This set it and forget it meal is the perfect lunch or dinner any day of the week! With few and simple ingredients, these Chicken Fajitas in Crockpot are deliciously tender and juicy. Throw ’em in a flour tortilla with all your favourite Fajita toppings for the real deal experience!
Love easy, one pot meals that require minimal effort? I don’t blame you. And neither do these Chicken Fajitas in Crockpot which come out perfectly tender every single time. All you’re required to do is season up some chicken breasts and slice up a few peppers and an onion. And voila! The crockpot does the rest! And believe you me, you’ll have to remind yourself you’re not sitting in a restaurant in the heart of Mexico. Although, you’ll want to keep making these flavourful chicken fajitas again and again just to pretend you are!
Do your ears perk up when you hear the words Crockpot or Slow Cooker? Cause mine do. I mean, what’s better than loading up some simple ingredients into a vessel that promises to not only turn it into something amazing but make your house smell absolutely incredible in the process?! Oh, I know. Not having to do much work to get there. Like this Beef Stew or this Italian Wedding Soup, food just *tastes* better when you can openly brag about your bad-assery. Am I right? And what’s more badass than being able to produce a gourmet tasting meal while you’re at the office. Or doing laundry. Or running those never ending errands. See where I’m going with this? Let these Chicken Fajitas in Crockpot be your sign to get a crock pot if you haven’t already. You won’t be sorry. Trust me.
Ok, so now that we got that out of the way (did you go run and buy a crockpot YET?!), let’s talk Fajitas.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THESE CROCKPOT CHICKEN FAJITAS
Nothing fancy going on here but don’t let the simplicity fool you, the flavour is still on point! Simple to find ingredients is all you’re going to need for this easy crockpot meal. Let’s talk about them in a little bit more detail down below:
- Chicken Breast: You’re going to want the boneless, skinless chicken breasts for best results here. We use a total of 2 pounds which works out to be about 4 large breasts. If you prefer, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead. However, be mindful that thighs are generally much smaller than chicken breasts and you may have to adjust the cooking time by an hour or two in order to avoid them drying out or cooking too quickly.
- Chicken Broth: Adds the moisture needed to perfectly cook the chicken breasts. Also adds flavour.
- Tri-coloured Peppers: One of the most important ingredients and the one you will always find in any classic Mexican fajita recipe. I chose to use 3 different colour peppers since, ya know, I’m a food blogger and all and vibrance and pops of colour are good friends of mine. However, you can use whatever colour or colours you want!
- White Onion: The other ingredient you’ll typically find in any Mexican fajita recipe. White onion is traditionally used, however, if you only have red or yellow on hand, you can use those, too.
- Fajitas Seasoning: Where all the spice and flavour comes from for these chicken fajitas in crockpot! OBVS, we make our own since it’s SO easy and quick to do. But, if you MUST (and I say that VERY lightly), the store bought stuff can step in here.
- Lime: For flavour and acidity. Therefore, fresh is best for this recipe.
- Flour Tortillas: Have a soft, fluffy and flexible texture making them the perfect pockets to hold all the goodness! When picking your tortillas out at the market, go for the larger ones.
- Sour Cream and Salsa: Traditionally served to top fajitas for added flavour and freshness. Totally optional but highly recommended and will kick them up a few notches. Try making your own salsa from scratch by following this easy recipe.
- Other optional toppings: Fajitas are great in that they can be completely and easily customized. Cheddar cheese, sliced avocado or homemade guacamole, extra lime wedges, chopped cilantro and cooked sliced mushrooms are some simple ways you can change up your fajita game and take these crockpot chicken fajitas to the next level!
HOW TO MAKE THESE CHICKEN FAJITAS IN CROCKPOT (KEY TIPS)
- No need to slice up or chop the chicken before adding it to the slow cooker. The chicken breasts will cook up beautifully with the moisture from the chicken broth making it super easy to simply shred with two forks when done.
