Name: best fajita recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 1.5 lb (680 g) Skirt Steak or Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, sliced thinly against the grain; 2 large (350 g) Bell Peppers (red and yellow), sliced into strips; 1 large (200 g) White Onion, sliced thinly; 2 tbsp (30 ml) Vegetable Oil, for cooking; 8-12 Flour Tortillas (8-inch); 4 oz (120 g) Queso Fresco, crumbled; Smoky Orange-Chipotle Marinade: 0.25 cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice; 1 tbsp (15 ml) orange zest; 1 tbsp (15 ml) smoked paprika; 1.5 tsp (7.5 ml) ground chipotle powder; 1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin; 1 tsp (5 ml) garlic powder; 0.5 tsp (2.5 ml) dried oregano; 0.5 tsp (2.5 ml) onion powder; 0.5 tsp (2.5 ml) fine sea salt; 0.25 tsp (1.25 ml) black pepper; 1 tsp (5 ml) maple syrup (optional)

Description

A restaurant-quality fajita recipe featuring a smoky orange glaze that caramelizes on the meat and vegetables when cooked in a hot cast-iron skillet.

Ingredients

Scale

1.5 lb (680 g) Skirt Steak or Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, sliced thinly against the grain
2 large (350 g) Bell Peppers (red and yellow), sliced into strips
1 large (200 g) White Onion, sliced thinly
2 tbsp (30 ml) Vegetable Oil, for cooking
8–12 Flour Tortillas (8-inch)
4 oz (120 g) Queso Fresco, crumbled
Smoky Orange-Chipotle Marinade:
- 0.25 cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) orange zest
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) smoked paprika
- 1.5 tsp (7.5 ml) ground chipotle powder
- 1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (5 ml) garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp (2.5 ml) dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp (2.5 ml) onion powder
- 0.5 tsp (2.5 ml) fine sea salt
- 0.25 tsp (1.25 ml) black pepper
- 1 tsp (5 ml) maple syrup (optional)

Instructions

Prepare Marinade and Marinate Meat: In a medium bowl, whisk all marinade ingredients together until well combined. Add the thinly sliced skirt steak or chicken to the marinade, ensuring every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. (Optional: toss sliced peppers and onions with 1 tbsp of the marinade).
Sear Vegetables First: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil. Add the sliced bell peppers and onions and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp and charred at the edges. Remove vegetables promptly from the pan and set aside.
Cook Marinated Meat in Batches: Add another 1 tbsp of oil to the hot skillet. Add the marinated meat in a single layer (do not overcrowd). Cook for 2-4 minutes per side for beef, or until chicken is cooked through and nicely caramelized. Repeat in batches as necessary, adding more oil if needed, to achieve a proper sear.
Combine Ingredients and Finish: Return all cooked meat and vegetables to the hot pan. Toss everything together briefly to combine and heat through, allowing the remaining glaze to coat the ingredients. Transfer immediately to a serving platter.
Warm Tortillas and Serve: Warm the tortillas using your preferred method (gas flame, dry skillet, or oven). Sprinkle the crumbled queso fresco generously over the sizzling hot fajitas immediately before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges if desired.

Notes

To achieve a tender bite, slice the meat against the grain. Avoid overcrowding the skillet to prevent steaming; work in batches to ensure a proper sear and caramelization. If queso fresco is unavailable, cotija cheese can be used as a substitute, though it is saltier.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 fajita (340 g)
Calories: 580 calories
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 600 mg
Fat: 10 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 33 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 55 g
Cholesterol: 50 mg

Keywords: fajitas, steak, chicken, skillet, easy weeknight meal, Tex-Mex, smoky orange glaze, queso fresco, American cuisine, single skillet