Easy Sheet Pan Fajita Recipe (2024)

Here at Our Best bites we specialize in practical, delicious ideas to help you get dinner on the table for your families. We share a LOT of different types of recipes and content around here, but we know you especially love family friendly dinners so I have a REALLY good one for you today. These Sheet Pan Fajitas are ridiculously easy to make. With just a few minutes prep time, you can pop them in the oven and have just enough time to set the table and gather all the fixings, and then they’re ready! Dinner in under 30 minutes. Thousands of you have made these and loved these and ranked them as our top recipe of the year!

Looking for more fantastic meal ideas? Sign up for our weekly newsletter!

Easy Sheet Pan Fajita Recipe (1)

Types of Fajita Recipes

We’ve got a couple other fajita recipes here on Our Best Bites, and they all have their place. For the grill, you cannot beat our Classic Fajita recipe. It requires a long marinade and its tangy, smoky flavor profile is beloved by readers around the world as one of our all-time most popular recipes! For those times where you need to just dump everything in a slow cooker, we have my easySlow Cooker Steak Fajitas. Super tender steak and so easy and delicious. Set it and forget it.

These days the recipe I tend to make the most are these Sheet Pan Fajitas. You cannot beat the convenience of a one-pan meal and a simple yet flavorful dry rub gives these fajitas out0-of-this-world flavor without drowning everything on a pan like a marinade would.

Making the Dry Rub

I’m using seasonings that most of you probably have in your pantries already: Kosher salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, and if you have any- True Lime. I buy this crystallized fresh lime in a large shaker bottle on Amazon and use it on evvvverything. If you don’t have it, no worries. We’ll give these a squeeze of fresh lime.

As I mentioned before, we’re using all dry seasonings because there’s plenty of moisture in the chicken and vegetables and we want these to caramelize and roast (not simmer!)

Easy Sheet Pan Fajita Recipe (2)

Chicken Choice

You can certainly try this recipe with boneless skinless chicken breast, but I prefer thighs for some very specific reasons. Aside from the fact that chicken thighs are so much more flavorful in a recipe like this, they are also much easier to cook. Chicken breasts need to be cooked to a certain temperature and as soon as they pass that, they’re suddenly dry and chewy. It’s hard to mess up chicken thighs. You can overcook them and they’re still juicy and tender. On a sheet pan meal, you’re cooking several different things on the same pan and it’s really nice to have some flexibility in case everything isn’t done at the exact same time. Did I mention they taste so much better in this recipe? Buy boneless skinless ones and then use a sharp pair of clean scissors or kitchen shears to trim excess fat if you like.

Add the Seasoning Mix

I slice up my chicken and vegetables and then use plastic gloves so I can just toss everything together with my hands! Drizzle with a few tablespoons oil (our Lime Olive Oil is my personal favorite, here) and that seasoning mix. I use an extra large sheet pan (I get them here, they’re fantastic and so useful. I pretty much use this size for everything!) and this just gets tossed in the oven.

Easy Sheet Pan Fajita Recipe (3)

Cook the Sheet Pan Fajitas

If your oven has a convection setting, use it. Convection will circulate hot air and help get everything kind of toasty brown like a grill would. If not, you can always broil quickly at the end if you like.

Easy Sheet Pan Fajita Recipe (4)

I toss on a handful of chopped cilantro at the end and a big squeeze of fresh lime juice. These are DIVINE.

Easy Sheet Pan Fajita Recipe (5)

Now you can obviously serve these traditionally in tortillas with all the fixings.

Easy Sheet Pan Fajita Recipe (6)

But some other ways we love eating these, depending on nutrition preferences, are:

-Over shredded iceberg or mixed greens
-Over a bed of cauliflower rice
-In a bowl of rice and beans (use the quick steam rice bags and canned beans for a fast meal!)
-Simply in a bowl with avocado and sour cream

Any way you do it, I think you’ll love this one! Let me know what you think!

Print

Easy Sheet Pan Fajita Recipe (7)

Sheet Pan Fajitas

  • Author: Sara Wells
Print Recipe

Description

Quick and easy sheet pan dinner featuring juicy flavorful chicken with roasted bell peppers and onions. Perfect week night meal! Served my family of 6 just perfectly.

Ingredients

1.52 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and sliced (see note)
1 large onion, sliced
2 large bell peppers (or 3 small/med ones), sliced
34 tablespoons olive oil (or other oil of your choice) I prefer ourLime Olive Oil
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
23 teaspoons True Lime, optional
handful of cilantro

1 lime
optional for serving: sour cream, guacamole/avocado, tortillas, rice and beans, etc.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Have a large sheet pan ready (cover with foil or parchment for easy clean-up).

Place sliced chicken, onions, and peppers in an extra large mixing bowl. Drizzle on oil and all seasonings. Toss to coat. (Tip: I keep Nitrile gloves in my kitchen and use them for things like this- tossing with your hands is much easier!)

Spread chicken and pepper mixture out evenly on baking sheet and place in oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes (closer to 20 with convection) until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. If desired, place under broiler for a quick minute to brown.

Remove from oven and if desired, sprinkle cilantro over everything and give it a big squeeze of fresh lime juice (you might not need fresh lime if you used True Lime, but I say never enough lime.)

