When are chicken fajitas done and ready to serve?
To be safe, the internal temperature of the chicken needs to reach 165° internal temperature when measured with an instant-read thermometer, and the vegetables should be tender with some char.
🍽️Serving suggestions
Serve with flour or corn tortillas with traditional toppings: cheddar or Mexican cheeses, diced tomatoes, slices of jalapeno or green onions, cilantro, sour cream, and many more.
Side dishes: Corn chips with Pineapple Mango Salsa, refried beans, Easy Guacamole, or Mexican Rice.
How to store and reheat leftover fajitas
Store leftovers airtight in the refrigerator for 3 days. Freezing is not recommended due to texture issues with the cooked vegetables.
Reheat leftover fajitas on the stovetop with a covered skillet over medium heat. Add a bit of vegetable oil and stir occasionally. It will take about 5 minutes or a bit more.
❓FAQs
Red wine vinegar may not be in your pantry. It has a pleasant, not-in-your-face taste for things like salads.
If you don't have red wine vinegar, you can substitute some apple cider or rice vinegar, but not at the same volume. Do about a third to half the volume and taste test it. Vinegar can overwhelm a dish quickly.
No, not a good idea. It will dry out during cooking, and we want the marinade with the raw chicken.
Yes, use a large skillet or griddle over medium-high or high heat.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat the grill with a griddle or large grill pan in place on high. Add vegetable oil just before cooking. The grill lid should be open for this entire recipe.
In a medium bowl, whisk all marinade ingredients together.
Clean and cut the chicken into strips across the grain.
Add chicken to the marinade for 10 to 30 minutes. Mix well and let sit at room temp while dealing with veggies.
Cut onion and peppers and coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt.
After the grill is preheated for at least 10 minutes, add oil and place vegetables on the griddle. Stir occasionally and cook for about 6 minutes until it starts to brown and soften. If browning too fast, turn down the heat or move to a cooler part of the grill.
Push the veggies to the side and place the chicken on the griddle, stirring both the chicken and vegetables occasionally. Cook for about 6-8 minutes until you can cut the chicken with a wooden spoon and an internal temperature of 165°. The exact time will vary with the grill, the griddle, and the thickness of the chicken.
Mix in vegetables back into the chicken and stir well.
Serve with tortillas and traditional toppings.
📖 Recipe
Grilled Chicken Fajitas—Quick & Easy
Ingredients
- 2 Skinless boneless chicken breast - cut cross grain about ½ inch thick
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cloves garlic - minced
- ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar - see notes for substitute
- 1 lime - or 2 tablespoons juice - Optional
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Vegetables
- 1 onion sliced - large yellow ½ inch thick
- 2 peppers - seeded and sliced about ½ inch thick
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil - enough to coat the peppers and onion
- ½ teaspoon salt
For serving:
- tortillas and toppings
Instructions
- Preheat the grill with a griddle or large grill pan in place on high. Add vegetable oil just before cooking. The grill lid should be open for this entire recipe.
- In a medium bowl, whisk all marinade ingredients together.
- Clean and cut chicken into strips across the grain.
- Add chicken to the marinade for 10 to 30 minutes. Mix well and let sit at room temp while dealing with veggies.
- Cut onion and peppers and coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- After the grill is preheated for at least 10 minutes, add oil to the griddle and place vegetables on the griddle. Stir occasionally and cook for about 6 minutes until starting to brown and soften. If browning too fast, turn down the heat or move to a cooler part of the grill.
- Push the veggies to the side and place the chicken on the griddle, stir both the chicken and vegetables occasionally. Cook for about 6-8 minutes until you are able to cut the chicken with a wooden spoon and an internal temperature of 165°. The exact time will vary with the grill, the griddle, and the thickness of the chicken.
- Mix in vegetables back into the chicken and stir well.
- Serve with tortillas and traditional toppings.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- This recipe is unusual in that the grill lid is left open.
- This needs about 1 ½ pounds of chicken, I chose skinless boneless chicken breasts, but thighs would work great.
- Cut across the grain of the meat as much as possible.
- If you don't have red wine vinegar, you can substitute some apple cider or rice vinegar but not at the same volume. Do about a third to half the volume and taste test it. Vinegar can overwhelm the taste quickly.
- I buy limes frequently for recipes, but I do not normally keep them around. So I do usually keep some lime juice in the refrigerator. Or you can just slip it.
- Add a little heat with ½ teaspoon of cumin.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days.
- Nutrition does not include serving ingredients.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally Published June 14, 2010. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Originally Published June 14, 2010.
Susan Bostaph
Thanks, Made this the other night but tripled the amount of onions since I didn't
have any peppers and my husband doesn't like them anyway. You know this is
a keeper when he eats the leftovers for breakfast!!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Susan,
Welcome to the blog. Sorry for the delayed response.
Glad it worked well for you.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Charlene
Love this recipe! Dr. Dan - where did you get that griddle for the grill? I have never seen something like that - totally awesome!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Charlene,
The griddle is just one of those toys I had to have it is cast iron (very heavy), enamel paint and non-stick surface.It takes a bit to preheat but once it is hot, it stays very hot. Easy to clean.
William Sonoma was the only place that sold them in 2011 then they disappeared a few years later. I think eBay is your only hope. There is one there now for $30 (mine was $100) but $32 shipping. I doubt you will see many of them. Search for "La Plancha Cast-Iron Griddle"
Dan
Susan Bostaph
This looks wonderful !
How much oil do you put in the heated pan? Will be making this in a cast iron frying pan on the stove. (I'm assuming the oil is in addition to the 2T in the marinade - Vegetable oil ?)
Thanks.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Susan,
Welcome to the blog.
You're right. I didn't specify. Just enough to lightly cover the surface of the pan or griddle. About a tablespoon usually is enough. A stovetop cast iron is a great choice.
In the middle of this recipe is a list of other fajita recipes. There is a slightly different stovetop recipe there that is a bit more complicated with more ingredients. I tend more to this simpler recipe.
Dan
Barbara
Love this recipe. I didn't have red wine vinegar so I used lemon juice instead. It was great.
DrDan
Hi Barbara,
I haven't done this on the grill for a while. I'm scheduling for next week.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Cathy
This is an excellent marinade. I marinaded the chicken for a bit over an over and put thighs on the grill and sliced them after they were cooked. It was delicious! We will definitely have this again.
DrDan
It is quite tasty...
Thanks for the comment
DrDan
Dr Dan
Chris should probably add some cumin but they are just right for kids and old people like me. The griddle is nice and very heavy. I see very little reason to cook inside if it's not raining this summer.
Dr Dan
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chris
WOW that is one "bleep" of a gorgeous griddle. Nice cook with the fajitas too.
steph
we are having fajitas this week - I'll have to try this recipe next time. Looks good.