Jalapeno Chicken Fajitas

Lime juice and garlic do all the work in this streamlined chicken fajita recipe. The marinade is dead simple, but that acid from the lime tenderizes the chicken and infuses it with bright citrus flavor that holds up to the heat of pepper jack cheese.

Broil or grill the marinated breasts until you get those charred edges, then slice thin against the grain. That’s the move that keeps every bite tender instead of chewy.

Load up warm flour tortillas with the sliced chicken, melty pepper jack, crisp lettuce, tomatoes, scallions, and ripe olives. The contrast between the hot, juicy chicken and the cool, crunchy toppings is what makes a great fajita.

Pro Tips

• Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes but no longer than 2 hours. Lime juice is acidic enough to start breaking down the meat texture if it sits too long.
• Slice the chicken against the grain while it’s still warm. You’ll get cleaner cuts and more tender strips.
• Warm your tortillas on a dry skillet or directly over a gas flame for a few seconds per side. Cold tortillas crack and tear when you try to fold them.
• Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes after grilling before slicing. This keeps the juices in the meat instead of running out onto the cutting board.

Variations

• Add sauteed bell peppers and onions for a more traditional restaurant-style fajita platter.
• Swap pepper jack for queso fresco and add a drizzle of crema for a lighter, tangier finish.
• Use the same lime-garlic marinade on shrimp or flank steak for a surf-and-turf fajita spread.