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The Homemade Chicken Fajitas Bowl We Want Every Week! (Inspired by Chipotle!)
I’ve had the same Chipotle order for years – it’s practically seared in my brain at this point: chicken burrito bowl with brown rice, black beans, extra fajita veggies, + mild, medium, & corn salsas. *chef kiss!* It’s absolute perfection & I love it so much, but figuring out how to make Homemade Chicken Fajita Bowls with all of the same flavors & textures as takeout has been great for our budget. And let me tell you – they’re just as good as Chipotle, if not better!
This chicken fajita rice bowl starts with my tried & true 20-Minute Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, a recipe I tested over & over again until it was absolutely perfect. You season thinly sliced chicken in a blend of lime juice, agave nectar, & plenty of fajita spices for a punch of flavor, then roast on a pan alongside colorful bell peppers & onions. The secret is roasting the sheet pan chicken fajitas at a super high heat & finishing under the broiler to create restaurant-worthy fajita sizzle. The chicken & veggies are juicy, tender, & have the best caramelized char with crispy little edges – it’s so good!
While the chicken & veggies are in the oven, you’ll have the perfect window of time to prep any chicken fajita bowl fixings you love. I always whip up a batch of creamy, dreamy Avocado Crema & char up some sweet corn over a gas burner flame, but rice, beans, pico de gallo, salsa, & guacamole are all fair game here, too.
From there, simply build your chicken fajitas bowls & dig in. Dinner’s ready in 30 minutes, which is faster than driving to Chipotle & back – you really can’t beat that!
Chicken Fajita Bowl Recipe Highlights
This chicken fajita rice bowl is a dinner staple at our house! You’ll love it because it’s…
WEEKNIGHT-FRIENDLY. This chicken fajita bowl recipe is an easy, 30-minute dinner that will earn a spot in your weekly dinner rotation. It’s low effort, veggie-loaded, & seriously craveable! Simply roast the fajita chicken & veggies in the oven while you gather your bowl toppings – it doesn’t get easier than that!
FAJITA PERFECTION. 🔥 The key to recreating the crave-worthy caramelization & char of restaurant-style sizzling fajitas with baked fajitas is roasting with really high heat & finishing under the broiler. This tried & true method yields charred-yet-tender veggies & always-juicy chicken for the best-ever sheet pan chicken fajita bowls.
LOADED WITH TOPPINGS! The best part of any bowl is layering it with whatever toppings you love! Load up your chicken fajita bowls with avocado crema, rice, beans, charred corn, salsa, cheese, or guacamole – wherever your cravings take you!
The very best part? Guac is never extra at home. 😉 ♡ Read on to learn more about how to make these Chicken Fajita Bowls, or jump straight to the recipe & get cooking!
Key Bowl Components
One of the reasons I love making loaded bowls for dinner is because you can layer them with tons of amazing flavors & textures. As is the case with any dinner bowl, there are a few different components to prep for these chicken fajita bowls, but they all come together pretty quickly – with mostly hands-off cooking! – to create the ultimate bite: creamy sauce, juicy-tender chicken, & smoky-caramelized veggies!
Note: Full ingredients list & measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below.
- Chili lime chicken – Toss thinly sliced chicken through a quick mixture of lime juice, agave nectar, Worcestershire sauce (my favorite pantry flavor bomb!), & fajita-inspired spices like cumin, paprika, & chili powder. Based on my go-to Chili Lime Marinade, this fajita seasoning is the quickest way to create a big punch of flavor!
- Fajitas veggies – Keep things classic with bell peppers, onions, & a simple seasoning of garlic powder & dried oregano. These fajita vegetables are pretty flexible, too – feel free to use orange or red bell pepper (green bell pepper also works great!) & yellow or red onion. If you happen to have zucchini or mushrooms hanging in your fridge, feel free to slice them up & toss them in!
- Avocado crema – The best creamy, cooling sauce, made quickly in a food processor with avocado, jalapeno, lime, cilantro, & a little sour cream. I like swooping it across the bottom of my chicken fajita bowl for a beautiful pop of color & creaminess in every bite! Learn More! ⇢ 5-Minute Avocado Crema.
