Easy Beef or Chicken Fajita Recipe - Quick And Easy $5 Dinner Recipe (2024)

This easy chicken fajita recipe is an easy $5 dinner recipe! It makes a tasty meal your family will love and is a great way to use leftover chicken, roast or steak. You can find this recipe in volume 1 of our Dining On A Dime Cookbook.

Easy Beef or Chicken Fajita Recipe - Quick And Easy $5 Dinner Recipe (1)

Fresh, hot beef or chicken fajitas are a wonderful Tex-Mex favorite, but they are so expensive to order at your favorite Mexican restaurant. Here is an easy chicken fajita recipe, which can also be used with beef so you can make tasty fajitas at home for a fraction of the price of eating out.

This easy fajita recipe is one of my family’s favorite recipes! My husband frequently requests it for special occasions and our kids love it. The younger kids are sometimes hesitant about eating the peppers and onions, so I might serve the smaller children mostly meat and cheese on a tortilla and then give them 1 or 2 pieces of onion or pepper to get them to try it. I wouldn’t force them to try it, but as they get older, they will usually get curious and test it out!

You can prepare this fajita recipe early in the day before dinner to give the meat time to marinate. You can prepare the meat, veggies in salsa in 5-10 minutes and then cook in a hot skillet just before serving.

We most often make this as a chicken fajita recipe, but you can also make it with round steak, skirt steak or roast. If you happen to have leftover chicken, roast or steak, you can use it to make this recipe. If you use leftover meat, only cook the meat long enough to get it warmed through so it doesn’t get tough.

Most restaurants serve fajitas with flour tortillas, and they are delicious this way, but you can also serve them with corn tortillas. Corn tortillas are great for a more authentic Mexican type flavor, but if you use corn tortillas, you will want to make sure they’re extra fresh so they don’t fall apart with the fajitas. If you’re very concerned about them falling apart, you can serve with 2 tortillas per fajita.

If you have to eat gluten-free, you can make this recipe gluten free by using corn tortillas.

For the richest flavor, and texture, I recommend making the fajitas with the optional onions and bell peppers. This gives them a more restaurant quality flavor, but it also can save you money on meat since the onions and peppers help bulk up the fajitas.

Recipes that go great with this easy chicken fajita recipe!

Homemade Flour Tortillas Recipe

How To Make Guacamole

Easy Spanish Rice Recipe

Easy Homemade Sopapillas Recipe

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Easy Beef or Chicken Fajita Recipe

Easy Beef or Chicken Fajita Recipe - Quick And Easy $5 Dinner Recipe (2)

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  • Author: Tawra

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. round steak, beef chuck or chicken

1/2 cup lime juice

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, to taste (optional)
12 bell peppers, to taste (optional)
salt and pepper (to taste)

6 flour tortillas, warmed

1 tsp. vegetable oil

Salsa Ingredients

1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro

1 large tomato, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

Instructions

  1. Cut meat crosswise into 1/2 inch thick strips.
  2. Pound each piece to 1/4 inch thickness.
  3. Combine lime juice, jalapeños and garlic.
  4. Place meat in a plastic bag.
  5. Add the lime juice mixture, turning to coat the meat.
  6. Close the bag securely. Marinate in the refrigerator 4-6 hours, turning occasionally.
  7. Combine the tomato, onion and cilantro for salsa.
  8. Cover tightly and refrigerate.
  9. If using onions and bell peppers, cut into strips just before cooking. (If you prefer, you can cut them earlier and store in the fridge in a baggie or container.)
  10. Remove the meat from the marinade. Discard marinade.
  11. Pat the meat dry with paper towels (to prevent spitting when you add to the oil).
  12. Heat oil in a large skillet on high.
  13. Cook the meat pieces in hot oil for 2-3 minutes, turning once. Add the onions and bell peppers, if desired, about half way through. If you prefer the veggies more crispy, add them closer to the end and if you prefer them softer, you can add them when you add the meat.
  14. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  15. Serve the fajita meat and veggie mixture in warm tortillas with salsa.
  16. Top with Cheddar or Mexican cheese if desired. If you like, you can also serve this fajitas recipe with sour cream, shredded lettuce and/or guacamole. Serves 6.

This easy chicken fajitas recipe is from volume 1 of our cookbook:

You can make EASY and delicious meals at home in less time than eating out! You’ll save a ton of money on food and your family will thank you!

Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!

Easy Beef or Chicken Fajita Recipe - Quick And Easy $5 Dinner Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the cheapest cut of meat for fajitas? ›

Skirt steak is the traditional cut used for fajitas. It used to be inexpensive, but now it's not so cheap; oftentimes flank steak costs less. Either will be a good choice.

How do you cook fajita meat so it's not tough? ›

Tricks to Tender Fajita Meat
  1. Cut the Beef Against the Grain. Slicing meat against the grain helps tenderize it. By looking closely at the steak, you'll be able to see the direction the grain is running. ...
  2. Marinade with an Acid. Acids like citrus juice or vinegar tenderize meat by breaking down its fibers.
Feb 2, 2024

How many pounds of fajita do I need for 5 people? ›

Fajitas start with the meat: You'll need 1/4 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast, chicken cutlets or skirt steak for each person.

Do you cut chicken before or after cooking fajitas? ›

You need to slice the chicken before you cook it for fajitas. This ensures a quick cooking time and tender bite-sized pieces for every tortilla.

What type of meat is best for beef fajitas? ›

Steak: Flank steak is what's typically used for steak fajitas. But you can also use sirloin steak or skirt steak (similar to my carne asada recipe). Steak Fajita Marinade: A simple yet flavorful combo of lime juice, olive oil, garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper — that's it!

What cut of meat do Mexican restaurants use for fajitas? ›

The question of “what is a fajita” would usually be referred to as sliced skirt steak, the cut of beef first used in the dish. In restaurants, the meat is usually cooked with onions and bell peppers and toppings that are served on the side.

What kind of onion for fajitas? ›

You can go for the traditional white or yellow onions, offering a more savory option, or experiment with sweet onions like Vidalia or Walla Walla to add a subtle sweetness to your dish.

Why are my chicken fajitas dry? ›

When it comes to skillet fajitas, you want to cook everything hot and fast. You can avoid overcooking and drying out the chicken by slicing the peppers, onions, and chicken into 1/4-inch strips. For the chicken breast, cutting across the meat's grain will make for more tender fajitas.

How to keep fajita meat moist? ›

Oil: I use olive oil, but you can use canola or vegetable. The oil helps to keep the fajitas juicy and helps to crispy up the edges of the vegetables. Seasonings: You can use a store-bought fajita seasoning or taco seasoning.

What is the least expensive meat cut? ›

8 Best Inexpensive Cuts of Meat to Look Out For
  1. Chicken Legs, Thighs & Drumsticks. Chicken on the bone is always cheaper. ...
  2. Pork Shoulder. When it comes to cheap cuts of meat, it's hard to beat pork shoulder for value. ...
  3. Beef Brisket. ...
  4. Beef & Pork Ribs. ...
  5. Beef Mince. ...
  6. Skirt Steak. ...
  7. Lamb Scrag & Middle Neck. ...
  8. Organ Meats.
Feb 8, 2023

What cut of meat is used traditionally for a fajita plate? ›

Steak Fajitas: While skirt steak is the traditional cut of meat used in fajitas, other cuts of steak can also be used, such as flank steak or sirloin steak.

What is a good substitute for beef fajitas? ›

I used sirloin steak in this recipe, but you can also use skirt steak, flank steak, round steak, or any other type of steak you have on hand or like. You can also substitute chicken or shrimp for the steak.

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