Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas from the Oven Recipe
This is a homemade version of the popular US “sheet pan fajitas” – everything bakes on one tray: strips of chicken, colorful bell peppers, and onion. The flavors are inspired by Tex-Mex cuisine, but the preparation is incredibly simple: you slice, toss with spices, pop it in the oven and you’re done. Perfect for a busy day when you want a hot meal without standing over the stove.
This is a homemade Tex-Mex style dish where everything – from the meat to the vegetables – is cooked on a single tray, with no need to watch a pan or fry in batches. Cumin, paprika, garlic, and lime create a juicy, slightly spicy sauce that coats the chicken and vegetables, while the edges of the peppers and onions gently caramelize. You end up with aromatic, colorful oven-baked fajitas that taste like they’re from a food truck but practically cook themselves.
Chef's tips
Try to cut the chicken strips as evenly as possible – if they’re too thick, they’ll need more time and may dry out on the edges before they’re done in the center. When spreading the ingredients on the tray, keep them in a single layer with some space between the pieces; otherwise they’ll start to steam and lose that nice, lightly charred surface. After baking, let the meat rest on the tray for 2–3 minutes before drizzling with lime juice – it will absorb the juice better and it won’t just run straight off onto the paper.
How to serve
Serve immediately with warm tortillas, a bowl of sour cream or yogurt, and extra lime wedges so everyone can season their own portion. This goes perfectly with simple lime-cilantro rice or a bowl of homemade guacamole with nacho chips. It’s my go-to after-work dinner – I pop the tray in the oven, and in the meantime I set the table and make a quick yogurt-based sauce.
Ingredients
- chicken breast - 600 g
- bell pepper - 1 piece
- bell pepper - 1 piece
- onion - 1 piece
- vegetable oil - 3 tablespoons
- sweet paprika - 2 teaspoons
- cumin - 1 teaspoon
- garlic - 3 piece
- salt - 1 teaspoon
- black pepper - 0.5 teaspoons
- chili pepper - 0.5 piece
- lime - 1 piece
- wheat tortilla - 8 piece
- sour cream - 150 g
- cilantro - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (top and bottom heat). Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
- Cut the chicken breast into thin strips about 1–1.5 cm wide. Remove the seeds and membranes from the bell peppers and slice them into similar-sized strips. Peel the onion and slice it into thin wedges.
- In a large bowl, mix the oil, sweet paprika, ground cumin, finely chopped garlic, salt, pepper, and finely chopped chili pepper (without seeds if you don’t want the dish to be very spicy).
- Add the chicken, bell pepper, and onion strips to the bowl. Mix with your hands or a spoon so that every piece is thoroughly coated with the spices and oil.
- Transfer everything to the prepared baking tray, spreading the ingredients out in a single layer so they can roast rather than steam. Place in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through (it should not be pink in the center when cut) and the edges of the peppers and onions are lightly browned. Halfway through baking, gently stir the contents of the tray.
- Towards the end of baking, wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and place them in the oven for the last 3–4 minutes to warm and soften.
- Drizzle the baked meat and vegetables with lime juice and sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve immediately, spooning the filling onto warm tortillas and topping with a spoonful of sour cream or yogurt.
Storage
Mięso i warzywa przechowuj osobno od tortilli, w szczelnym pojemniku. Odgrzewaj na patelni lub w piekarniku, podlewając 1–2 łyżkami wody, aby nie wyschły. Tortille lepiej przechowywać w temperaturze pokojowej w opakowaniu i podgrzać świeżo przed podaniem.
