With tender, fajita-seasoned chicken plus fresh veggies and toppings, this Chicken Fajita Bowl delivers! I love this fresh, healthy, and vibrant spin on chicken fajitas, and this one’s perfect for meal prep, too.
If you like the Frontera fajita chicken bowl, you’ll love this homemade version that’s similar – but in my opinion, even better!
I can’t get over all the fresh, delicious flavors in this Chicken Fajita Bowl. We start with tender chicken that’s marinated in fajita seasoning and lime juice and seared until golden and perfect. The chicken is placed on tender rice along with pinto beans, fresh sautéed bell peppers, and onions. Then it’s all topped with cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, and a perfectly creamy cilantro ranch dressing. Yum!
I can’t decide if I love this chicken fajita rice bowl more for lunch or for dinner. Either way, I’m a huge fan of prepping everything in advance. Then it’s just a matter of assembling the bowls and my healthy meal is ready to be devoured!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Customizable – Whether you have a guacamole hater in the house or someone who really loves cheese, no problem! Leave off the toppings that people aren’t into and load on the toppings they love. I love how customizable this fajita bowl recipe is!
- Vibrant and healthy – With protein from the chicken, beans, and cheese plus loads of fiber and nutrients from the veggies and other ingredients, this chicken fajita rice bowl is not only delicious, but a healthy choice, too.
- Meal prep friendly – Every element in this chicken fajita bowl? Meal-prep perfect. Just prepare and store separately in the fridge.
- Easy to make – Cook the rice, sear the veggies, cook the chicken, make the dressing, and assemble your bowls! This fajita bowl recipe comes together fast and easy.
Recipe Notes
This Chicken Fajita Bowl recipe is as simple as promised! Less than 20 minutes for a family friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make this Chicken Fajita Bowl to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
For the chicken fajitas:
- Chicken breast – You’ll want 1 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut thin.
- Fajita seasoning – You can grab this at the store or make homemade fajita seasoning (it’s easy!)
- Vegetable oil – For the chicken marinade and for sautéing the veggies and chicken. You can use another neutral oil if you prefer, such as avocado oil.
- Lime – Adds bright and zesty flavor to the chicken.
- Bell peppers – You’ll need one green bell pepper and one red, cut into strips.
- Onion – I like to use sweet yellow onions for this fajita bowl recipe, but you can use white or red onion if that’s what you have on hand.
For the bowls:
- Rice – Plain long-grain white rice is perfect for this fajita bowl.
- Pinto beans – I love to use homemade pinto beans, but in a pinch, canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed, work well too.
- Mexican blend cheese – Generally a mix of Monterey Jack and cheddar quick-melting asadero and queso quesadilla cheeses, pre-shredded Mexican cheese blend is perfect for this chicken fajita bowl.
- Pico de gallo – You can find prepared pico de gallo in the deli section at most grocery stores, or you can make your own pico de gallo.
- Guacamole – Prepared guacamole can be found at the store, or you can make your own guacamole.
- Cilantro – Fresh cilantro adds bright flavor to your fajita bowl. But if you’re not a cilantro fan, you can leave it off.
- Lime – I like to top my fajita bowls with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.
For the cilantro ranch dressing:
- Mayonnaise – Any brand of mayo will work, so whatever you have is just fine.
- Ranch seasoning – You can buy packets at the store or make your own homemade Ranch seasoning (which is so handy to have in the cupboard!)
- Sour cream – Adds a rich, creamy touch.
- Buttermilk – Adds tangy flavor.
- Salsa verde – You can find already-prepared salsa verde in the Mexican/Hispanic food section at the grocery store.
- Cilantro – More fresh cilantro adds signature Tex-Mex flavor.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Cilantro Lime Chicken Bowl– Replace the rice with cilantro lime rice for an extra boost of cilantro and lime.
- Spicy Chicken Fajita Bowl– Add 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and a hefty pinch of cayenne pepper to the chicken marinade. Top the bowls with spicy pickled jalapeños.
- Veggie Fajita Bowl– For a meatless version, swap the chicken with two or three thinly sliced portobello mushroom caps.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make a Chicken Fajita Bowl.
Combine the chicken with the fajita seasoning plus some of the lime juice and oil. Let marinate while prepping everything else.
Place the skillet over high heat and add the oil. Add onions, green bell pepper strips, and red bell pepper strips.
Sauté the peppers and onions, stirring occasionally, until tender. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Place the chicken in the hot skillet and cook without turning until golden. Flip, replace the lid, and cook until done.
Place a scoop of rice in the bottom of each bowl. Add beans, then peppers onions, and sliced chicken.
Top with cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, cilantro, and lime. Drizzle with cilantro ranch.
