No more rubbery and dried out baked chicken breast! With one simple trick, these chicken fajita lettuce wraps are juicy and flavorful. All made in the oven and served in a lettuce cup.

chicken fajita wrap this recipe

Try these fajita lettuce wraps with Chopped Mexican Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing.

Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps

I’ve been playing around with the idea of oven-baked chicken fajita wraps for quite some time now. I mean who doesn’t love a sheet-pan meal with easy steps and minimal clean up? I know I do!

These baked chicken fajitas are crazy simple to make. Super light and loaded with yummy flavor, similar to our fajita chicken pasta recipe. Not to mention they’re easy to customize with toppings of choice.

The trick to juicy chicken fajitas is brining the chicken in salt water prior to baking. It’s such a simple (and easy!) little trick but it makes a big difference in taste, texture, and tenderness of the chicken.

What is Chicken Fajita Wrap?

Chicken fajita wraps are baked chicken, onions, and bell peppers served in a lettuce cup with toppings of choice. Iceberg lettuce or butter lettuce works great for serving. You can also throw everything into a bowl for an easy fajita salad.

Love lettuce wraps? Try our lettuce wrap turkey tacos!

Ingredients You Will Need

You will need the following ingredients to make chicken fajitas:

FOR THE BRINE: water, kosher salt, and chicken breast. Also optional, garlic and black peppercorns.

VEGGIES & SEASONING: bell peppers (any color), sweet onion, avocado oil, chili powder, cumin, paprika, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and lime juice.

ingredients for fajita lettuce wraps

How to Make Baked Chicken Fajita Recipe

Step 1: Combine water and kosher salt. Stir until the salt dissolves. Add chicken. Also, I like to add garlic and peppercorns for an extra boost of flavor. Let the chicken sit in the brine for 30 minutes.

chicken breast in brine

Step 2: Remove the chicken from the brine. Rinse under cold water, pat dry, and slice into 1/2-inch thick slices. Add to a large bowl, along with the sliced bell peppers and onions.

sliced chicken breast on a cutting board

Step 3: Whisk the oil, chili powder, cumin, paprika, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Pour over the chicken mixture and toss to combine.

onions, bell peppers, chicken in a bowl

Step 4: Transfer the chicken and vegetables onto a 17 X 12-inch rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree F oven for 18-25 minutes. Toss halfway through the cooking.

Tip: Do not overcrowd the baking sheet, otherwise, the chicken and vegetables will steam out instead of roast. Use a 17 X 12-inch rimmed baking sheet or bigger. 

baked chicken fajitas

Step 5: Squeeze fresh lime juice over the chicken fajita filling and serve in a lettuce cup with toppings of choice.

What to Eat with Chicken Fajitas

Looking for what to serve with chicken fajitas?  Try a variety of different toppings that are easy to customize to suit your taste:

Or you can turn the chicken fajitas into a meal with these fresh and flavorful sides:

chicken fajita lettuce wraps

If you love fajitas, try our Chicken Fajita Bowl Recipe.

Reheating Leftovers

Leftover chicken fajita filling will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days when stored properly in an airtight container.

To reheat, simply add the cold chicken fajita filling to a non-stick skillet and reheat over medium-low heat until warmed through. If the mixture sticks to the pan, add a splash of water.

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oven baked chicken fajitas

Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 45 min
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Mexican
Print Recipe

Description

No more rubbery and dried out baked chicken breast! With one simple trick, these oven-baked chicken fajitas are juicy and flavorful. All made in the oven and served as a lettuce wrap! 

Ingredients

Units Scale

Brine

  • 4 cups warm water
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
  • Optional: 2 cloves garlic, peeled + smashed with side of knife
  • Optional: 1 Tbsp. black peppercorns

Veggies + Seasoning

  • 2 medium bell peppers (any color), cut into thin strips
  • 1 large sweet onion, cut into 8–10 wedges
  • 3 Tbsp. avocado oil
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 lime
  • Black pepper, to taste

To Serve

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the water and salt. Stir until all of the salt has dissolved. Add the chicken breasts and optional add-ins (garlic and peppercorns). Let chicken sit in the mixture for 30 minutes, uncovered, at room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray an 17 X 12-inch rimmed baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
  3. Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Slice into 1/2-inch thick strips and add to a large bowl. If the chicken breast is thick, cut in half lengthwise and then slice into strips. To the chicken, add bell peppers and onions.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the avocado oil, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Pour the mixture over the chicken and veggies, and toss with tongs until fully coated.
  5. Bake, uncovered, for 18-25 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through and vegetables are tender. Stir once halfway.
  6. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and squeeze fresh lime juice over the chicken mixture. Season with more salt to taste if needed. Serve in a lettuce cup with desired toppings of choice.

Notes

  • Toppings: See blog post for more topping ideas.
  • Leftovers: Leftover chicken fajita mixture will last in the fridge for 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container. Reheat leftovers in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water.
  • Nutrition: Nutritional information does not include the toppings.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 297
  • Sugar: 3.3 g
  • Sodium: 7916.4 mg
  • Fat: 14.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7 g
  • Protein: 33 g
  • Cholesterol: 103.4 mg

Originally published in May 2016, updated April 2020 with new photos, rewritten post, and additional information. No change to the recipe.