Low-Calorie, Flavor-Packed Chicken Fajitas Recipe

A skillet of sizzling chicken or beef strewn with fresh onions and peppers should be the base for a fantastic meal, but then why do Chili's, Chevys, Applebee's, and Baja Fresh all serve versions of fajitas with more than 1,000 calories? Fattier cuts of meat, oversize tortillas, and hulking condiment trays are to blame. Thankfully, our chicken fajitas recipe is boldly flavored, loaded with vegetables and protein, and healthy enough to eat twice a week.

Nutrition: 490 calories, 19 g fat (3.5 g saturated), 900 mg sodium

Serves 4

You'll Need

1⁄2 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp chopped chipotle pepper
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 onions, sliced
8 small (6") flour tortillas, warmed
Guacamole
Salsa
1 cup shredded Jack or Cheddar cheese6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

How to Make It

1. Combine the orange juice, chipotle, lime juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken and marinate in the fridge for an hour.
2. Preheat a grill or stovetop grill pan until hot. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard what's left in the bag. Grill the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until lightly charred and cooked all the way through. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
3. While the chicken cooks, heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat.
4. Cook the bell peppers and onions until charred and caramelized on the outside, about 10 minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Slice the chicken into thin pieces.
7. For a dramatic presentation, place the chicken on top of the hot peppers in the skillet and bring the skillet sizzling to the table.
8. Serve with warm tortillas, guacamole, salsa, and cheese.

Eat This Tip

These four other bases make fantastic fajitas, too:

• Skirt steak or flank steak, swapping in for the chicken, soaked in the same marinade
• Medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, and soaked in the same marinade for 20 minutes or less
• Pork Chile Verde, served with sautéed onions and peppers
• Portobello mushroom caps, seasoned with chili powder, grilled or sautéed

The easy way to make healthier comfort foods.