Easy low-carb air fryer chicken fajitas recipe are packed with flavor for a filling, healthy, and fast weeknight meal!
This easy air fryer chicken fajita recipe is a weeknight game-changer! Made with simple ingredients like chicken breast, bell peppers, and onions, they're packed with flavor and ready in a flash. Just 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cook time—perfect for busy weeknights. Plus, using the air fryer means less mess, less oil, and quicker cleanup compared to stovetop fajitas. You'll love the versatility of this high-protein veggie-packed meal! And for the icing on the cake, leftovers reheat well and can be used in bowls, wraps, or salads for quick lunches.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
*Note: full recipe card below.
This recipe is so easy and SO fast! First, preheat your air fryer. Cut your chicken into ½ inch strips. Toss the chicken and vegetables with oil and fajita seasoning, then cook! I kept my veggies on a separate side of the tray from the chicken, but you could toss them all together, too! You will want to toss everything about halfway through cooking.
Tips for Perfect Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
Shortcut tip: Buy pre-cut bell peppers and onions; they often sell these at most grocery stores. However, if you buy it pre-cut, make sure you plan to use it right away, as the pre-cut versions spoil fast. You can also often find pre-cut chicken strips, which can save a little bit of time.
Prevent dry chicken: A few tips to prevent the chicken from drying out, which is a known air fryer problem. First, make sure your chicken is sliced evenly for even cooking. Don't skip the oil; even a light coating can prevent the chicken from drying out. Crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside is the goal! Try not to overcrowd the basket; even mine is a little bit borderline, too crowded in the photo. The more you fill the basket, the less evenly it will cook, leading to drying out. Toss/flip the veggies and chicken halfway, again to promote even cooking. And start checking for the chicken to reach 165°F at about 15 minutes, checking every 3-5 minutes so you can catch it when it's done, but not overcooked. Each air fryer is a bit different, so just because my chicken took 25 minutes doesn't mean yours will! Finally, let the chicken rest 3-5 minutes after it's done cooking. This allows the juices to redistribute and settle.
Key Ingredients, Swaps, and Substitutions
- Chicken Breast - I used chicken breast as that's what is traditional for fajitas. You could use cut-up chicken tenders or even boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Bell Peppers - I like a variety of colors of bell peppers in my fajitas, but you could use just one color or whatever colors you want. If you omit or substitute, they won't be traditional fajitas. Plus, bell peppers hold up really well to the longer cooking time chicken breasts need in the air fryer. It's really perfect!
- Onion - white onion is traditional, but you can substitute red, yellow, or sweet if needed!
- Fajita Seasoning - we did a taste test of fajita seasonings from Sprouts, and our favorites were Simply brand and Kinders Fajita Blend. You could use taco seasoning in a pinch as well! Feel free to use your favorite homemade fajita seasoning blend. I like a heavy sprinkle of garlic, onion, salt, pepper, a sprinkle of smoked paprika, and a dash of chili powder.
- Salt and pepper - you may need to adjust based on how much of each is in your fajita seasoning. If you're worried about it just skip it and add salt and pepper at the end.
- Avocado Oil - can substitute for your preferred cooking oil, such as olive oil. Neutral-tasting oils will work best!
- Optional: Add black beans and corn after cooking for extra fiber and texture!
Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken breast
- 1 green bell pepper sliced into strips
- 1 red bell pepper sliced into strips
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced into strips
- 1 medium white onion sliced
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 3-4 tbsp fajita seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic optional
- ¼ tsp salt optional
- ⅛ tsp pepper optional
Instructions
- Prep chicken, cut into strips. Next, prep your veggies by cutting bell pepper flesh into strips and onions into strips.3 lbs chicken breast, 1 green bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 medium white onion
- Preheat air fryer to 400F. Prep air fryer. I have a stainless steel basket in an oven-style air fryer, so I spray it with cooking spray and place foil under the tray. If you have a basket-style air fryer, you may not need to do anything.
- Toss veggies in half the oil and one tablespoon of seasoning, plus half the garlic, salt, and pepper. Place in the air fryer. *Toss chicken strips in oil and 2-3 tablespoons of seasoning and the remaining rest of the seasonings. Place in the air fryer.* (The general rule is one tablespoon of seasoning per pound of chicken.)2 tablespoon avocado oil, 3-4 tablespoon fajita seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- Cook for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through. Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F. Serve with desired fajita toppings; we used lettuce cups!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Fajita Variations (Make It Your Own)
- Protein swaps: Swap thinly sliced flank steak, reduce cooking time by 5-10 minutes. Swap peeled raw shrimp, air fry at 400 for 8-10 minutes (so start the veggies before the shrimp.) For a vegetarian version, try portobello mushrooms, firm tofu, or tempeh.
- Spice boost: Add sliced jalapenos for more heat!
- Flavor boost: Add fresh limes to juice over the top as a finisher!
What to Serve With Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
- Serve them over rice bowls (or cilantro lime cauliflower rice for low carb!)
- Serve with flour or corn tortillas
- Add black or pinto beans
- Sour cream
- Homemade or Your Favorite Salsa
- Spicy Guacamole or Your Favorite Guac
- Lettuce Wraps
How to Store and Freeze
- Store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Freeze: You could freeze this after cooking for up to 3 months, defrost it in the microwave or under refrigeration, and reheat it up to 165F. Likely, it will be kind of soggy and lose some of its "air-fried crispiness" after defrosting, but it will still be delicious, especially in a bowl or with tortillas.
You May Also Like:
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Air Fryer Thin Chicken Breast
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Bone In
- Air Fryer Chicken Tender No Breading
Tag me if you make these! I love to see what you guys make! You can tag me on Insta @hungryhobbyRD and Facebook @hungryhobby!
Leave a Reply