Description
These Skillet Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce are a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring tender, spiced chicken cooked with sautéed peppers and onions. Topped with a luscious, tangy cream cheese and salsa verde sauce blended with pickled jalapeños, this recipe offers a perfect balance of smoky, spicy, and creamy notes. Served warm in soft tortillas and garnished with cotija cheese, lime, and fresh cilantro, these fajitas make an irresistible and colorful meal that comes together quickly on the stovetop.
Ingredients
Scale
Fajita Chicken and Vegetables
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder or Tajín
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons 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 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup salsa verde
- 1–3 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, chopped (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare and Cook Chicken: In a large skillet, combine olive oil, thinly sliced chicken, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss everything well 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, approximately 8-10 minutes. In the last 2 minutes, add the butter, chopped garlic, and chili flakes to the skillet, cooking for an additional minute to infuse flavor before removing the chicken and butter mixture from the pan.
- Sauté Vegetables: Using the same skillet, add the sliced yellow onion and cook for about 5 minutes until fragrant and softened. Add the sliced bell peppers and poblano peppers to the skillet. Season with salt and black pepper, and cook together until the peppers become tender, about 5 more minutes.
- Combine Chicken and Vegetables: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the peppers and onions. Toss everything together to combine and warm through gently, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Make Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce: In a separate small skillet or saucepan over low heat, melt the cream cheese with the salsa verde, whisking continuously until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped pickled jalapeños for a spicy kick, adjusting the amount to your preference.
- Assemble Fajitas and Serve: Warm the tortillas and fill each with a generous portion of the chicken and pepper mixture. Drizzle the creamy jalapeño verde sauce over the filling, then top with crumbled cotija cheese, fresh cilantro leaves, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately and enjoy your hearty, flavorful fajitas!
Notes
- Thinly slicing the chicken ensures quick, even cooking and tender bites.
- Adjust the amount of pickled jalapeños in the sauce to control spice level.
- Using a mix of chicken breast and thighs adds both lean protein and moistness.
- Warm tortillas just before serving to keep them soft and pliable.
- If you prefer, substitute Tajín for chili powder for a tangier, spicier flavor.
- Leftover sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and gently reheated.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Skillet Chicken Fajitas, Jalapeño Verde Sauce, Mexican Fajitas, Creamy Fajita Sauce, Chicken and Peppers, Easy Fajitas Recipe
