Say hello to the best restaurant-style chicken fajitas, but without all the work! This chicken fajita marinade is a simple blend of oil, spices, and lime juice that infuses so much zesty flavor into basic chicken you’ll swear you ordered takeout. Quick and easy enough for a weeknight dinner, and it even can be prepped ahead of time.
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Visual Guide: How to Make Chicken Fajita Marinade
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Robyn’s Testing Notes
Tex-Mex food is always a huge hit in our household, so I created this super easy chicken fajita recipe that’s just as good as restaurant-style fajitas.
And the secret to these easy, outstanding chicken fajitas? A simple marinade!
That’s right, taking just 5 minutes to mix up a homemade marinade and 30 minutes to let the chicken soak up all the juices takes basic chicken to the next level with so little effort on your part.
Not only does the fajita marinade give the chicken a ton of smokey, spicy flavor, but it also tenderizes the chicken (no dry chicken breasts here!).
To keep cooking streamlined, both the marinated and sliced vegetables cook in a cast iron skillet, making it a one-pan meal that’s easy to clean up, however, you could also cook the chicken on the grill.
Just a note on grilling — you’ll marinate and grill the chicken pieces whole and slice when they’re finished cooking instead of slicing before marinating.
Grilled, whole fajita chicken breasts or thighs would also be delicious on their own when served with one of these Tex-Mex side dishes.
And if you can’t get enough of Mexican-inspired chicken marinades, you have to try this taco chicken marinade and cilantro lime chicken marinade next.
Time-Saving Tip
Save even more time by using chicken tenders so you don’t have to slice the chicken breasts or thighs.
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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Avocado Oil: Any neutral oil works here, such as canola or vegetable oil.
Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice is preferred. Fresh lemon juice could be used instead.
Sugar: The small amount of sugar in the marinade does not make the steak sweet, instead it helps tenderize the meat and adds color during the cooking process. If you want to avoid added sugar, you can leave it out.
Smoked Paprika: The smoked paprika adds (you guessed it) some smokey flavor to this fajita chicken dish.
Granulated Garlic: I love the ease and convenience of using granulated garlic powder in this recipe, but you could also use fresh minced garlic in its place if you prefer.
Chili Powder: Adjust the spice level of this dish by using either mild or hot chili powder and/or by increasing or decreasing the amount of chili powder. It can be omitted if you’re sensitive to spice.
Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts work well in this recipe.
Bell Peppers: Any color of bell pepper works here.
Onion: Red or yellow onion work here.
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Your Questions: Answered
How long does the chicken need to marinate?
For this recipe, the chicken only needs to marinate for 30 minutes, but can marinate up to 6 hours. The acid from the lime juice in the marinade can change the texture of the chicken if it marinates too long.
How to prep ahead:
Since you don’t want to marinate the chicken longer than 6 hours, you can get ahead by preparing the marinade and storing in the fridge for up to 4 days in advance.
You can also freeze the chicken in the marinade in a zip top bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to cook, simply take the bag out of the freezer and defrost in the fridge.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the fajita chicken and vegetables with all the toppings!
I love to serve them in tortillas with 4-ingredient guacamole, fresh tomato salsa, sour cream, sliced jalapeños, and any of your favorite fajita toppings.
Fajita chicken is also delicious on top of taco bowls and taco salads or inside burritos and quesadillas.
Using the marinade with other proteins:
Yes! The marinade is excellent with fish and shrimp but marinate those for 30 minutes maximum. If you want to have steak fajitas, try this steak fajita marinade recipe.
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This Recipe Is…
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Simple Chicken Fajita Marinade (6-Ingredients!)
Equipment
Ingredients
For Chicken Fajita Marinade
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or other neutral flavored oil such as canola or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For Chicken Fajitas
- 4 teaspoons avocado oil, or other neutral flavored oil such as canola or vegetable oil
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts (or thighs), sliced into 1-inch thick strips
- 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 4 bell peppers (any color), thinly sliced
Optional Serving Suggestions
- Guacamole
- Fresh Tomato Salsa
- Tortillas, sour cream, jalapeno
Instructions
Make the Chicken Fajita Marinade
- Whisk the lime juice, oil, sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and salt in a small bowl until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add the marinade, chicken, and 1 tablespoon water to a 1-gallon zip-top bag or baking dish. Toss the chicken to coat, then press as much air out of the bag (if using) as possible, or cover with plastic wrap (if using a baking dish). Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 6 hours.
Cook the Chicken
- Preheat a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Set the remaining marinade aside.
- Add 2 teaspoons of avocado oil to the pan, then add the chicken in an even layer. Allow the chicken to cook on one side for 5 minutes or until browned, then flip and cook 2-5 more minutes until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Cook the Fajita Veggies
- To the same pan, add 2 teaspoons of oil, along with the veggies. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and begin to char, stirring frequently.
- Add the remaining marinade to the veggies, along with the cooked chicken and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat.
- Serve immediately with toppings of your choice.
Notes
Nutrition
The post Simple Chicken Fajita Marinade (6-Ingredients) appeared first on Real Food Whole Life.