These Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas have been a Budget Bytes staple recipe since I first posted them twelve years ago! I love fajitas, but they require a super hot griddle to get that nice smoky flavor, which also means a lot of smoky smell in my house and standing over a super hot stove. Not my favorite way to spend my evening. So I make baked fajitas instead. Is it exactly the same? No, BUT it’s almost completely hands-off (yay) and you get some nice caramelization on the edges of the peppers and onions, which gives you a similar char effect. I’ll save the real deal fajitas for when I’m at a restaurant and not doing the cooking. 😄
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“This is one of my all-time favorite recipes on BB! It’s simple and delicious and easy to stretch with the addition of mushrooms and a zucchini or two. I like to put it under the broiler for a minute or two at the end to crisp up the edges. A winner every time!”
Marilyn
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make these easy sheet pan chicken fajitas:
- Chicken Breast: I use 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe. Some of our readers have also subbed in chicken thighs or beef steak, but the cooking time might vary from what I’ve listed below.
- Bell Peppers and Yellow Onions: These roast on the sheet pan with the chicken and become extra sweet and caramelized. I like to use a mix of red, green, and yellow bell peppers for color variety, but you can use any color you prefer.
- Cooking Oil: Use any cooking oil you like, such as avocado oil, olive oil, or vegetable oil. You’ll need about 2 tablespoons to coat the chicken and vegetables. This stops them from sticking to the pan and helps with browning.
- Lime: I can’t stress how much flavor fresh lime juice brings to the party! I squeeze it over everything once the fajitas are out of the oven and then add a little extra before serving. SO good.
- Tortillas: I use 6-inch flour tortillas, which hold enough filling for two fajitas per person.
- Seasoning: The ingredient list below might look long, but most of that is the fajita seasoning mix. So, if you’re looking for a shortcut or your kitchen spice cabinet is not well-stocked, you can simply use a packet of store-bought fajita seasoning. Otherwise, you’ll need chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, sugar, and salt.
- Toppings: These are optional, but I like adding sour cream and cilantro to my tortillas once assembled. I’ve also shared some more topping ideas that I love below!
What Kind of Sheet Pan to Use
You definitely want the largest sheet pan (or baking dish) you can find for this recipe. It’s imperative that the chicken and vegetables are not too crowded on the baking sheet otherwise the steam will get trapped as they bake and you won’t get that nice caramelization that only happens in a dry heat environment. I’m using a 13×16 inch baking sheet here and in the original version of this recipe I used a 13×15 inch glass baking dish.
Make it Fit in your Budget
Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are usually significantly more expensive than green bell peppers, but you can use any mix that fits your budget. Despite using a couple of more expensive colored peppers, I used more vegetables than meat to keep costs low. The meat to veggie ratio ended up being perfect once everything had been cooked down. If you want to make these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas vegetarian, try my Chipotle Portobello Oven Fajita recipe.
Toppings for Chicken Fajitas
I like to keep my chicken fajitas really simple with just a squeeze of lime, maybe some fresh cilantro, and a small dollop of sour cream, but there are so many other things you could use to top your chicken fajitas. Try these toppings
- Shredded cheese
- Cotija cheese
- Green onions
- Salsa
- Guacamole or sliced avocado
- Pickled red onion
Serving Suggestions
I sometimes serve these sheet pan chicken fajitas with tomato rice on the side. It’s really easy to prepare while the chicken and veggies are in the oven, and it’s delicious! Sweet corn salsa and chips are another favorite. But when I have the time, I go all out and make homemade chicken nachos (perfect if I get a good deal on a larger pack of chicken breasts at the store!) and pico de gallo.
Storage and Reheating
Any leftovers should be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I wouldn’t assemble the fajitas ahead of time, but keep the chicken and vegetables separate until ready to serve. You can reheat leftovers in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven (covered with foil if using the oven) until the chicken is fully heated through. I don’t recommend freezing this dish, as peppers and onions can become watery once thawed.
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Servings 4 (2 fajitas each)Ingredients
FAJITA SEASONING
- 1 Tbsp chili powder ($0.30)
- 1/2 Tbsp paprika ($0.15)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp cumin ($0.03)
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
- 1 tsp sugar ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
FAJITAS
- 2 small yellow onions (or one large) ($1.40)
- 3 bell peppers, any color ($2.58)
- 1 lb. chicken breast ($2.67)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.08)
- 1 lime ($0.25)
- 8 6-inch tortillas ($1.58)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (optional) ($0.49)
- 1/4 bunch cilantro (optional) ($0.50)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Mix all of the spices for the fajita seasoning in a small bowl and set aside (chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, sugar, and salt).
