Busy weeknight but you still need to get good food on the table fast? These Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are perfect!
Between college tours and high school activities for my oldest, and a challenging competition cheer schedule for my youngest, and, well, just general life thrown in for good measure, our weeknights are CRAZY, and we usually don’t all sit down for a meal together until the weekend … and then I have to compete with their busy social calendar.
But that doesn’t mean I’m not cooking. I’ve been trying to prep a few meals and grab-and-go type things on the weekends, so when we’re all flying by each other during the week, the fridge is stocked with good food that we can quickly warm up and devour, and this recipe for Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas is one of them.
When Nick first tasted this recipe, his response was, “If you made chicken like this all the time, there would be no issues.”
TEENAGERS. Gotta love them.
He happens to LOVE Mexican and Spanish food, so I knew this one would score big with him. I love this recipe because of how simple it is and how forgiving it is. Mix the chicken with olive oil and spices, add sliced vegetables, and bake. Serve with a variety of toppings and add-ins, and you’ve got dinner. I usually serve it with tortillas to eat fajita-style, but you could also put the meal in between two tortillas and pan fry it as a quesadilla. Or after the chicken and vegetables have been cooked, wrap them up burrito style, put in a baking dish and add enchilada sauce and cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes. If you’re avoiding carbs, put the meat and vegetables on top of a bowl of lettuce. You are seriously only limited by your imagination and you just can’t screw this one up.
Just like a taco bar, the fun is in all the extra toppings. Add some extra ones and you’ve got the perfect party food – something super simple and a sure crowd pleaser.
Now, for the toppings … I like sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and cheese. ALL THE CHEESE PLEASE. Sometimes I’ll mix the sour cream in with salsa, to change it up, or sour cream with guacamole for an avocado crema.
And the cheese … of course, I used Cabot. But which one? I literally use them all, depends on my mood or who is coming. I like mixing sharp and mild together. But the Monterey Jack is perfect when you want something a bit milder and creamier. But the most important part? Hand grate your cheese! Don’t buy pre-shredded cheese. It takes only a few minutes to grate up what you need and it tastes SO MUCH BETTER.
It’s honestly such a challenge finding meals that all three of us like, that can be made easily when time is short, and that are still healthy and delicious – which means I’ll be making this one every other day until my kids get sick of it. Haha!
Enjoy!
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Recipe courtesy of Cate O’Malley
Ingredients
2-1/4 lb chicken breast, sliced into thin strips
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into strips
2 onions, sliced into thin rings/pieces
4 tsp of your favorite Southwest seasoning
3 T of olive oil
fresh lime juice
Optional toppings: sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheese, salsa
Directions
Preheat your oven to 425. Put all the ingredients in a single layer on your sheet pan and bake for approximately thirty minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the peppers and onions are soft. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top before serving. Serve with tortillas and toppings
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