Baked Chicken Fajitas

Baked Chicken Fajitas are quick to throw together and require minimal effort. There's no need to slave by the hob, just pop them in the oven and let it do the hard work for you. Colourful. Tasty. Easy.

Reasons to Love This Dish

• CAN BE PREPPED IN ADVANCE
  Dinner time is usually a busy/crazy time as a parent. You might be trying to do things one-handed, as you juggle hungry toddlers/babies, or you may be rushing in from work/after-school sports. Regardless of the reason, you want dinner to be easy.
  The beauty of this meal is that you can prep it in the morning or even the night before. Then all that’s left to do is pop everything on a sheet pan and bake. 
  Bonus - allowing the chicken and veg to sit in the marinade will really enhance the flavours.
  
• FAMILY-FRIENDLY
  This is a great meal to serve with a range of toppings. Usually, there is something on the table that every family member will like, making mealtime more enjoyable and stress-free.
  
• HOMEMADE SEASONING
  You can of course use a packet of seasoning but making your own is super easy and gives you control over what goes in it. Often packet seasonings are high in salt and sugar, which should be avoided if serving to a baby/toddler.
  
• CUSTOMIZABLE
  Onion and bell pepper are classic fajita vegetables. However, if you wish, you can switch them out with mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini, broccoli etc. If you choose to use root vegetables you will need to chop small and adjust the cooking time. 
  Spices can also be adjusted to suit taste and salt can be skipped if cooking for a young child.
  

Watch How to Make It

Ingredient Information

• Chicken Breast - Can be replaced with boneless chicken thighs.
• Bell Peppers (Capsicum) - Use whichever colours you like but adding a variety means your dish is lovely and colourful. Red, orange and yellow peppers are all sweeter than green, which are less ripe.
• Onion- Use red, brown or white.
• Spices - It is really easy to make your own fajita seasoning and the spices can be adjusted to suit your taste. Smoked paprika has always been a favourite spice for both my children and provides a lovely smoky flavour. If replaced with paprika the flavour profile will be very different.
• Olive Oil - Used to coat the chicken and allow the spices to stick. You can replace it with oil of choice
• Lime - Squeeze on the chicken to enhance flavour. Skip if you wish.
• Tortillas - Flour or corn

Process Shots and Cooking Tips

1. CUTTING THE CHICKEN - Slice the chicken breast into slices around 1.5 cm (½ inch) thick. Then take each slice and halve or third (depending on the thickness of the breast) lengthwise into longer, thinner strips.
   
2. SPICE MIX - This is just a case of adding all the spices to a bowl and mixing until combined.
   
3. AVOID OVERCROWDING - It is very important that you give the chicken and vegetables space on your sheet pan (baking tray). Overcrowding will result in the food steaming and you won’t get that nice caramelisation that dry heat gives. Use the largest sheet pan you can for this recipe, or split it into two smaller pans. For this recipe, I used a pan 33cmx45cm (13x18inch), which allowed me to space out the food in one layer.
   
4. COAT WELL - Pour the oil over the chicken and vegetables and then sprinkle with the spice mix. Use your hands to ensure the food is coated well in the spices and then spread it out in one layer. 

Serving Suggestions

I love to serve baked chicken fajitas "family style", allowing each family member to assemble their own perfect fajita combination. Serve with flour tortillas and a selection of the below condiments/toppings...

• Guacamole or sliced avocado
• Sour cream or yogurt
• Salsa or chopped tomatoes
• Corn
• Lime Wedges
• Shredded Cheese (because kids love cheese!)
• Jalapenos

Storage and Reheating Instructions

If you have leftover baked chicken fajitas (we rarely do), store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two days. 

Best reheated on the stovetop. Heat until piping hot throughout. You can use the microwave but I find that the peppers (capsicum) become overly soft and the chicken texture is less desirable

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• Chicken and Chorizo Tray Bake
• Chicken Tikka Kebabs
• Chicken Pasta Bake

*First published April 2014, the post has been updated to include a video, process shots and an updated recipe.