Air fryer chicken fajitas turn strips of chicken, bell peppers, and onion into a colorful weeknight filling. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C) for about 3 minutes, then cook the mixture for approximately 16–18 minutes, shaking and turning it halfway through. The edges should pick up some browning while the peppers soften. Cooking time varies by basket size and strip thickness, so check the chicken with a thermometer before serving.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into roughly ½-inch-thick strips
- 2 bell peppers, any colors, sliced into ½-inch-wide strips
- 1 medium onion, sliced into ½-inch-wide strips
- 1 tablespoon avocado or vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning
- ½ lime
- 8 small flour tortillas, warmed, for serving
The seasoning supplies the smoky, savory flavor, so taste the finished filling before adding any extra salt. Keep the lime out of the basket: a squeeze after cooking gives the fajitas a brighter finish without adding moisture while they brown.
How To Make It
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C) with its crisper plate or perforated basket insert in place. Do not put loose parchment in the empty air fryer while it preheats.
- In a large bowl, toss the chicken, peppers, and onion with the oil and fajita seasoning until evenly coated. Use separate utensils or clean them after they touch raw chicken.
- Spread the mixture across the basket insert in a loose, shallow layer. Leave room for hot air to circulate; if your basket is small, cook in two batches rather than packing everything tightly.
- Air fry for 16–18 minutes, shaking the basket and turning the chicken strips halfway through. Near the end, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of a thick strip. Continue cooking as needed until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Squeeze the lime over the cooked filling and divide it among the warm tortillas.
Tips
Cutting the chicken and vegetables to similar widths helps them cook at a comparable pace. If the peppers are tender before the chicken reaches its safe temperature, remove the vegetables with clean utensils and return the chicken to the basket until done. For more browned edges, avoid piling the strips on top of one another; a crowded basket tends to leave them moist rather than lightly crisp.
No baking pan or liner is needed for this recipe. Keep the perforations open so air can move beneath the food, and use the basket insert supplied with your appliance. Serve with salsa or avocado if you like, keeping any toppings separate until the fajitas are cooked.
Pile the warm chicken, peppers, and onions into tortillas and enjoy.
