chicken fajita recipe crock pot

CROCKPOT CHICKEN FAJITAS

It really doesn’t get much easier than this! Simply add 4 ingredients plus some seasoning to the slow cooker for a tasty one-pot dinner option your whole family will love.

Since I first posted this Crockpot Chicken Fajita recipe way back in 2015 these easy chicken fajitas have been one of the most popular on Simple Healthy Kitchen. They require only 5 minutes prep time, 4 simple ingredients and a few pantry spices (or a packet of taco/fajita seasoning).

Now that we are all settling in to our new “norm” of eating at home and looking for super easy and flavorful recipes the whole family will love, I thought it would be good to update this post with some new info and photos.

Now close your eyes and imagine yourself at a fancy Mexican restaurant (someday we will be able to go out to eat again), hear the sizzling hot fajitas as they pass your table. Smell the warm aroma of spicy chicken, bell peppers and onions.

That’s exactly the aroma that will greet you when you come home from a long day at work (even if that is now only one room away). Magic will have taken place in the slow cooker and a tasty Mexican dinner awaits you.

Can I Make These Chicken Fajitas on the Stovetop?

Yes! You can easily make these fajitas on the stove if you don’t have a slow cooker. Or while the weather is still nice, try making grilled chicken fajitas on the barbecue! Or try fajitas in the oven!

HOW TO MAKE CROCKPOT CHICKEN FAJITAS

1. Slice bell peppers and onion into 1/4 inch slices. Can be done ahead of time and stored in zip-top bags in the refrigerator.

2. Place the bell peppers and onions at the bottom of the crock pot.

3. Add the chicken and chicken broth. Sprinkle chicken with spices (either the contents of a taco/fajita seasoning packet or make your own spice mixture-recipe below). Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 4-6 hours..

4. Shred the chicken -Once chicken is cooked, remove from the slow-cooker and let cool for a few minutes. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Add shredded chicken back into slow-cooker and mix with peppers and onions. Or, you can slice the chicken into strips if your prefer.

5. Serve over warm tortillas with your choice of toppings ( like shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, avocado, fresh cilantro)

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN TACO/FAJITA SEASONING:

If you don’t have a packet of taco/fajita seasoning handy or you’d like to make your own, you can substitute the following for the packet.

1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CROCKPOT FAJITAS

• Tortilla and more- Serve in tortillas, tacos, over rice or quinoa, as a salad (over chopped greens with sour cream and salsa), make a burrito bowl ( rice, bean and fajita chicken and slice avocado).
• Topping ideas- Sour cream, salsa, guacamole, cheese, cilantro, squeeze of lime.
• Side Dishes- corn, Skillet Mexican Corn Salad, Watermelon Salad, Black Beans, Refried Beans, Spicy Roasted potatoes, sliced avocado and tomatoes

RECIPE NOTES:

Crispy Veggies- Bell peppers can be added at any time throughout the cooking process. If you like crispier veggies consider adding the bell peppers later in the cooking process. Add onions ,chicken broth  and chicken breasts to the crockpot. Sprinkle spices over chicken and begin  cooking. Add bell peppers on top of chicken later, depending on how crisp you want the veggies to be (15-30 mins or so before ready to serve).

Can I add tomatoes? 

Yes, if you’d like to add tomatoes use 1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes and omit the chicken broth.

Can I use frozen chicken in the slow cooker?

I suggest thawing frozen chicken prior to cooking in the slow-cooker. The USDA says that 165F is the minimum internal temperature needed to safely cook chicken. While the slow cooker will definitely heat frozen chicken to 165F or above the problem is what the USDA calls the “danger zone“.

The danger zone is the temperature range that bacteria grow most rapidly (between 40-140 F).  When slow cooking frozen chicken it’s possible it may spend too much time in the “danger zone”. So to keep things on the safe side, thaw the chicken prior to cooking in the crockpot.

Tips And Variations:

• If you like the bell peppers tender crisp and not soft, wait until about the last 30 minutes to add them.
• Cook near lesser times if you’d like to slice chicken vs. shredding.
• For an extra boost of flavor serve topped with sour cream, salsa, sliced avocados or guacamole, or Mexican hot sauce.
• Use corn or flour tortillas for serving. Warm them first.
• Or try serving fajita mixture over rice or quinoa and make a burrito bowl instead.
• Add more or less chili powder according to preference. Be sure to use mild chili powder.
• Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Karen’s Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas

Getting delicious chicken fajitas on the table is a breeze using a slow cooker; and clean up takes no time with a disposable Reynolds Slow Cooker Liner.

Ingredients

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