Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

Diced chicken thighs are coated with some Mexican-inspired seasoning and broiled on a sheet pan with fajita veggies in under 15 minutes to make for the perfect quick dinner. Serve these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas traditionally, or make it lighter by serving it over a salad.

Quick Chicken Fajitas

There is no denying it, I love a sheet pan meal! And while chicken fajitas are already in and of themselves a quick dinner, making them under the broiler on the sheet pan makes them even less of a fuss because it's basically hands-off cooking.

For my version, chicken thighs are diced up and coated in some basic spices like chili powder, cumin, and garlic and then tossed with some fresh lime and orange juice to brighten up the dish. It's broiled for about 10 minutes alongside some onions and peppers to make for the easiest chicken fajita dinner. My kids love this with tortillas (of course) but I love mine with a bit of rice or a crunchy salad.

Ingredients Needed and Substitutions

Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The full recipe with quantities is listed below this text in the recipe card. If substitutions are available for this recipe, they'll be listed here. If you don't see a substitution you are looking for, please leave a comment below.

• chicken thighs (feel free to swap in chicken breasts if you need to, but chicken thighs work best so they don't dry out)
• chili powder
• salt
• garlic powder
• cumin
• lime juice
• fresh orange juice (please use fresh here, it makes a big difference in the flavor)
• onion
• bell peppers

I intentionally kept the spices more on the mild side with this recipe, to make it more family-friendly. Want to kick up the heat or make it pack more of a punch? Play around with the spices, add in some cayenne or chilis, and season as you wish.

The Key To Making This Recipe Awesome

When making sheet pan dinners, the instructions usually call for precise timing or staggered ingredient additions, and that is because while we love sheet pan cooking for its ease and efficiency, it doesn't necessarily mean that all the ingredients will cook at the same time or to the same desired effect.

So that's my overall warning when it comes to making sheet pan dinners. And for this recipe, I'm equally as picky with the placement of the chicken on the sheet pan. That is because, it's important to get the chicken cooked all the way through, and crispy in sections by the time that the peppers and onions are finished cooking as well.

To achieve this, it's important to place the chicken on the sheet pan directly under where your broiler element is going to be. This is because I want the chicken to cook at the highest temperature (for crispness, and for fast cooking). So you'll notice in my photos that the chicken is in the middle in a straight line, and that is because that is where my broiler element is.

If your oven is different than mine, please place your chicken on your sheet pan matching up with where your broiler element is.

Speaking of Sheet Pans...

The beauty of this recipe is that you really just need a sheet pan to make it happen. And when I say sheet pan, I'm referring to what is known as a half-sheet pan, or a 13" by 18" rimmed baking sheet. Here is my favorite sheet pan I recommend (affiliate link). You'll need it to be rimmed so the juices don't leak off, and it shouldn't be any smaller than the size mentioned before, or else you will overcrowd the fajitas.

Preparing this Dish Ahead of Time

There isn't much to making this meal, except for the prep involved with cutting up the chicken and veggies, gathering the seasonings, and preparing the side items like rice or beans, if you want them.

But we all know how hectic dinner time can get. So if you have time the night before, you can prepare the chicken and marinate it in the citrus juice and seasonings. The onions and peppers can be cut ahead too, but don't combine them with the chicken. Keep them separate.

Do not marinate the chicken any longer than the day before. It will get tough from the citrus juice.

Serving Ideas

Obviously, we all know fajitas are traditionally eaten in a tortilla with some additional fixings like:

• rice
• crema
• beans
• salsa
• lime

and that's obviously delicious! But you can also serve this dish as is, with a salad or with additional veggies!

My kids would argue though that the tortilla is the right move to go.

Leftover Storage

Chicken fajitas are best served right after it is made.

However, leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Reheat in a microwave or in a toaster oven.

More Sheet Pan Dinner Ideas:

• Sheet Pan Sliders
• Sheet Pan Grilled Cheese
• Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes

Making the recipe? Be sure to leave a comment with a star review on your experience! Have a question? Leave a comment below and I'll get back to you as quickly as I can!

Print

Full Recipe