There are many ways to prepare fajitas; grilled, pan seared, slow cooked, grilled with charcoal etc. However some of these methods need constant and undivided attention or hours to cook if you are using a slow cooker. Honestly, my favorite method is grilling but sometimes I need to put dinner on the table without me standing on the stove and paying attention to it. So I’ve discovered the right temperature in the oven to make it and to have it ready in 20 minutes.
This recipe is all about time and efficiency. I played with the seasonings to make sure the fajitas come out full of flavor.
Method
The method for this fajitas is straightforward. Simply place the marinated ingredients on a sheet pan at 425 F for 20. minutes. Is that simple!! You cut the chicken into smaller pieces so that it cooks faster. You could use this same method to make other sheet pan dinner combinations knowing you will have it ready in 20 minutes with no babysitting. When doing sheet pan dinners, make sure your ingredients have similar cooking times. In this case, bell peppers and onions cook perfectly in 20 minutes along with the chicken.
Tips
- Marinate the chicken and the bell peppers a day before to make things faster the next day.
- Use boneless chicken thighs to keep the chicken moist. Chicken breasts also work but they tend to dry out specially in the oven.
- Cutting the chicken into 2 inch long pieces helps to reduce the time it takes to be thoroughly cooked.
- I use ground chipotle powder, which can be a little spicy but full of flavor. If you don’t have chipotle powder, you can just use ground chili powder.
Serve in a taco with my delicious roasted salsa verde
Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 red onion
2 bell peppers (any combination)
1 lb of chicken breast or boneless skinless thighs
Marinade:
2 tsp of ground coriander
2 tsp of chili powder or ground chipotle powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp lime juice or he juice of two limes
3 Tbsp sunflower oil or olive oil
Procedure
- Preheat your oven at 425 °F.
- Prepare the marinade: In a small bowl mix all the dry spices, the cilantro, lime juice and the oil.
- Cut the chicken breast or tights into 2 inch long pieces and julienne the bell peppers and onions.
- In a large bowl combine the marinade with the chicken and bell peppers. Make sure everything is evenly coated with the seasonings.
- Arrange the vegetables and chicken on a rimmed baking sheet. Make sure to evenly distribute the fajitas on the sheet pan.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