Recipe Tips
- Use thin pieces of chicken – Pound out your chicken breasts or cut them in half horizontally so that you’re working with nice thin pieces of meat. This will help it cook quickly, for the moist and tender bites of chicken.
- Heat the skillet before adding the oil – This helps the oil heat up faster, which in turn helps prevent the ingredients from sticking to the surface of the skillet.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Prep ahead – Cook the rice ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days before assembling your fajita bowl. You can also prep and reheat many of the other elements of this chicken fajita bowl recipe, too.
- Buy pre-chopped veggies – You can often find onions and bell peppers pre-chopped, washed, and ready to go to save yourself some chopping time.
- Use quick-cooking rice – Instead of long-grain rice, start with quick-cooking rice like Minute rice to shave off a few minutes cooking time. You can also sometimes find pre-cooked rice at the grocery store. All you need to do is warm it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this Chicken Fajita Bowl recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.
How to Freeze This Chicken Fajita Bowl After Cooking
- Place the cooked rice, chicken, and veggies into separate airtight containers or freezer bags. Label.
- Transfer to the freeze and keep for up to 6 months.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat in the microwave or in the oven. Assemble with the fresh ingredients and serve.
What to Serve with Chicken Fajita Bowls
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of Mexican cuisine, it will pair well with many of your favorite Mexican-inspired side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
Chicken Fajita Bowl Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Chicken Fajitas– The chicken and veggies are already fajita themed, so why not repurpose the leftovers into fajitas? Just warm the meat, onions, and peppers along with some small corn or flour tortillas. Pile the filling into the tortillas and top with leftover cilantro ranch and pico de gallo.
- Chicken Fajita Quesadilla– Pile leftover chicken and veggies into large flour tortillas and top generously with cheddar or Mexican blend cheese. Top with a second tortilla and place in a hot oiled skillet. Cook on both sides until golden and melted through.
- Chicken Fajita Salad– Top crisp greens with leftover chicken, pico de gallo, and guacamole. Drizzle ranch over the top and sprinkle on a few pepitas for crunch.
Recipe FAQ’s
What’s the difference between a fajita bowl and a burrito bowl?
The two concepts are very similar, but fajita bowls are more about the seared chicken and veggies that are flavored with fajita seasoning.
How do you pronounce “fajita?”
Fajita is typically pronounced “fuh-HEE-tah.”
Are fajitas Mexican cuisine?
No, fajitas are generally thought to have first been created in Texas. But they are heavily influenced by Mexican cuisine and are considered a Tex-Mex food.
More EASY Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Salsa Fresca Chicken
- Southwest Chicken Bowls
- BBQ Chicken Tostadas
- BBQ Chicken Nachos
- Mexican Chicken & Rice Bake
Chicken Fajita Bowls
Ingredients
For the Chicken Fajitas
- 1½ pounds chicken breast, (thin or cut in half horizontally to be thin)
- 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 sweet yellow onion, sliced
For the Bowls
- 1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
- 2 cups pinto beans, (see note)
- ½ cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- ½ cup pico de gallo
- ¼ cup guacamole
- 8 sprigs cilantro
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Cilantro Ranch Dressing
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoons ranch seasoning
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons salsa verde, (prepared)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare the rice per package directions.
To make the cilantro ranch dressing
- In a blender or food processor, add all ingredients for the cilantro ranch including, mayo, ranch seasoning, sour cream, buttermilk, salsa verde and cilantro.
- Blend until smooth. Then refrigerate until ready to use.
To make the chicken fajitas
- Combine the chicken with the fajita seasoning, half of the lime juice and 1 tbsp of the oil, and place in a zip top bag or container to marinate while finishing prep.
- Cut the peppers and onions into thin strips.
- Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil over high heat in a large skillet. Once hot, carefully place the peppers and onions in the skillet, cooking for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the peppers and set aside.
- Then place the chicken in a single layer in the hot skillet. Let cook (without stirring) for 2-3 minutes. Then flip the meat to the other side and cook for 1 minute. Then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 3-5 additional minutes or until cooked through (165˚F internal temperature)Remove from skillet and slice into thin slices.
- Squeeze remaining lime over vegetables and cooked chicken.
To assemble the bowls
- Place ¼ of the rice in the base of each bowl. Place beans on top of the rice, then add peppers, onions, and chicken fajita meat on top of the rice and beans.
- Top the bowl off with your choice of cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, cilantro and lime.
- Drizzle cilantro ranch over the top of the bowl.
Recipe Notes
- Makes 4 large meal-sized bowls.
- I used my Crockpot Borracho Beans for this recipe, but you can also use canned pinto beans that have been drained and rinsed.
- Mexican blend cheese: Feel free to swap in cheddar, pepper jack, or another favorite shredded cheese.
- Pico de gallo: Jarred salsa makes a great substitute if you don’t have any pico de gallo on hand.
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