Meals that can be made ahead of time, especially those that can be frozen, are a lifesaver, making mealtimes that little bit easier during busy times. This Chicken Fajita Tray Bake is one of our family’s favourites. There is no hovering over the stove (one less thing to clean!) and it is made with simple, accessible ingredients that come together quickly with only one tray to wash up! Hands-off dinners are the best kinds of dinners.
Make sure you check out the recipe notes to get perfect level of caramelisation. You can also modify the vegetables to suit your budget; different coloured capsicums can be pricey depending on the season, so use whichever colour you can get your hands on at the best price. Leftovers are fantastic the next day in wraps or served over rice. The marinade keeps the chicken juicy and tender as it cooks (you’ll have to trust me when I say that there is no dry chicken in sight). I love keeping our fajitas simple with a squeeze of lime juice (a must!) and sour cream, but you can load this Chicken Fajita Tray Bake with any of your favourite toppings!
Can Chicken Fajitas be frozen?
Yes! Chicken Fajitas are the perfect recipe to make ahead and freeze, ready for when you need it. Simply freeze the marinated uncooked chicken and vegetables in a labelled, airtight container or reusable sandwich bag for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the fridge overnight before cooking as per the recipe.
What are some other freezer-friendly family meals?
Some of our favourite freezer-friendly meals include the ultimate Wonton Dumpling Soup, no fuss One Pot Lasagna and creamy Swedish Meatballs. Check out my top 20 Freezer-Friendly Meals here!
What are some topping ideas for Chicken Fajitas?
I love keeping Chicken Fajitas simple with a squeeze of fresh lime, sour cream, jalapeños and fresh coriander but the options are endless.
Try:
- Shredded cheese
- Refried beans
- Charred corn with feta cheese
- Salsa
- Pico de Gallo
- Sriracha mayonnaise
- Guacamole or sliced avocado
- Fresh pineapple pieces
Chicken Fajita Tray Bake
Chicken Fajita Tray Bake is a fast and easy weeknight dinner, filled with familiar Mexican flavours that the whole family will love.
- Total Time: 28 mins
- Yield: 5 1x
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken thigh fillets, sliced
- 1 red capsicum/bell pepper, finely sliced
- 1 yellow capsicum/bell pepper, finely sliced
- 2 red onions, cut into wedges
- 1 tsp garlic, freshly minced
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt flakes
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp olive oil
To serve
- 12 mini flour or corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Lime wedges
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1/4 bunch fresh coriander/cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan).
- Add the sliced chicken, red and yellow capsicum, red onions, garlic, sweet paprika, cumin, dried oregano, onion powder, salt flakes, honey and olive oil to a large baking tray. Use your hands to toss well so that the chicken and vegetables are coated evenly (see note 1).
- Bake for 18 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and browned.
- Serve with warmed tortillas, topped with sour cream, lime juice, sliced jalapeños (if using) and roughly chopped coriander.
Notes
Note 1 – Make sure the pan isn’t overcrowded; this stops the chicken and vegetables from “steaming” instead of getting golden and seared. Use two baking trays if required (one on the top tray of the oven and one on the bottom tray, swapping halfway through cooking).
MAKE AHEAD
These Chicken Fajitas are the perfect recipe to make ahead of time! Arrange the marinated chicken and vegetables on a baking tray (follow step 2 of the recipe) and refrigerate, covered, for up to 48 hours or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the fridge prior to cooking as per the recipe.
LEFTOVERS
Chicken Fajitas reheat well, perfect for a quick dinner or lunch! Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat and serve in wraps or with rice. Leftover cooked Chicken Fajitas are not suitable to freeze.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 18 mins
Sharon says:
This is such a tasty and easy to cook receipe. I have made it a few times already and it’s a favourite with my family.
Gai Forrest says:
This was such an easy and tasty dinner, we love Mexican and sometimes all the sides can get a bit fiddly but this dish just wowed us, our sides were guacamole and sour cream in a tortilla . Magnificent!
Darl says:
Love this recipe. I’ve made it several times.
Nicole says:
This makes me so happy to hear – Thanks so much for taking the time to write! Nic x
Jade says:
Yummy flavours and easy to throw together with little hassle! I used various veggies to bulk it out. I did get some liquid however was easy to drain away! Will definitely cook this again!
Zoe Elcock says:
This a winner! The best fajita flavours I have found when making from scratch . We are currently mid kitchen renovation so don’t have my oven but have discovered this cooks brilliantly in the air fryer!
jessicasmith says:
These were so simple to prep in the morning for my partner to pop in the oven that evening. So much flavour for something so incredibly easy. Definitely added to the dinner rotation!
mel says:
Loved how simple this was and was really tasty and served with the avocado dip from your black bean burritos. There was SO much liquid in the pan after cooking for me though so not sure what happened there? would it have been the type of pan used? Will make again as was so yum and little effort!
Nicole says:
I am so glad you enjoyed it Mel! We absolutely LOVE this recipe too! Love the combo of the avocado dip too – yum! The capsicums/peppers do release a lot of liquid so ideally the more spaced out all the ingredients are, the better! I tend to use two trays and swap them halfway through cooking. It stops the ingredients “sweating” and creates more of a caramelisation. I hope that helps, thank you so much for taking your time to write and rate the recipe! x