- Cut the onion and bell peppers into 1/4-inch wide strips. Slice the chicken breast into thin strips. Add the chicken and vegetables to a large baking sheet or casserole dish.
- Drizzle the cooking oil over the chicken and vegetables, then sprinkle the fajita seasoning mix over top. Use your hands to toss the ingredients until everything is well coated in oil and seasoning. Spread the chicken and vegetables out over the baking sheet evenly.
- Bake the chicken and vegetables in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Squeeze the juice from half of the lime over top of the meat and vegetables after they come out of the oven.
- To serve, scoop a small amount of meat and vegetables into the center of each tortilla. Top with a few sprigs of cilantro, a dollop of sour cream, and an extra squeeze of lime if desired.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Enamelware Sheet Pan
Notes
Nutrition
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Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas – Step By Step Photos:
Begin by preheating the oven to 400ºF. In a small bowl, stir together 1 Tbsp chili powder (this is a mild blend, not hot red chiles), 1/2 Tbsp paprika, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/8 tsp cayenne, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp sugar. The sugar helps the vegetables caramelize and gives the dish a very subtle sweetness.
Slice three bell peppers and two small onions (or one large onion) into thin, 1/4-inch wide strips. Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are usually more expensive than green, so use a mix of peppers that fits your budget.
Slice 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast into thin strips as well. Place the sliced bell peppers, onion, and chicken on a large sheet pan (13×16-inch). You want to avoid piling the ingredients in so deep that they begin to stew in their juices in the oven, instead of browning, so you’ll need the largest dish available. You can also use an extra large casserole dish, if you don’t have a large sheet pan.
Drizzle 2 Tbsp cooking oil over the meat and vegetables, followed by the fajita spice mix. Toss the ingredients until everything is well coated in oil and spices.
Now that everything is coated in oil and spices, it’s ready to go into the oven.
Roast the chicken and vegetables for 35-40 minutes at 400ºF, stirring once halfway through, or until the fajita veggies have softened slightly and are a bit brown on the edges.
Squeeze the fresh lime juice over the chicken and fajita veggies.
Serve hot with tortillas, extra lime wedges, sour cream, cilantro, or whatever other fajita toppings you like!
First time trying this and I love it!! There is so much more flavor than the recipie I normally use.
I’ve passed by this recipe many times before I actually made it. I encourage everyone to try it because it’s super delicious and easy. This is a great meal to make when you don’t really feel like cooking. The prep time is pretty quick and your oven does all the work.
Thank you, Beth. Great recipe! I doubled up on the spices (a little too much heat, but my bad) and let ‘er rip in the oven. Next time I’ll try it with skirt steak. My only quibble: The prep time was WAY more than 15 minutes. I don’t even think Julia Child could have sliced her way through all this in 15 minutes. More like 45 minutes to an hour. But maybe I’m slow.
Long story short: This recipe is a keeper! And I’ll bet it’s great with shrimp, too!
You’ll get faster every time you make it, promise! I can slice up those vegetables in less than ten minutes. :)
LOL! I wish I had your confidence
YUM! this recipe is great.. Made it last night. The only thing I changed was zesting the lime and adding it + some lime juice to the sour cream. REALLLY TASTY AND SO EASY!!!!!!!!!
So delicious! It’s a keeper for sure. Thank you!!
I make this all the time and add mushrooms. I also whip it up even faster by using package of fajita seasoning and add a bit of cornstarch to thicken up the juices. Sooo yum and so easy!
It’s 100% tastier with twice the chicken. Also, would be easier to mix if you said to put in a mixing bowl first
In the oven now…house smells fantastic!
I really can’t count how many times I have made this recipe in the past almost 3 years now. I love it! I always put the veggies in a seperate tray because I always double the peppers and onions lol. So delicious!
Is this freezable? Wanting to make for a new mom. Don’t want to screw it up!
I don’t think this one freezes as well as some other dishes. The peppers will likely get a bit watery if frozen and reheated.
I have made the recipe many times as we really like it. I typically add alittle more volume to the seasoning however without sugar, and corn starch. Super easy, and leftovers are great the next day!
So good! I use this recipe for my meal planning. I box it up and then reheat in skillet. I put in half a piece of pita bread with some garlic mayo. SOOO GOOD. This recipe is the bomb.
Has anyone used beef fajitas?
I made it with beef and it was delicious! I followed the recipe the same except I baked it at 350 for 30 minutes.
This came out so well! I meal prep for myself and my husband and like to make big batches of whatever I’m cooking, and I was able to make 8 meals worth of fajitas on 2 cookie sheets – easy and delicious! Thank you so much for “road-testing” this for all of us!!
This is so damn good! Thank you. Think I could have every day.