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 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.
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 ? 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.
Crockpot Chicken Fajitas are great when you want to “set it and forget it”…but sometimes you just need fajitas NOW! and if that’s the case…here you go! Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas (Ready in 20 min.)
Be sure to check out these other tasty Crockpot Recipes:
- Crockpot Country Style BBQ Ribs
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken
- Slow-cooker Black Bean+ Sweet Potato Enchiladas
- Crockpot Indian Butter Chicken
- Slow Cooker Carnitas Tacos + Corn Salsa
Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients
- 3 medium red bell peppers
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper
- 1 medium green bell pepper
- 1 medium onion
- 1 packet taco or fajita seasoning *
- 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 8 flour tortillas fajita or soft taco size
- toppings cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa
Instructions
- Slice bell peppers and onions in 1/4 inch slices. Add to bottom of Crockpot. **
- Add chicken broth . Layer chicken breasts on top of peppers/onions. Sprinkle chicken with taco or fajita seasoning packet or homemade seasoning (recipe in notes).
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Remove chicken from the Crockpot and let cool slightly. Use two forks to shred the chicken ( or slice into strips) . Add chicken back to Crockpot and mix with peppers and onions.
- Serve over warm tortillas with your choice of toppings ( like cheese, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, fresh cilantro).
Notes
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 ** Bell Peppers can be added any time throughout the cooking process. If you like crisper peppers add them later in the cooking process. If adding later in the cooking process omit peppers from step 1 in recipe and add them on top of chicken approx. 15-30 mins before serving.
Nutrition
Amanda B
March 29, 2018 at 5:04 pmHey Susan, if I want to double this recipe, should i really just double everything or is there a different way you suggest I do it?
Susan
April 2, 2018 at 8:39 pmHi Amanda- I think would double the recipe for the chicken, spices and chicken broth. But you probably dont need to double the bell peppers ( maybe add 1-2 more) or the onion ( 1/2- 1 more). Depending what size crockpot you have you may want to do the chicken/spice in the crockpot and saute the peppers/onion on the stovetop ( about 10-15 mins in a skillet over medium heat). Hope you enjoy!
Jane
November 14, 2017 at 6:09 amis this gluten-free?
Susan
November 14, 2017 at 7:37 pmHi Jane! You could easily make this recipe gluten-free by swapping out the flour tortilla for gluten-free tortillas and using the recommended spices for making your own fajita seasoning (recipe in post) or making sure if you elect to use a prepared seasoning that it is gluten-free.
Vera
February 27, 2019 at 3:24 pmHere’s another option: I’m gluten free and low carb so I use romaine lettuce in lieu of a tortilla. The rest of my family uses tortillas.
Good stuff! 🙂
Susan
March 21, 2019 at 7:50 amHi Vera…I love them in lettuce cups too! something about the cool crisp lettuce and the spicy chicken, peppers and onions. I’m glad you enjoyed them!
SandyToes
October 11, 2017 at 9:48 amHi, Susan,
I rarely comment on a recipe, but felt I had to with this one. I’ve been cooking for many years, but only used my big slow cooker for split pea or Senate bean soup. I’m a scratch cook, and typical slow cooker recipes held no appeal. But early this summer I lost my mojo, and just couldn’t stand the thought of even 30 minutes at the stove. So I decided to embrace slow cooking, but with recipes using fresh ingredients and are super easy, too. Tall order. Since it’s mostly just 2 of us now, I bought a new 3.5qt oval slow cooker and a few good cookbooks, but none of them had a fajita recipe. Google sent me to you, and it’s easy to see why. This was a hit! And so easy, using stuff I usually have on hand.
I threw in an extra chicken breast for the teenage grandsons who joined us (athletes all, they’re part wolf, I swear). I was surprised that there was plenty of room in the slow cooker, because it looks so small compared to my old one. Worried about losing most of the seasoning to the sauce (I obsess over little details), I opted to rub it into the chicken, which only added 1 minute to the prep time and really kept the seasoning on the chicken. Since I hate mushy veggies I put them on top of the chicken (obsessing again). I feared the liquid would be too much (do you think I obsess too much?), and there was a lot at the end, but I trusted your advice in an earlier comment. Dinner was done in 3 hours on low, with easily shreddable, moist chicken (you’re right about the broth), and tender veggies. I set the chicken aside, removed the veggies with a spider and dumped the liquid. After shredding the chicken, everything went back into the pot to keep warm for an hour until everyone showed up for dinner. Meanwhile, I threw some stuff in my rice cooker for easy Mexican rice. The guys hoovered up these fajitas like starving golden retrievers, every last bite.
This recipe hit all the marks, and was a good intro to modern slow cooking for me. Easy prep (just 5 minutes at each end), fresh food, and the family loved it. This one is a keeper, thanks!
Susan
October 11, 2017 at 8:23 pmThanks! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the fajitas! I like your idea of rubbing the spices right on the chicken…will have to try that next time! And I really do appreciate you taking the time to comment!
Danielle
September 22, 2017 at 5:51 pmWhat size crockpot are you using? I have a 6 quart and wondering how many multiples I’ll need to convert your recipe
Susan
September 23, 2017 at 11:42 amHi Danielle- I used a 5 qt. crockpot to make this recipe so you should have plenty of room in just one 6 qt pot.
Janet
November 12, 2016 at 10:20 amDELICIOUS! I followed the recipe exactly, including the seasoning, and cooked in the crockpot on high for 4 hours. My family LOVED this and I will definitely be making this meal regularly! Thank you! I look forward to trying other recipes.
Susan
November 13, 2016 at 10:20 pmJanet…Yeah! Thank you! SO happy to hear the family enjoyed!
Hannah
September 20, 2016 at 1:37 pmhi, your recipe above says 4-6 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, but in the comments you say ” Cooking time is 6-8 hrs. on Low, or 3-4 hours on High.” I just put my batch in my crock pot on low.. will it not be done in 5 hours on low? I used chicken breast tenders
Susan
September 20, 2016 at 7:48 pmHi Hannah…you should be fine with 5 hours on low. Would love to hear how you enjoyed it!