- Fajita bowl toppings – Whatever you love! We like rice, black beans, & charred sweet corn (which you can easily make over the gas burner on your stove). You also can’t go wrong with toppings like diced tomatoes, salsa, avocado slices, shredded cheese, or shredded romaine lettuce – dealer’s choice!
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Buy Now →How to Make Chicken Fajitas in the Oven
I have two go-to chicken fajitas recipes – our Sizzlin’ Skillet Chicken Fajitas & these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas. While both work beautifully, I typically opt for sheet pan chicken fajita bowls. The chicken & fajita veggies all cook together on one pan in the oven (entirely hands-off!), leaving plenty of time to prep bowl toppings.
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
Season the veggies & chicken. Toss thinly sliced bell peppers & onions with garlic powder, oregano, & S&P. Then do the same for the sliced chicken thighs, quickly tossing them through a quick chili lime fajita seasoning for a big punch of flavor. Why? ⇢ Seasoning every layer of the chicken fajitas bowl is key to a restaurant-worthy Chipotle dinner at home. When everything is well-seasoned, all the flavors shine, creating a perfect bite!
Roast the sheet pan chicken fajitas. Spread the seasoned chicken & veggies in an even layer on the sheet pan, creating with plenty of room for everything to breathe. Toss the sheet pan in a 450-degree F oven & roast for 10-12 minutes. Why? ⇢ Overcrowding the sheet pan makes it difficult for the natural moisture of the chicken & veggies to escape as they roast. This prevents the crispy, charred results we’re after! Spacing everything out into an even layer on the sheet pan makes it much easier to create a classic, crave-worthy fajita sizzle in the oven.
Finish under the broiler. The game-changing step! In the final few minutes of cooking, turn on your broiler to give the chicken & veggies a last-minute char. Be sure to keep an eye on things & rotate the sheet pan until the chicken & veggies are evenly browned. Why? ⇢ The hot broiler flame kisses the chicken & veggies, leaving them with the kind of crispy charred edges that are so freakin’ craveable!
Meal Prep Tips!
These sheet pan chicken fajitas cook very quickly in the oven, but a little meal prep makes dinner come together even faster during the week. Get all the chopping out of the way ahead of time & all you have to do at dinnertime is preheat the oven – easy!
- Thinly slice the bell peppers & onions. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Thinly slice the chicken thighs. If desired, season with the chili lime marinade, too! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
5-Minute Avocado Crema Sauce
The secret to creating an epic dinner bowl is bringing all of the components together with a stunning sauce. For a chicken fajita bowl, I love a Creamy-Dreamy Avocado Crema. It’s cooling & creamy with just a little kick of heat, plus its bright green color is absolutely stunning!
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
To make a batch of avocado crema, simply blitz together avocado, lime juice, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, & sour cream in a food processor until nice & smooth. Add a few tablespoons of water to loosen things up until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. It should be beautifully thick & spreadable – the fresh avocado makes the sauce extra creamy! Absolutely heavenly. Learn More! ⇢ 5-Minute Avocado Crema.
Prefer a dairy-free crema? ⇢ Easily substitute sour cream for your favorite non-dairy yogurt. Or, for a similar creamy green sauce, try our naturally dairy-free Cilantro Lime Cashew Crema instead!
Chicken Fajita Bowl Assembly & Topping Ideas
Once all of the components are ready, it’s time to assemble a chicken fajita bowl! The beauty of a loaded bowl-style dinner is piling on whatever you happen to be craving. Feel free to make it your own by loading on whatever fajita-inspired toppings you love most.
Some ideas to get you started…
- Charred sweet corn. You can easily char an ear of corn right over a gas flame on your stovetop! Simply rest each ear over the flame, rotating frequently until each side is nicely charred – easy! For more guidance, check out the Recipe Notes, below.
