Chicken Fajita Marinade

How long do you marinade chicken

The best length for marinating chicken is anywhere from 30 minutes to 120 minutes. For this fajita marinade, chicken will have the most flavor the longer you let it marinade. Chicken can be marinated for up to two days for a stronger infusion of flavor. Any longer than two days, the chicken will become mushy as the acids in the marinade break down the proteins.

Tips for cutting thin slices of chicken

Ever tried to thinly slice raw chicken, only to have it fall apart or end up uneven? Here’s a simple trick to make it easy! The key to easily cutting thin, even slices of chicken breast is to par freeze the chicken for 30 minutes first.

After 30 minutes, remove the chicken from the freezer and cut it against the grain. This way, you can put slight pressure on the chicken without squishing the meat and get even slices as thin as you’d like. For fajitas, you can keep the strips long or short, whatever your preference.

Ways to cook fajitas

While cooking this fajita recipe on the stove is simple, it’s not the only way you can make your fajitas. Try these other easy and delicious ways to cook them.

On the grill:

Preheat a grill and grill basket over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken and sliced vegetables to the grill basket and grill for 15 minutes or until everything is cooked through, shaking and turning the basket occasionally.

In the air fryer:

Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Add the meat and vegetables to the basket and air fry for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through until the vegetables are tender and the meat is cooked through.

Baked in the oven:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add the marinated chicken and vegetables to a sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Under the broiler:

Heat the broiler on high. Add the vegetables to a sheet pan and broil for 10 minutes. Add the chicken to the pan and broil another 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender and blistered.

What goes in fajitas

Fajitas are such a great family dinner since they’re so versatile. You can change up the protein, vegetables, and toppings to suit anyone’s preferences. Try these ideas.

• Protein: Use chicken breast, boneless skinless thighs, flank steak, shrimp or pork loin. If using shrimp or any fish or seafood, only marinade for up to 1 hour.
• Vegetables: Sweet bell peppers, green peppers, jalapenos, yellow onions, red onions, Portobello mushrooms, white mushrooms.
• Toppings: Sour cream, greek yogurt, sliced jalapenos, cilantro, salsa, hot sauce, lettuce, cheese, guacamole.

Storage information & meal prep instructions

You can make this marinade up to 3 days before marinating the meat. Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Marinated chicken fajitas is perfect for freezer meal prep. Add the raw chicken, sliced peppers, and onions to a freezer bag with the marinade and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use it, remove the bag from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then cook as directed.