Save to Pinterest The first time I made sheet pan fajitas was on a Tuesday night when I had zero energy but still wanted something that felt like a real meal. My apartment filled with that incredible smell of roasted peppers and spices, and I remember thinking how something this easy shouldn't taste this good.
I served these to my brother who claimed he didn't like fajitas because they were too much work. He watched me dump everything on the sheet pan, and twenty five minutes later he was building his third taco with that look of total conversion on his face.
Ingredients
- Boneless chicken breasts or thighs (600g): Thighs stay juicier but breasts work great if that is what you have on hand
- Red yellow and green bell peppers: The mix looks beautiful and each pepper brings a slightly different sweetness to the final dish
- Large red onion: Red onion gets sweeter as it roasts and adds that classic fajita flavor profile
- Olive oil (3 tbsp): Helps the spices stick and creates those gorgeous roasted edges we are after
- Chili powder cumin and smoked paprika: This trio is the backbone of the fajita flavor and the smoked paprika is non negotiable for depth
- Garlic and onion powder: Double down on the savory notes without burning like fresh garlic would in high heat roasting
- Dried oregano: Adds an earthy herbal note that balances the heat from the spices
- Fresh lime juice: Cuts through the richness and brightens everything up right before roasting
Instructions
- Heat things up:
- Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment or foil because you will thank yourself later
- Whisk the magic:
- In a large bowl combine the olive oil chili powder cumin paprika garlic powder onion powder oregano cayenne salt pepper and lime juice until smooth
- Get your hands involved:
- Add the chicken strips and all the sliced vegetables to the bowl and toss with your hands until every piece is coated in that spiced oil
- Spread it out:
- Arrange everything in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet giving the ingredients room to roast instead of steam
- Let the oven do the work:
- Roast for 22 to 25 minutes pulling the pan out halfway through to give everything a stir and rotate it for even browning
- The finishing touches:
- Serve immediately with warm tortillas and let everyone build their own with cilantro lime wedges sour cream salsa or guacamole
Save to Pinterest These fajitas have become my go to for feeding a crowd because people get excited about building their own and I get excited about not spending hours at the stove. There is something so satisfying about pulling a sizzling colorful pan from the oven and watching everyone dig in.
Make It Your Own
Swap the chicken for beef strips shrimp or even firm tofu depending on what you are in the mood for. The cooking time stays roughly the same for beef but shrimp only needs about 12 to 15 minutes so watch closely.
Serving Ideas Beyond Tortillas
Serve over cauliflower rice or lettuce wraps for a lighter version that still hits all the same flavor notes. I have even served these over rice bowls with fried eggs on top for breakfast the next morning.
Meal Prep Magic
These reheat beautifully and actually taste better the next day as the spices continue to develop. Portion everything into containers and reheat with a splash of water to refresh the vegetables.
- Keep toppings separate so nothing gets soggy
- Warm tortillas in a dry pan for 30 seconds per side to bring them back to life
- Squeeze fresh lime over leftovers to wake up the flavors
Save to Pinterest Hope these sheet pan fajitas become a weeknight staple in your kitchen the way they have in mine because good food should not require hours of cleanup.