- Rice. It’s easy to make cilantro lime rice at home – simply stir a handful of finely chopped cilantro & a squeeze of fresh lime juice into cooked white rice or brown rice. Feel free to use another grain, too – quinoa & cauliflower rice are both great options!
- Beans. Black beans or pinto beans, whatever you love! Canned beans work great here.
- Salsa. Use your favorite jarred salsa or whip up a fresh pico de gallo.
- Greens. Finely shredded romaine lettuce or cabbage provide great crunchy texture.
- Garnishes. Finish with finely chopped cilantro & a spritz of fresh lime juice.
My ideal bowl. ⇢ I love starting my bowl with a big swoop of avocado crema. Place a big spoonful into the bottom of the bowl, then use the back of the spoon to swoop it across the surface. From there, I top with fluffy rice, black beans, & plenty of crispy-charred chicken & veggies. Perfection!
I can’t wait for you to try this Chicken Fajita Bowl with Avocado Crema! It’s a super fast, flavorful, & feel-good meal you’ll never get tired of. We could seriously have them for dinner every week!
If you do give them a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
More Recipes Like This:
Feel-Good Loaded Dinner Bowls
30-Minute Chicken Fajita Bowls with Avocado Crema
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Entrée Salads & Bowls Recipes, Main Dishes
- Method: Oven, Baked & Broiled
- Cuisine: Mexican & Tex-Mex, American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
I’ve had the same Chipotle order for years – it’s practically seared in my brain at this point: chicken burrito bowl with brown rice, black beans, extra fajita veggies, + mild, medium, & corn salsas. It’s absolute perfection, but figuring out how to make Homemade Chicken Fajita Bowls with all of the same flavors & textures as takeout has been great for our budget!
The colorful & feel-good bowls center around my tried & true 20-Minute Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, which come together really quickly & use many staple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Simply slice up chicken, toss it through a quick homemade fajita seasoning, & roast on a sheet pan alongside fajita veggies. A simple bake-then-broil method guarantees restaurant-worthy fajita sizzle with as little effort as possible.
While the chicken fajitas roast, you’ll have the perfect amount of time to prep whatever fajita bowl fixings you love, like a colorful & creamy avocado crema sauce, cilantro lime rice, beans, salsa, lettuce, & more. These bowls are just as fun to build as they are to eat, so check the Blog Post, above, for plenty more serving ideas to get you started.
Just as good as Chipotle, if not better! ♡ Happy cooking!
Ingredients
for the fajitas veggies:
- 2 large bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 large red or yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- heaping ½ teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
for the chili lime chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced into ¼-inch strips (see Recipe Notes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar (can sub honey or brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 ½ teaspoons ancho chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- heaping ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
for the avocado crema:
- 1 large avocado, pitted & peeled
- 1 large jalapeño, deseeded as desired
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 limes, juiced (approx. scant ¼ cup juice)
- ⅓ cup packed cilantro leaves & tender stems
- ⅓ cup sour cream or full-fat yogurt
- 2–3 tablespoons water
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
for chicken fajita bowl assembly, as desired:
- 2 ears sweet corn, charred
- one 14-ounce can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 2 cups cooked rice (white, brown, cauliflower rice, other grain of choice, etc.)
- finely chopped cilantro
- sliced cherry tomatoes &/or salsa of choice
- shredded cheese of choice
- shredded lettuce
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, ensuring one rack is positioned in the top third of the oven. To a medium bowl, add all listed fajitas veggies ingredients, seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Toss to combine well, then transfer to a large, rimmed baking sheet. To the same bowl, add all listed chili lime chicken ingredients, seasoning with 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Toss to combine well, then transfer to the same baking sheet as the fajitas veggies. Do your best to spread everything into an even layer so nothing is especially overcrowded on the pan.
- Roast the sheet pan chicken fajitas: Transfer the sheet pan to the oven. Roast 10-12 minutes, just until the chicken is cooked through – the chicken should be juicy + tender & the veggies should be crisp & colorful. If desired, finish under the broiler for a crispy, browned finish a la sizzling skillet fajitas. In the last 3-4 minutes of roasting, turn the broiler on its highest setting & broil, carefully rotating the pan halfway through, until the chicken fajitas are browned & slightly crisp. Remove from the oven & set aside for serving.