Serve with tortillas and traditional fixings, or over a bed of salad or veggies or rice and beans, etc.

Notes

I like using extra large sheet pans for most of my cooking, and they’re the perfect size for this recipe. If you are using a standard sheet pan, you will have to let me know if it all fits- if you’re worried there’s too much, just split between 2 pans and pop both in the oven!

*I use a full 2lbs and it’s generously seasoned.

Easy Sheet Pan Fajita Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can I substitute taco seasoning for fajita seasoning? ›

Fajita seasoning and taco seasoning are very similar, but they are not the same. Taco seasoning typically has more oregano and chili powder than fajita seasoning. With that being said, however, you can use fajita seasoning and taco seasoning interchangeably in recipes, it may just warrant a slightly different flavor.

What kind of onions are best for fajitas? ›

There's no one-size-fits-all answer to choosing the right onion for your fajitas. You can go for the traditional white or yellow onions, offering a more savory option, or experiment with sweet onions like Vidalia or Walla Walla to add a subtle sweetness to your dish.

How do you make fajitas not soggy? ›

Cook the vegetables and chicken separately, then together.

This recipe promises to be a one-pan dinner, but to ensure that the chicken's juices don't steam the vegetables — making them soggy — cook the vegetables first.

How many pounds of fajita meat do you need for 10 people? ›

How much chicken do I need for fajitas for 10 people? I would start at 1/4lb (4 oz.). Experts will vary but would be in that range.

What can I use if I don't have enough taco seasoning? ›

Packet Taco Seasoning replacement: if you only want to make enough taco seasoning to replace 1 packet, use the following amounts:
  1. 1 tablespoon chili powder.
  2. ¼ teaspoon garlic powder.
  3. ¼ teaspoon onion powder.
  4. Pinch of cayenne pepper.
  5. ¼ teaspoon dried oregano.
  6. ½ teaspoon paprika.
  7. 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin.
  8. 1 teaspoon salt.
Mar 16, 2021

What is the difference between fajitas seasoning and taco seasoning? ›

While they use many similar ingredients, taco seasoning has more chili powder and oregano than fajita seasoning. Compare our recipes and you'll see this fajita seasoning is more cumin heavy, whereas taco seasoning is more chili powder heavy. That makes the taco seasoning a bit spicier, too.

What cut of meat do Mexican restaurants use for fajitas? ›

The question of “what is a fajita” would usually be referred to as sliced skirt steak, the cut of beef first used in the dish. In restaurants, the meat is usually cooked with onions and bell peppers and toppings that are served on the side.

What is the best meat to use for fajitas? ›

Flank steak, rump steak, or skirt steak are the best kinds of beef for fajitas. I chose to use flank steak because it does well with marinades and is typically a low-cost option. Beef Fajitas Seasoning.

Can I use mayo instead of sour cream in fajitas? ›

You can vary the fillings as you please. Chopped tomatoes with coriander (cilantro) and chopped spring onions (scallions) work well. Instead of sour cream, you could use mayonnaise.

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

It is important to cut flank steak thin and against the grain when cooking it for fajitas. How do you cook fajita meat so it's not tough? It's important to both marinate the meat and cut the meat against the grain thinly. Both of these together will keep the meat from being too tough.

Do you cut chicken before or after cooking for fajitas? ›

You need to slice the chicken before you cook it for fajitas. This ensures a quick cooking time and tender bite-sized pieces for every tortilla.

How to keep fajitas warm for a party? ›

Wrap flour tortillas with foil and set aside. Get condiments ready. 4. Party time: One hour before serving place Pyrex dish with chicken (still covered tightly) in 325 degree oven for 45 minutes then put the foil wrapped flour tortillas in the over as well to warm through…about 15 minutes.

What is in Old El Paso fajita seasoning? ›

Ingredients: Corn Starch, Salt, Sugar, Sea Salt (potassium magnesium chloride, salt), Spice, Chili Pepper.

What is the same as taco seasoning? ›

Taco Seasoning and Mexican seasoning are basically the same.

Can I use taco seasoning if I don't have chili seasoning? ›

If your recipe calls for chili powder, taco seasoning might be a sufficient stand-in for some Mexican-American dishes like ground beef for burritos or nachos. Taco seasoning might not be the best for chili soup or other dishes that don't lean more towards the classic American "taco" flavors.

Can you use taco seasoning as a rub? ›

But don't forget that it can also be used a million other ways as well! I'm especially partial to using taco seasoning to flavor Mexican rice or a side of black beans. It works great as a rub for steak, chicken, fish or shrimp, especially during summertime grilling season.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Duane Harber

Last Updated:

Views: 6522

Rating: 4 / 5 (71 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Duane Harber

Birthday: 1999-10-17

Address: Apt. 404 9899 Magnolia Roads, Port Royceville, ID 78186

Phone: +186911129794335

Job: Human Hospitality Planner

Hobby: Listening to music, Orienteering, Knapping, Dance, Mountain biking, Fishing, Pottery

Introduction: My name is Duane Harber, I am a modern, clever, handsome, fair, agreeable, inexpensive, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.