Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
These sheet pan chicken fajitas get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes with minimal clean up! They are great for meal prep for one or for a larger family dinner.
Sheet pan chicken fajitas take what could be a lot of separate pans and dishes to wash down to one simple sheet pan. Simply cut the chicken and veggies in strips and place on the sheet pan to roast in the oven. This easy to make, well balanced meal is rich in protein from the chicken and cheese toppings as well as fiber from the roasted veggies.
What is a Sheet Pan?
Sheet pan refers to a rectangular baking pan that is flat with a large surface area and a 1 inch raised rim. I have found aluminum or steel pans in stores. There are 3 standard sizes: full sheets (18×26 inches), half sheets (18×13 inches), and even quarter sheets (13×9 inches). Half sheets and quarter sheets are the type of sheet pans you will use for your home oven.
Sheet pans are so versatile! You can use them for baking, roasting vegetables, or baking all-in-one meals that include protein, starch, and vegetables. One great example is my Cinnamon Salmon Recipe.
Herbs & Spices on Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
It’s quite easy to take for granted all the herbs and seasonings used in recipes. These little sprinkles of seasonings provide so many health benefits that so often get overlooked. Studies have shown numerous health benefits from many of the basic seasonings found in your pantry. Spices and herbs provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumorigenic, anticarcinogenic, and glucose and cholesterol lowing properties. I encourage you to season your foods well with a variety of spices and herbs. These sheet pan chicken fajitas incorporate many of these known healing properties with oregano, chili powder, and garlic.
Toppings for Chicken Fajitas
Toppings are such a fun way to mix up the flavors at a meal. For your toppings for chicken fajitas, get creative. Some great toppings options include salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (basically higher protein sour cream!), shredded lettuce, cilantro, and hot sauce. If making these sheet pan chicken fajitas for a crowd or for a family dinner night, set up a toppings bar where everyone can add their own toppings.
Tortillas and Tortilla Alternatives
Six inch corn tortillas are definitely the typical go-to option as a base for chicken fajitas. But here are some tortilla alternatives for those looking for grain-free options or lower carb:
Grain-Free Tortillas
Siete brand almond flour tortillas as well as cassava flour tortillas (which are great for nut-free) work great for those who want gluten free and grain free tortillas. You can also think outside the box and use any base. For example, rice cakes as I did in my Healthy No-Bake Buffalo Chicken Dip Mini Pizzas recipe. Or do fajita nachos, using healthier tortilla chips with non-inflammatory oils, such as Siete tortilla chips.
Low Carb Tortilla Alternatives
For those following a low carb diet pattern, these are some great low carb tortilla alternatives:
- Lettuce leaves
- Collard Green Wraps recipe- this is an awesome recipe for so many wraps!
- Egg wraps, like Egglife brand and Crepini brand
Note: there are other low carb tortillas, but just keep in mind that some brands add a lot of junk ingredients to make them low carb. For example, Mission’s Carb Balance flour tortillas are filled with a lot of junk. So be sure to check ingredients labels on packages. Choose products made with mostly whole food ingredients.
Find more of my healthy and easy lunch and dinner recipes here!
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Recipe blog written by Jennifer Franzen, RDN | reviewed by Victoria Peck-Gray, RDN
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 pound Chicken Breast sliced into strips
- ¼ tsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Oregano
- ½ tsp Sea Salt adjust to taste
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- 1 Lime zested & juiced
- 1 Green Bell Pepper sliced
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper sliced
- 1 cup Red Onion any variety works, sliced
- 2 Jalapeno Pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450℉
- Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, add the chicken and mix in olive oil, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper, and lime zest. Let this sit while you slice the peppers and onions; or, marinate the chicken ahead of time for several hours or overnight.
- Slice the peppers and onions into 1/2 inch slices. If adding jalapenos, cut into pepper carefully along the long side and cut away the seeds (the seeds are what is spiciest!).
- Arrange the marinated chicken on one side of a foil-lined sheet pan. Lay the peppers and onions on the other side.
- Crease the foil in the middle of the pan so that there is a separation from the chicken and peppers to keep the chicken juices in place. (Too much moisture with the veggies will prevent them from browning).
- Place the pan in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Check the chicken to make sure it is done (internal temperature should be 165 degrees F). Remove chicken when done. If you want the peppers to char more, you can leave them in and set the oven to broil for 3-5 minutes.
- Serve with warm tortillas, avocado or guacamole, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and salsa.
Notes
- 243 calories
- 27g protein
- 10g fat
- 3g fiber
- 124mg Vitamin C (over 100% of average daily needs!)
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