- Chicken fajitas bowls prep: Meanwhile, as the chicken fajitas roast, prepare any bowl fixings you’d like. I always whip up a quick batch of avocado crema & char up some sweet corn.
- For the avocado crema, add all listed ingredients except the water to a food processor. Season with a heaping ½ teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Pulse to break up the avocado & cilantro, then blend until smooth & creamy – if necessary, stream in a couple tablespoons water to smooth out texture.
- For charred sweet corn, place husked ears of corn directly over a gas burner. Light to a medium-high flame & cook about 2 minutes per side or until as charred as desired. (If you do not have a gas stove, you can also char the corn on an outdoor grill, in a grill pan, or under the broiler.)
- Assemble chicken fajitas bowls with avocado crema & fixings of choice: Build your chicken fajitas bowls as desired. I like to swoop the avocado crema directly along the sides of the bowl, then create a base of rice, beans, & sheet pan chicken fajitas. Finish with other toppings, as desired, like fresh tomatoes &/or salsa, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, lots of fresh cilantro, & a good squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Jess’ Notes & Tips:
- Chicken thighs vs chicken breasts: I prefer using chicken thighs in this recipe since they’re flavorful & stay really nice & juicy through roasting + broiling, but you can swap them out with breasts if you prefer. If so, skip broiling, as the breast meat will dry out.
- Ancho chiles are dried poblano peppers with nice mild-medium heat & great flavor. Ancho chili/chile powder is just that – a powder of finely ground ancho chile peppers. I love Simply Organic Ancho Chili Powder, which is certified organic & has wonderful flavor – I keep it stocked in my spice rack at all times, as it’s great for adding extra flavor & mild heat to Mexican-inspired dishes. If you do not have ancho chile powder on hand, you can substitute with “chili powder” for this particular recipe. Standard “chili powder” here in the U.S. is most often a blend of ground chiles & spices like oregano, cumin, & garlic – so it’s not a perfect substitute for pure chile powders all the time, but all of these flavors work well in this chicken fajitas recipe.
- 5-10 Minute Meal Prep: These sheet pan chicken fajitas bake very quickly, but a little meal prep makes dinner come together even faster during the week. Get all the chopping out of the way ahead of time & all you have to do at dinnertime is preheat the oven – easy!
- Thinly slice 2 bell peppers & 1 onion. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Thinly slice 1 ½ pounds chicken. If desired, season with the chili lime marinade, too! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Storage & Reheating: Store leftover chicken fajitas, avocado crema, & other bowl fixings in individual airtight containers in the refrigerator. The avocado crema is best enjoyed within 2-3 days, while the chicken fajitas will last up to 3-4 days. Reheat the chicken in the microwave or stovetop until warmed through, then assemble a chicken fajitas bowl as desired.
Recipe and Food Styling by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Rachel Cook, Half Acre House.
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We really enjoyed this recipe. It came together quickly, was very fresh, and could be assembled differently. My husband made tortillas, I made the bowl as noted, and my 5 year old used it for a quesadilla. The left overs were great too. Thanks for another great recipe, Jess!
The versatility of this recipe is one of the reasons we love it so much! So happy to hear you did too, Danelle! 🙂
Loved this recipe. I used chicken thighs, which are not my favorite, but they didn’t dry out like breasts can. When I make again, I will make the fajita seasoning a bit more spicy. Not sure what size cookie sheet you used, but my veggies and chicken would not fit on one pan without being too crowed. I ended up putting veggies on one and chicken on the other. And, the avocado crema was delicious!!
Thank you.
Hi Michelle, so glad to hear you loved the fajita bowls!! Definitely a good call to use two baking sheets if everything didn’t fit well on one! And we definitely recommend making it spicier next time if that’s your preference! 🙂