Cheesy Chicken Fajitas with Bell Pepper, Pickled Jalapeño and Lime Crema

These cheesy chicken fajitas bring together tender strips of spiced chicken, sautéed bell pepper and red onion and warm flour tortillas topped with melted cheddar.

A quick lime soak gives the jalapeño a bright, spicy bite, while the sour cream lime crema adds a cool finish to every tortilla.

Log in to save recipes and build weekly shopping lists.

Ingredients

1 unit Bell PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Red OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit JalapeñoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Chicken BreastsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Cheddar CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the produce. Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Core, seed and thinly slice the bell pepper. Halve, peel and thinly slice the red onion. Thinly slice the jalapeño into rounds, removing the ribs and seeds first if you want less heat.
3. Zest 1/2 teaspoon zest from the lime. Halve the lime, then cut one half into wedges.
4. Place the sliced jalapeño in a small bowl. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lime half over the jalapeño, toss to coat and set aside.
5. Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and 1 teaspoon Southwest spice blend. Cook, tossing occasionally, until softened and lightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer the vegetables to a plate.
6. In a second small bowl, stir together the sour cream, lime zest, a squeeze of lime juice and 1 tablespoon water. Add up to 1 tablespoon more water if needed to make the crema drizzly. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Heat another drizzle of vegetable oil in the same large pan over medium-high heat. Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips and season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the chicken to the pan in a single layer. Cook, tossing occasionally, until just browned on the surface, 2 to 4 minutes.
9. Return the cooked vegetables to the pan with the chicken. Add another 1 teaspoon Southwest spice blend and continue cooking until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, 2 to 3 minutes more.
10. Meanwhile, arrange the flour tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the cheddar evenly over the tortillas and bake until the cheese is just melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Keep them soft rather than crisp.
11. Divide the chicken and vegetable mixture among the cheesy tortillas. Top with lime crema and pickled jalapeño to taste. Serve with the remaining lime wedges for squeezing over the fajitas.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

How can I make the jalapeño topping less spicy?

Remove the ribs and seeds before slicing the jalapeño, then use only as much of the lime-pickled jalapeño as you like when serving.

Why are the tortillas baked with the cheese?

Baking briefly melts the cheddar directly onto the tortillas, creating a warm, cheesy base for the chicken and vegetables.

Can I make the lime crema thinner?

Yes. Start with 1 tablespoon water, then stir in up to 1 tablespoon more until the crema is easy to drizzle.