Try this Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1 large bell pepper seeded and sliced (i use half a green and half a red)
- 12 flour tortillas
- toppings such as cheese sour cream, and guacamole - if desired
- Carbohydrate 472.948291666151 g
- Cholesterol 263.0835746 mg
- Fat 92.7985087300158 g
- Fiber 33.9407159650875 g
- Protein 180.295273232912 g
- Saturated Fat 19.1441030299576 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1787g)
- Sodium 5682.38937383321 mg
- Sugar 439.007575701064 g
- Trans Fat 5.55489852942645 g
- Calories 3485 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place chicken strips in a greased 13×9 baking dish.
- In a small bowl combine the oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt
- Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and stir to coat.
- Next add the tomatoes, peppers, and onions to the dish and stir to combine.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
- Serve on tortillas with desired toppings.
Canned diced tomatoes with green chilies anchor this dish by supplying immediate moisture and acidity that keeps the lean chicken breasts from drying out during the high-heat roasting phase. Because canned tomatoes already contain free liquid, draining them slightly prevents the baking dish from pooling into a watery stew, while retaining just enough canning juices to dissolve the chili powder and cumin into a cohesive roasting sauce. When measuring the oil and spices, whisking them thoroughly in a separate small bowl before application ensures the fat-soluble capsaicin in the chili powder coats every protein strand evenly.
Swapping the canned tomatoes for fresh plum tomatoes fundamentally alters the moisture chemistry of the pan, requiring an extra tablespoon of vegetable oil or a splash of chicken broth to compensate for the missing canning liquid. Fresh vegetables like bell peppers and onions release substantial water when exposed to dry oven heat at 400 degrees, meaning that crowding a standard 13x9 baking dish will cause the produce to steam rather than roast. Slicing the onions and peppers into uniform quarter-inch strips guarantees that they soften at the exact same rate as the 20-to-25-minute cooking window required for the chicken strips to reach safety without toughening.
Adapting this method for various dietary needs requires simple ingredient swaps, such as substituting standard flour tortillas with corn tortillas for gluten-free diets or omitting dairy toppings like cheese and sour cream entirely. Controlling the sodium level becomes much easier when using homemade spice blends instead of commercial packets, allowing the 1/4 teaspoon of salt listed in the recipe to season the meat precisely without overwhelming the palate. Maintaining consistent strip dimensions for the boneless skinless chicken breasts ensures even heat penetration throughout the baking process, eliminating the risk of overcooked edges and undercooked centers.
Leftover cooked chicken and vegetable mixtures store safely in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, though the vegetables will continue to release moisture as they cool. Reheating these leftovers in a hot skillet rather than a microwave helps evaporate accumulated condensation and restores a slight char to the edges of the peppers and onions. Properly cooled components can also be frozen for up to two months, though the texture of thawed bell peppers will naturally soften significantly upon reheating.
