Keto Fajitas

Tender juicy perfectly seasoned chicken with cooked onions and peppers that have just the right crunch. This is the Keto Fajitas recipe you have been looking for.

Make your own Keto Tortillas to keep the carb count down but still enjoy a traditional taco, or serve open-faced with fresh salad and your favorite toppings, like avocado crema.

WHY YOU'LL WANT THIS RECIPE

This recipe uses just a handful of simple ingredients and is quick to make, low carb, and super tasty! You can have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes, making this recipe perfect for a busy weeknight.

Tacos, fajitas, burritos, chimichangas - you name it, and I like it! Mexican food is one of my favorite things to cook and order out.

While Mexican food does generally involve high carb ingredients like tortillas, rice, and beans, it’s easy to make this recipe keto friendly by making some simple changes to that tradition.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

A simple seasoning blend and a quick marinade make this chicken delicious!

Boneless Chicken Breast - You’ll need about one pound of boneless, skinless chicken for this recipe. Feel free to use dark meat if you prefer it.

Bell Peppers - For a beautiful, colorful presentation, I used one each of red, yellow, and green peppers. Cut your peppers into thin strips as shown so that they cook quickly and at the same time.

Onion - Slice one yellow or white onion into slices similarly sized as the peppers. You can use a red onion also.

Lime Juice - Lime is the star of our chicken fajita marinade. It adds acidity for both flavor and tenderizing the meat.

Olive Oil - A bit of quality fat in the marinade makes the chicken juicy and tasty. Avocado oil also works well.

Garlic- Mince up two cloves of garlic to add extra flavor.

Cumin - I add cumin to almost all of my Mexican recipes. It’s warm, smoky, and perfect here.

Red Chili Powder - for a bit of heat, this is added to the marinade too. You can add more or less to taste.

Salt - Season the chicken according to your own preferences.

Basil - Optional, fresh basil leaves are a delicious addition and are served on the side. Fresh cilantro is a great substitute.

Cherry Tomatoes - Just a handful of tomatoes really brings out the flavor of the fajita seasoned chicken. These are optional.

Avocados - Who wouldn’t love some sliced avocado with their keto fajitas? Avocado adds lots of healthy fats to your meal.

If you have any questions about making this recipe, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add the chicken, lime juice, garlic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, cumin, salt, and chili powder to a large mixing bowl and mix well. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Heat a large pan on medium-high heat until smoking hot. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Add the chicken and cook on both sides until charred and cooked through.
3. Transfer keto chicken fajita meat to a plate.
4. Add the onions and peppers to the hot pan. If needed, add more oil.
5. Cook peppers and onions until tender.
6. Serve with the chicken.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.

Don't forget to garnish your plates with a squeeze of fresh lime juice!

BEST TIPS

Prep ahead by cutting up all of the vegetables the night before.

Adjust the fajita seasoning if you like. Extra red chili powder will give you more spicy flavor. You can also use your favorite fajita seasoning in place of the spices in this recipe if you like.

Don't marinate too long. Chicken can start to change texture if left to marinate in citrus for too long. 30 minutes is the perfect amount of time, and you should avoid letting the chicken marinate for more than 2 hours.

Make Extra by doubling the recipe. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to cook the chicken in two batches, but you'll save time on the prep.

Use a meat thermometer to be sure that your chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F/74°C.

TOPPINGS TO TRY

You can add various toppings to this recipe to only make it even better.

• Fresh Jalapeno will give some heat to the dish. You can sautee it with the bell peppers or add it in raw at the end.
• Lime wedges. Squeeze some fresh lime
• Mushrooms, sautéed with the peppers and onions or served on the side would be a delicious addition. A local to me quick serve restaurant does a low carb fajita bowl with lots of mushrooms and I love it!
• Chop up some fresh lettuce.
• Herbs such as cilantro or parsley can give you plenty of fresh, bright flavor.
• Add your favorite cheese if you want to. Try cheddar, cotija, or queso fresca.
• This 4 Ingredient Guacamole can be used in place of the sliced avocado, and tomatoes can be left out if they don’t fit in your carbs for the day.
• Add creamy Keto Queso, Keto Salsa, and sour cream.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

STORAGE AND MEAL PREP INSTRUCTIONS

Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 4 days in an airtight container.

You can also freeze leftovers for 2 to 3 months. The veggies won't be as crisp as fresh, but sill still taste good.

To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight than heat everything on your stovetop.

This recipe is one of my favorite for making into bowls for lunch meal prep. Simply cook your fajitas and portion them into lunch containers. Let cool a bit before sealing and storing in the fridge.

FAQS

ARE FAJITAS VEGETABLES KETO FRIENDLY?

While peppers and onions do have some natural sugars in them, they are a delicious and necessary part of this recipe. If you are concerned about the carbs in onions and peppers, you can use less of them. Feel free to add other low carb vegetables in their place.

This recipe also calls for cherry tomatoes. Tomatoes are technically a fruit but they are keto friendly. A whole half cup of small tomatoes has between 3 and 5 grams of carbs, and you'll have just a portion of that in each serving of this recipe.

HOW MANY CARBS ARE IN CHICKEN FAJITAS WITHOUT TORTILLAS?

This keto fajitas recipe with chicken, peppers, and onions has 12 grams of carbs and 8 grams of fiber in each serving, making it a 4 grams net carb meal.

CAN I MAKE KETO STEAK FAJITAS WITH THIS RECIPE?

Yes, other proteins will work well with these seasonings too. Try steak strips or shrimp. If using shrimp, reduce the marinating time to 15-20 minutes.

You can use two or more different proteins to make chicken and steak keto fajitas too. If you've ordered the combo fajitas at a Mexican restaurant you know how good that is! Simply cook each meat separately to ensure that they are cooked properly.

HOW LONG SHOULD I MARINATE CHICKEN FAJITAS?

With this recipe, you should marinate for at least 30 minutes but can leave in the marinade for up to 2 hours. The lime juice in the marinade will start to break down the chicken a bit too much after that.

CAN I MAKE KETO CHICKEN FAJITA BOWLS?

Yes! This recipe is perfect for making open-face, tortilla-free fajitas, and makes wonderful make-ahead lunches for meal prep. To make keto chicken fajita bowls, serve the cooked fajitas chicken and vegetables with cauliflower rice, shirataki rice, over shredded cabbage, wrapped in a lettuce leaf, or just on their own.

If you are doing a meatless Monday, you can always give this low carb veggie fajita bowl recipe a try.

RELATED RECIPES

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment below letting me know what you thought.

📖 Recipe