Cheesy Fajita Baked Chicken (Easy Dinner Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

Do you cut chicken before or after cooking fajitas? ›

You need to slice the chicken before you cook it for fajitas.

The BEST chicken fajitas are so quick to throw together. Chicken gets marinated in the best juicy lime marinade, then seared for that unmistakeable crisp-charred outer edge! Serve with onions and colourful bell pepper strips and the traditional corn tortillas (or flour tortillas) for the best dinner in minutes.

My new go-to weeknight dinner – Chicken Fajita Tortilla Bowls. Seasoned chicken pan-seared with bell peppers and onions, and served up bowl style with a cilantro-lime vinaigrette. All put together with rice, lettuce, corn, salty cheese, and warm tortillas. Plus creamy whipped avocado on the side.

The best way to cut chicken breasts for fajitas is to slice each breast in half widthwise to create cutlets, then thinly slice each cutlet into strips. This way, the chicken is the same width and size as the bell peppers and onions which makes for a nice eating experience.

After your chicken breasts are done cooking, let them rest for at least half the time that you cooked them for before slicing into them. This will ensure that the breasts stay super juicy and flavorful, and that they're fully cooked. Trust me, waiting the few extra minutes pays off big time — every time.

Thirdly, the toppings for fajitas and tacos can differ. While both dishes can be served with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream, fajitas usually have more substantial toppings, such as cheese and grilled vegetables, while tacos tend to have more traditional toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.

A great way to eat healthily at a Mexican restaurant is to choose grilled foods. Instead of ordering a chimichanga or taquito, opt for steak, chicken or shrimp fajitas. Fajitas are much healthier than fried items but are just as filling; they taste even better when flavored with peppers and onions.

Larger cuts, such as whole chickens or bone-in pieces, often benefit from covered baking to ensure thorough and even cooking. Smaller cuts, like chicken breasts or tenders, can be baked uncovered for quick results. Lastly, think about the desired texture and flavor you're trying to achieve.

Many people opt for boneless, skinless chicken breasts for ease, but you can bake any cut of chicken in foil. Chicken breasts work well with the foil treatment, as steaming keeps the meat juicy and it cooks quickly even with the addition of veggies or starches. Chicken tenders would be a great cut to bake in foil, too.

When you bake chicken do you put water in the pan? ›

It's usually not necessary to add water to the pan for a roast chicken: the steam created by the water can prevent the skin from becoming browned and crisp.

Shrimp, steak, chicken, and chorizo, topped with melted cheese.

A fajita (/fəˈhiːtə/; Spanish: [faˈxita]), in Tex-Mex cuisine, is any stripped grilled meat, optionally served with stripped peppers and onions usually served on a flour or corn tortilla. The term originally referred to skirt steak, the cut of beef first used in the dish.

By cross-cutting the chicken breasts, the edges get crispy, the seasoning is able to absorb into the breasts, and the inside's kept just moist enough. Dry chicken breasts, be gone!

Veggies, meats, and other ingredients that are cut into even pieces also cook more evenly, and one meat that definitely deserves your best knife skills is chicken. Uniformly-cut ingredients maintain the balance of flavors in a dish and ensure that all the pieces of food cook at the same rate.

You can cut slice the meat into strips before or after cooking it. The grain is harder to see once it's cooked, but it's still there! The piece on the left was cut AGAINST the grain. It's tender and easy to chew.

If you cut the chicken into uniform shape and thickness, the pieces cook evenly, and the meat stays tender. It also helps reduce the cooking time, which means you can get dinner on the table faster. It's why recipes that use cut chicken such as fajitas, stir-fry, and pasta are popular weeknight dinners.