Description
Skillet Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce is a vibrant and flavorful Tex-Mex-inspired dish featuring tender, spiced chicken sautéed with colorful bell peppers, onions, and poblano peppers, served with warm tortillas and a zesty, creamy jalapeño verde sauce. This quick and easy skillet recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner that will impress with bold spices and fresh toppings like cotija cheese, lime, and cilantro.
Ingredients
Units
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Chicken and Vegetables
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 lb boneless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp chili powder or tajin
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- Chili flakes, to taste
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 1 poblano pepper, sliced
- 8-10 tortillas, warmed
- Cotija cheese, for serving
- Limes, for serving
- Cilantro, for serving
Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce
- 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup salsa verde
- 1-3 tbsp pickled jalapeños, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare and cook the chicken: In a large skillet, combine the olive oil, thinly sliced chicken, smoked paprika, chili powder (or tajin), cumin, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss everything to coat the chicken evenly with the spices. Place the skillet over high heat and cook the chicken until it is seared on all sides and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. During the last 2 minutes, add the salted butter, chopped garlic, and chili flakes to the skillet, cooking for an additional 1 minute to infuse flavor. Remove the chicken mixture from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: Using the same skillet, add the sliced yellow onions and cook over medium-high heat until they become fragrant and start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced bell peppers and poblano pepper to the skillet. Season the vegetables with salt and black pepper and cook until they are tender and slightly caramelized, approximately 5 more minutes.
- Combine chicken with vegetables: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the softened peppers and onions. Toss everything together to combine and warm through, melding the flavors.
- Make the creamy jalapeño verde sauce: In a small skillet, melt the cream cheese and salsa verde together over very low heat, whisking constantly to create a smooth and creamy sauce. Once fully combined and warm, remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the chopped pickled jalapeños to add a spicy kick.
- Serve: Warm the tortillas and serve the chicken and peppers mixture on each tortilla. Drizzle with creamy jalapeño verde sauce and garnish with crumbled cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and fresh lime wedges to squeeze over before eating. Enjoy your flavorful skillet chicken fajitas!
Notes
- You can substitute chicken breasts with thighs for a juicier result.
- Adjust the amount of pickled jalapeños in the sauce to control the heat level.
- For a dairy-free version, swap the cream cheese with a vegan cream cheese alternative and omit the cotija cheese.
- Tortillas can be warmed in a dry skillet or wrapped in foil and heated in the oven.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 2 fajitas)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
