Need an easy dinner that will please the whole family while also keeping it lean and healthy? Try this Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita Bowl.
It’s got all those fresh bell peppers and onions we love on a fajita platter, plus lean protein from chicken and a healthy dose of leafy greens. It’s one of those easy recipes that I love having on a busy night.
Don’t you love that moment in a restaurant when a plate of sizzling fajitas whizzes past your table? Even better when it’s whizzing right to you! Then, you get to load up a soft tortilla with the seasoned meat, veggies and – if you’re like me – too much cheese.
Think of this Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita bowl as everything you love about fajitas, without the tortilla!
What’s in this Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita Bowl
We’re using whole, simple ingredients to construct this healthy bowl. Here’s what you’ll need:
- White-meat chicken. We’ll be slicing the chicken into strips, so if you can find pre-sliced tenderloins it will save you a step.
- Bell peppers. Any color is fine, choose what you like.
- Onions. Choose your onions based on your own preferences. A sweeter type of onion (like Vidalia) will caramelize better on the sheet pan, while an onion with more bite (like a red onion) will add a more pungent flavor to the bowl.
- Avocados. We’ll be mashing them with lime juice and salt, so we want them to be pretty ripe.
- Romaine lettuce. I like romaine because it’s both crispy and nutrient-rich.
- Scallions (green onions)
- Cooked rice. I use regular white rice, but you could also use brown rice or even quinoa.
- Cheddar cheese. As always, the sharper the better!
What makes this recipe truly delicious is the seasonings. We’re making a homemade fajita seasoning for the chicken and a separate taco seasoning for the rice.
Don’t get overwhelmed! You probably have most of it in the house already. Here are the spices we’ll be using, in different amounts, for the seasoning blends:
See? Nothing crazy. And I love having these homemade spice blends on hand. I store them in an airtight container in the pantry and use them to season tacos, salads, potatoes, omelettes and more.
How to Make Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Making this Chicken Fajita Bowl is a multitasker’s dream! Make the whole meal in the 30 minutes that the peppers and onions are roasting. Here are the steps:
First, roast the peppers and onions on a sheet pan.
While the peppers and onions are roasting, make the chicken and rice on the stove top.
Then, assemble the bowls with all of your toppings of choice. My favorites are sour cream, salsa and avocado mash.
By the time you’ve assembled the bowls, your sheet pan veggies will be ready to serve.
What do with any leftover fajita chicken
As much as I love these fajita bowls, I secretly hope for leftovers! There are so many great leftover fajita chicken recipes. Here are some of my favorites:
- Chicken Fajita Pasta: Cut leftover chicken into cubes and toss with cooked pasta, milk, leftover fajita veggies and cheese for a quick and easy meal.
- Fajita Chicken Casserole: Layer corn tortillas, cooked chicken, cheese, tomato sauce, black beans, leftover peppers and onions in a prepared baking dish. Top with extra cheese and bake until bubbling.
- Chicken Fajita Party Dip: Chop up the chicken and peppers finely and mix them with cream cheese, scallions and cheddar cheese. Bake it up and serve it with your favorite tortilla chips.
How to make this Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita Bowl even easier
It’s a busy weeknight and you need dinner on the table ASAP! Here are some shortcuts you can take to reduce the prep time:
- Use rotisserie chicken. Warm it in a skillet with a little bit of water and the fajita spices. It’ll be ready in just minutes!
- Skip the measuring and use boil-in-bag rice. It will cook in 10 minutes, and then just stir in the spices.
- Buy pre-sliced peppers and pre-washed lettuce. Many grocery stores sell vegetables already washed and sliced. They’re a little more expensive, but sometimes the convenience is worth it.
Can you lower the carbs in this Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita Bowl?
It’s easy to make a low carb version of this fajita bowl by simply omitting the rice. Instead of the rice, try using cauliflower rice or refried beans.
Just pan fry the cauliflower rice until it’s as crispy as possible, then stir in the rice seasonings. And the refried beans are super satisfying and a great way to get some extra fiber into this bowl.
I can’t wait for you to try this easy weeknight dinner recipe! And when you make this Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita Bowl, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more healthy bowl recipes, try these:
For more easy weeknight meals, try these:
- Asian Tilapia Recipe (Easy & Healthy)
- Easy Ginger Chicken Ramen
- 30 Minute Saucy Ginger Sesame Noodles with Vegetables
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita Bowl
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 large sweet onion
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
- 3 hearts romaine lettuce
- 2 avocados
- 1 cup scallions (green onions) diced
- 1 1/2 tsp. lime juice
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- salsa optional
- sour cream optional
Fajita Seasoning
- 1 chipotle chili pepper in adobo
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
Rice Seasoning
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp. sweet paprika
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
Instructions
- Make the fajita seasoning: Mince the chipotle pepper. Combine it with remaining ingredients. Set aside.
- Make the avocado mash: peel and pit the avocados. Place them into a small mixing bowl with the lime juice. Mash together. Season with sea salt. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Slice bell peppers and onions into long strips. Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Remove the vegetables from the oven, stir them around the baking sheet and put them back into the oven for 10 more minutes.
- While the vegetables are roasting, make the chicken: Slice the chicken breast into long strips. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chicken to the pan. Once the chicken is browned, stir in the fajita seasoning. Remove from heat.
- Cook the rice and place it into a large bowl. Stir in the rice seasoning.
- Rinse the lettuce and cut it into shreds. Divide the lettuce and rice among 4 serving bowls. Top with chicken, peppers, onions, cheese and avocado mash.
- Garnish with scallions, salsa and sour cream.
Leave a Reply