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Easy Chicken Fajita Bowls: Best 20-Minute Dinner Recipe

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These Easy Chicken Fajita Bowls are a quick, smoky, and tangy weeknight dinner ready in under 20 minutes. Made with simple pantry ingredients and cooked in one pan, they deliver restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
  • 3 medium bell peppers (mixed colors), sliced into thin strips
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced into thin half-moons
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 2 cups (400g) cooked rice (white, brown, or cauliflower)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) tomatillo salsa
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt, for serving
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Lime wedges, for serving
  • Optional toppings: shredded cheese, diced avocado, pickled jalapeños, hot sauce

Instructions

  1. Prep everything first: Slice chicken into thin strips (about 1/4 inch thick). Slice bell peppers and onion into similar-sized strips. Mince garlic. Mix spices (chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cayenne) in a small bowl.
  2. If making rice from scratch, start it now. Rinse 1 cup white rice, add to a pot with 1.5 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit covered 5 minutes, then fluff. If using pre-cooked rice, warm it up.
  3. Place sliced chicken in a bowl and add about half the spice mixture. Toss to coat evenly.
  4. Heat a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons avocado oil. Heat until oil is shimmering and just starting to smoke.
  5. Add seasoned chicken to the pan in a single layer (cook in batches if needed). Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then flip. Cook another 1-2 minutes until cooked through and browned. Remove chicken to a plate.
  6. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add sliced peppers and onions. Spread in an even layer and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Stir and cook another 2 minutes until tender-crisp. Add minced garlic in the last 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
  7. Return chicken to the pan. Add remaining spice mixture and tomatillo salsa. Stir and cook 1-2 minutes, scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
  8. Assemble bowls: Divide rice among bowls. Top with chicken and pepper mixture. Add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, sprinkle with cilantro, and squeeze lime juice over each bowl. Add optional toppings as desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

For best results, get the pan very hot before adding chicken. Don’t overcrowd the pan; cook chicken in batches if needed. Slice all ingredients uniformly for even cooking. Toast spices briefly in the pan before adding salsa for extra flavor. Use the salsa to deglaze the pan and incorporate browned bits. Leftovers keep well for up to 4 days; store fajita mixture separately from rice.

Nutrition

Keywords: chicken fajita bowls, easy dinner, 20-minute meal, one-pan, weeknight dinner, fajita recipe, healthy dinner

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