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Seasoned chicken pan-seared with bell peppers and onions, and served up fajita-style with a quick creamy jalapeño verde sauce and warm tortillas. Everything is cooked in a piping hot skillet and comes together easily. A fun, any night of the week dinner!
When my younger brother Malachi asked if we could do a fajita night recently, I was all for it. Any kind of themed dinner is always fun for me to plan out and create. They take the average weeknight dinner from boring to exciting.
I love to do up Mexican night with all the sides, sauces, lots of avocado, toppings, and of course, a fun drink too. Usually I’ll serve tacos for Mexican night, but I often forget about using fajitas. I don’t know why, because fajitas are so delicious and colorful!
Kai’s two requests were that the fajitas have a killer sauce and plenty of rice on the side. His food requests are pretty simple these days. So I was able to really have fun with this and get creative with this recipe.
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Here are the details
Fajitas are great for a lot of reasons, but everyone’s favorite reason is how quick and simple they are. You really just need a skillet.
Start with the chicken. My little trick is to use some Tajin in the spice mix in place of chili powder. It keeps the flavor delicious, but the spice level just right. I’ve been using Tajin so much lately.
I like to season the chicken directly in the skillet with olive oil, then start cooking. You want to use a pretty high heat to cook the chicken so that you get that nice light char around the edges of the meat that feels so classic for a fajita. If you have one, a cast-iron skillet is best.
When the chicken is cooked, I like to pull it out of the skillet and then add the onions. Give the onions a cook quick, and add in all of the peppers.
The peppers and onions are really KEY here. They make these fajitas. I use a mix of sweet onions, bell peppers, and smoky poblano peppers so that there’s plenty of flavor.
The chicken is added back to the peppers to warm back up. Could not be simpler.
The sauce
No surprise here, but the sauce might just be the reason to make these fajitas. There are just 3 ingredients, but don’t let that fool you, it’s so delicious.
A mix of cream cheese, green salsa verde, and pickled jalapeños. It’s very creamy with just the right amount of heat.
Serve the chicken and peppers right out of the skillet with warmed flour tortillas and plenty of sauce. I do lots of cilantro and cotija cheese on top, then guacamole and rice on the side.
And that’s it, dinner is ready. It feels fresh and colorful and it tastes even better. It’s that sauce, it’s very different but so delicious. I really cannot think of a better way to spend my Thursday night, you know? Fajitas and a fun cocktail (currently loving this margarita). I don’t believe anything is ever really perfect, but this all sounds pretty close. And if family is involved…even more fun!
FAQ:
Can I use pre-cooked chicken?
Yes—slice and warm it briefly with the onions/peppers so it doesn’t dry out; you’ll lose some sear but the sauce makes up for it.
How do I get that restaurant-style char without drying the chicken?
Cook over medium-high heat, don’t overcrowd, and let the chicken sit undisturbed for a minute or two per side before tossing.
What’s the best way to make this milder?
Use chili powder instead of Tajín, skip chili flakes, and reduce or omit the pickled jalapeños in the sauce.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes—make and chill up to a couple of days. Re-warm gently over low heat, whisking and loosening with a splash of water until creamy again.
Looking for other quick Mexican recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Crispy Jalapeño Cream Cheese Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
Sheet Pan Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa
Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Avocado Jalapeño Crema
Lastly, if you make these Skillet Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Skillet Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder or tajin
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- chili flakes
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 1 poblano pepper, sliced
- 8-10 tortillas, warmed
- cotija cheese, limes, and cilantro, for serving
Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup salsa verde
- 1-3 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, chopped
Instructions
- 1. In a large skillet, combine the olive oil, chicken, paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper, toss to coat. Set the skillet over high heat. Cook until seared all over and cooked through, 8-10 minutes. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the butter, garlic, and chili flakes. Cook 1 minute, then remove everything from the skillet.2. In the same skillet, add the onions and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Toss in the bell peppers and poblano peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the peppers are tender, another 5 minutes. 3. Add the chicken to the peppers and toss to combine. 4. To make the sauce, melt together the cream cheese and salsa verde in a small skillet over low-low heat, whisking constantly until creamy. Remove from the heat and stir in the jalapeños. 5. Stuff the chicken, peppers, and onions into the warmed tortillas, and top with the verde sauce, cilantro, and cheese. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Ok holy moly! These are better than the fajitas you can get at restaurants. This will be going into a weekly meal for awhile!
Hi Samantha,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! ?xxT
Another winner – this recipe is amazing – quick and so tasty! The sauce is incredible – thank you!!
Hey Nacia,
Thanks so much for your comment and sharing your feedback! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit and thanks for making it! xTieghan
I made a half batch and we had enough leftovers for the next night, there’s only two of us. I put the chicken and seasoning in a plastic bag and let them marinade for a bit before cooking. They spice combo is delicious! This might be my fav HBH recipe so far. Thanks Teighan!!!!
Hey Kim,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
These fajitas were amazing and simple! Highly recommend!
Hey Liz,
Awesome!! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for your comment and sharing your feedback! xxT
These are AMAZING!!!!! Best fajitas I have ever had (including restaurants). The sauce is so good too. Can’t wait to make these again… and again and again ?
Hey Meg,
Happy Mother’s Day! Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I am glad to hear that it was enjoyed! ?xxT
So delicious! Forgot the cream cheese so made your Avocado cilantro sauce instead! It was great, but will try creamy jalapeño sauce tomorrow.
Hey Kassi,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT
The salsa verde cream cheese jalapeño sauce is what makes this so great!!! Mmmmmm ?
Hi Cindy,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT
This recipe is so easy but SO good!!!! The flavors are spot on and it tastes as if it were from a restaurant! Definitely a repeat in our house!
Also, can’t beat the verde sauce- so so good!
Hi Katie,
Love to hear this!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! ☀️xTieghan
I made this late night along with the carne asado Tacos and they were a HUGE hit. Can’t decide which one I liked better!
Hi Renae,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! Have a great week:) xxT
Amazing
Hi Megan,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was a hit! Have a great weekend:) xx
Holy moly!! This is to die for!!! I used chicken thighs, and omitted the extra jalapeños and chili flakes to accommodate my spice-averse family. Paired with your flour tortillas, and an Elote recipe from my other favorite foodie source, smittenkitchen.com, this was a meal everyone enjoyed!! That creamy verde sauce tho….SO GOOD!!
Hey Lori,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Sooo flavorful! This is a great weeknight dinner, and everyone loved it. I recommend adding some lime juice to the chicken the last few mins it’s in the skillet!
Hey Becca,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
As soon as I read this recipe I had to make it. This was absolutely delicious. My husband and I had to force ourselves to stop eating it! The upside is that means we have leftovers for tomorrow night. The crema was the perfect complete. Quick and easy to make, especially having completed the prep work earlier in day. Tieghan, your recipes don’t disappoint!
Hey Laura,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Amazing! A little spicy for me, so I may leave out the jalapeños next time… great with a glass of milk though! Also, very relaxing and fun to make.
Made this tonight for my family! Everyone loved it. The cream cheese sauce was delicious (I love that word lol) I will be making this again. I followed the recipe exact and it turned out so good
Hey Cassidy,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! ?xx
Hey Emma,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! ?xx
This was so tasty and easy to make. I substituted sour cream for cream cheese (I didn’t feel like going to the store). It’s a keeper!
Hey Janice,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! ?xx