These hearty, deliciously-seasoned Crockpot Chicken Fajitas are easy to make and perfect for those busy days when you want a home-cooked meal without the hassle.
A Bold and Zesty Slow Cooker Dinner!
You can’t go wrong with excellent Southwestern flavors when you want to make something irresistibly tasty. Case in point? These crockpot chicken fajitas! All your favorite fajita ingredients cook up extra-flavorful when you make them in the slow cooker.
Whether you’re feeding a crowd or simply want a hassle-free weeknight meal, these fajitas are the perfect easy recipe. All you need are your slow cooker, a few wholesome ingredients, and a few minutes to prep. Sound good? Great! Get ready for a fiesta!
Why You’ll Love These Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
What’s not to love about fajitas, amirite? Here are just a few reasons this recipe will be a game-change in your kitchen:
- Flavorful: Anyone who loves the flavors of Mexican cuisine will adore this dish.
- Hands-Free Cooking: The slow cooker does all the work here, infusing the chicken and veggies with wonderful spices and seasonings.
- The Best, Juicy Chicken: Tender and juicy fajitas? You got it! These are not only bursting with flavor but they’re also slow-cooked to tender perfection.
- Convenient: The convenience of using a crock pot means you can set it and forget it, even before you go to work for the day. It’s a homemade dinner with minimal effort.
Ingredients For Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
For The Fajitas
- Chicken: I usually opt for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you could use thighs if you prefer.
- Veggies: Onion and bell peppers, thinly sliced, plus a few minced garlic cloves.
- Lime: A sliced lime adds the perfect note of tangy flavor. Don’t skip it!
Fajita Seasoning
- Spices: Chili powder, cumin, and paprika.
- Herbs: Dried oregano. You could also use marjoram in a pinch.
- Salt and Pepper
For Serving
- Tortillas: Flour tortillas are popular, but you could also choose gluten-free tortillas for a gluten-free dinner!
- Optional Toppings: Use what you love! Cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, sliced avocados, etc.
Can You Put Frozen Chicken in a Slow Cooker?
While not all cooks are comfortable using frozen chicken in a slow cooker, many people recommend it. It really depends on you, and your slow cooker as well! Some slow cookers take a very long time to come up to temperature, which could mean that your chicken would be in the “unsafe zone” for too long, allowing bacteria to grow. If this isn’t a concern for you, feel free to use this recipe with frozen chicken. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly, because frozen chicken may take longer to cook through.
How to Make Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
This cooking process is so simple, you could do it in your sleep – or just on a Monday morning when you’d rather be sleeping! Here’s the scoop.
- Make the Seasoning. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to make the fajita seasoning.
- Layer the Veggies in the Crockpot. Coat the insert of the Crock pot with olive oil, and place the thinly sliced onions and bell peppers at the bottom.
- Season the Chicken and Add to the Crockpot. Rub the chicken breasts with the fajita seasoning mixture, ensuring they are evenly coated, and place them on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle the minced garlic on top of the chicken.
- Cook. Cover the crockpot, and cook on high heat for about 2 ½ or 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Cut Up the Chicken. Once the chicken is cooked, take it out of the slow cooker and cut it into
- strips (or shred it!).
- Finish the Dish. Return the cut-up chicken to the pot, and stir it into the cooked veggies. Top with sliced limes, and serve with tortillas and toppings.
How Thin to Cut Chicken for Fajitas
- For the perfect fajita experience, it’s best to cut the chicken into thin strips after removing it from the crockpot. Thinly sliced chicken is perfect for wrapping up in tortillas with all of your favorite toppings. Make the strips about as thin as a pencil or piece of asparagus.
Recipe Tips
Another thing to love about this recipe is how versatile it is. You can switch up the ingredients in so many different ways! Be sure to check out the suggestions for making this recipe your own.
- Add Heat: Feel free to customize the spice level to your liking, by adding some spicy cayenne pepper or minced jalapeño.
- Smokin’ Flavor: If you would like a smoky flavor, you can substitute some of the chili powder with chipotle powder, or use smoked paprika in place of the regular paprika.
- Colorful Veggies: Toss in some extra veggies, such as zucchini or mushrooms, for even more flavor and nutrition.
- Chicken Options: Boneless, skinless thighs are another great option for this recipe.
Tasty Serving Suggestions:
Once your fajitas are ready, it’s time to serve them up! For a complete meal, serve them alongside your favorite sides, like these:
- Mexican Rice: For the easiest-ever Mexican rice, try my Instant Pot Mexican Rice! You’ll want to serve this easy side with everything.
- Elote: Make some classic elote on the cob, or try this Elote Salad (aka Mexican Street Corn Salad). It’s incredibly flavorful, colorful, and addictive!
- Avocado Salad: there’s nothing more refreshing than juicy Avocado Tomato Salad, and it has the perfect flavor profile to go with spicy, savory fajitas.
How to Store and Reheat Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To reheat, microwave them for a minute or two or until heated through. You can also warm them up in a covered skillet over medium heat.
- Freezing Chicken Fajitas: place the cooled fajita mixture in a freezer bag, making sure to press out the air as you close it. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Fajita Recipes
Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
These hearty Crockpot Chicken Fajitas are easy to make and perfect for those busy days when you want a home-cooked meal without the hassle.
Servings: 4
Calories: 313kcal
Ingredients
Fajitas
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 bell peppers red, yellow, and green, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Fajita seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For serving
- flour tortillas
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Optional toppings: Cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole or sliced avocados, etc.
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to make the fajita seasoning.
- Coat the insert of the crockpot with olive oil and place the thinly sliced onions and bell peppers at the bottom of the crockpot.
- Rub the chicken breasts with the fajita seasoning mixture, ensuring they are evenly coated.
- Place the seasoned chicken breasts on top of the onions and bell peppers in the crock pot.
- Add the minced garlic to the pot over the chicken.
- Cover the crockpot and cook on high heat for 2½ to 3 hours or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the crockpot and cut into strips, or shred it.
- Return the chicken to the crock pot and stir it with the cooked onions, bell peppers, and garlic to combine all the flavors.
- Warm the tortillas according to package instructions.
- Serve the chicken fajita mixture on warm tortillas. Add your desired toppings, such as cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or sliced avocados.
- Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- Add Heat: Feel free to customize the spice level to your liking, by adding some spicy cayenne pepper or minced jalapeño.
- Smokin’ Flavor: If you would like a smoky flavor, you can substitute some of the chili powder with chipotle powder, or use smoked paprika in place of the regular paprika.
- Colorful Veggies: Toss in some extra veggies, such as zucchini or mushrooms, for even more flavor and nutrition.
- Chicken Options: Boneless, skinless thighs are another great option for this recipe.
- Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 4 days. To reheat, microwave them for a minute or two, until heated through. You can also warm them up in a covered skillet over medium heat.
- Freezing: These crockpot chicken fajitas can easily be frozen for another time. Just place the cooled fajita mixture in a freezer bag, making sure to press out the air as you close it. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 528mg | Potassium: 966mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3705IU | Vitamin C: 125mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg
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