Restaurant Style Chicken Fajitas
Restaurant Style Chicken Fajitas with a homemade spice blend, sizzling chicken strips and crisp peppers cooked at high heat, finished with a glossy chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce that coats everything. On the table in 30 minutes.
Servings: 6
Calories: 294kcal
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast cut into small strips
- 3 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 large bell peppers sliced
- 1 large onion sliced
- 4 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2½ teaspoons salt
- 2½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 2½ teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¾ cup chicken broth low sodium
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine 2 pounds chicken strips, 3 tablespoons lime juice, and 3 tablespoons avocado oil. Toss well to coat.
- Add 4 teaspoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2½ teaspoons salt, 2½ teaspoons garlic powder, 2½ teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1½ teaspoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and ¼ teaspoon ground coriander. Toss the chicken until evenly coated.
- Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until mostly cooked through and lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add 2 sliced bell peppers and 1 sliced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ¾ cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce until smooth.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, pour in the broth mixture, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the chicken and vegetables.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately with warm tortillas.
Notes
- High heat: Non negotiable. A properly hot pan is what gives you color and char. Medium heat gives you grey chicken in its own steam and that is not restaurant style anything.
- Cook chicken in batches: If your pan is not large enough do 2 batches. Crowding drops the temperature and you end up steaming instead of searing.
- Freshly squeezed lime juice: Bottled lime juice is not the same here. Fresh makes a noticeable difference in the brightness of the final dish.
- Avocado oil: High smoke point, perfect for high heat cooking. Vegetable or canola oil also work. Olive oil will smoke at the heat you need here.
- Whisk the sauce right before pouring: Cornstarch settles to the bottom quickly. Give it a quick stir right before it goes in the pan.
- Keep the peppers slightly crisp: 3 to 4 minutes is enough. They should still have some texture and bite, not be fully soft.
- Cayenne: Optional but recommended. It adds background heat that makes these feel more authentic without being aggressively spicy.
- Marinating time: You can cook immediately or let the chicken sit for up to 30 minutes. Beyond 4 hours in the fridge the lime juice starts to break down the texture of the chicken.
- Chicken thighs: Work even better than breasts here. More flavor, more forgiving at high heat. Same cooking time.
- Serve immediately: Fajitas sitting in sauce get soggy fast. Have your tortillas warm and your toppings ready before you start cooking.
- Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot skillet rather than the microwave to preserve the texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 1486mg | Potassium: 829mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2239IU | Vitamin C: 77mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg
