Cheesy Chicken Fajitas with Charred Peppers, Lime Crema and Jalapeños

These cheesy chicken fajitas bring together tender strips of seasoned chicken, lightly charred bell pepper and onion and warm flour tortillas layered with melted cheddar.

A quick lime crema adds cool tang, while jalapeño rounds marinated in lime juice bring just the right spicy finish.

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Ingredients

1 unit Red 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 all produce. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Core, seed and thinly slice the red bell pepper. Halve, peel and thinly slice the red onion.
2. Thinly slice the jalapeño into rounds, removing the ribs and seeds if you want less heat. Place the jalapeño in a small bowl.
3. Zest the lime until you have 1/2 teaspoon zest. Halve the lime, then cut one half into wedges.
4. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lime half over the jalapeño slices and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate.
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 small bowl, stir together the sour cream, lime zest and a squeeze of lime juice. Mix in 1 tablespoon water, adding up to 1 tablespoon more as needed until the crema is thin enough to drizzle. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Thinly slice the chicken breasts into strips and season with salt and pepper.
8. Heat a large drizzle of vegetable oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until just browned on the outside, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
9. Return the charred vegetables to the pan and add another 1 teaspoon Southwest spice blend. Cook, tossing, until the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more.
10. Meanwhile, arrange the flour tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese and bake until the cheese is just melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Keep the tortillas soft rather than crisp.
11. Divide the chicken and vegetable mixture among the cheesy tortillas. Drizzle with lime crema and top with the marinated jalapeño slices to taste. Serve with the remaining lime wedges for squeezing over the fajitas.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

How can I make these fajitas less spicy?

Remove the jalapeño ribs and seeds before slicing and use only a small amount of the marinated jalapeño when serving.

How do I know when the chicken is done?

The chicken strips should be browned on the outside and cooked through after being returned to the pan with the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes.

Can I skip baking the tortillas?

The baking step melts the cheddar onto the tortillas. If you do bake them, keep it brief so the tortillas remain soft instead of turning crisp.