- Season the chicken generously. No. Extra generously! Don’t be shy. Remember, the fajitas seasoning is what we rely on most for making this dish flavourful and delicious. PRO TIP: Use your hands to season the chicken breast. Pour a generous amount right onto the chicken breasts then rub it in all over. That way, you won’t miss any areas and the flavours will be massaged into the meat rather than just sprinkle over top.
- Cut the all the peppers and onions in as similar a size as you can. Aim for 1/4-inch thick all day. Making them uniform will ensure they cook evenly and properly. Careful not to slice them too thin or they’ll turn to mush as they slow cook.
- If you prefer crispier veggies for your fajitas, instead of soft and tender ones, don’t add them to the slow cooker until there are only 30 minutes left in the cooking process.
- After the fajitas finish cooking, you may have to ladle out some liquid before serving. Some of the chicken broth will be absorbed during cooking by the onions, peppers and chicken but if there is still a lot at the end of the cooking time, remove it before serving. Not doing so will result in watery fajitas that will ultimately make the flour tortillas soggy when stuffed.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The beauty of this chicken fajitas in crockpot recipe is that it doesn’t require much effort! You can skip the marinating completely (the slow cook is enough time for the flavours and juices to sink in), don’t have to sautée the peppers or onions and don’t have to pre-sear the chicken before adding them to the slow cooker. WIN-WIN!
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge. You can store the leftovers with or without some of the liquid at the bottom of the crockpot. For best results, be sure to store the chicken filling separate from the flour tortillas and assemble just before eating.
If stored in an airtight container and separately from the flour tortillas, leftover chicken fajitas filling will last up to 5 days. Simply reheat in a hot skillet or microwave. PRO TIP: Try leftovers over rice, on salad, on nachos or on a burger or sandwich if you don’t have any tortillas left or to change things up a bit!
These chicken fajitas are hearty enough to be a satisfying meal all on their own. Try them with homemade guacamole, homemade salsa, Mexican cauliflower rice or sweet and spicy Mango Habanero Salsa for an extra tasty treat!
CHICKEN FAJITAS IN CROCKPOT
Prepare for the easiest Mexican Chicken Fajitas dinner that'll leave your belly full and your house smelling amazing.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless Chicken Breast
- 3 Bell Peppers (red, yellow, green or orange), sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 Onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1/3 cup Chicken Broth
- Juice of 1 Lime
- 12 Flour Tortillas
- 3-4 tbsp Homemade Fajitas Seasoning*
- Optional Toppings: Sour Cream, Salsa, Guacamole, Sliced Avocado, Chopped Cilantro, Grated Cheddar Cheese, Sliced Jalapeño, Hot Sauce, Extra Lime Wedges
Instructions
- Generously season the chicken breasts all over. PRO TIP: Using your hands will get the job done most efficiently as you'll cover every inch and the seasonings can be massaged directly into the meat. This generally takes 2-3 tbsp of seasoning.
- Add the sliced peppers to the bottom of the crockpot** (see note)
- Add the sliced onions and 1 tsp of Fajita Seasoning. Mix to coat the veggies.
- Place the seasoned chicken breasts on top and add the chicken broth.
- Cook for 4 hours on high (or 6-8 hours on low).
- Transfer the chicken breasts to a bowl and allow to cool slightly.
- Using two forks (or your hands), shred the chicken breasts into small bite sized pieces. Alternatively, you can slice it, if preferred.
- Add it back to the crockpot with the rest of the ingredients. Stir and allow to marinate in the juices for about 10 minutes before serving. NOTE: If you find that there is too much liquid remaining in the bottom of the crockpot after cooking, ladle some out (until there is a desired amount) before serving.
- Serve with all your favourite fajita toppings! (See ingredient list for possible options!) Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1111Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 218mgSodium: 1304mgCarbohydrates: 106gFiber: 11gSugar: 5gProtein: 94g
Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.
LOVE THIS RECIPE? TRY MY RECIPE FOR SALSA CHICKEN IN THE CROCK POT NEXT!
LOOKING FOR MORE MEXICAN INSPIRED RECIPES? TRY THESE FAVOURITES:
CILANTRO LIME CAULIFLOWER RICE
MEXICAN STYLE CAULIFLOWER RICE