introduction
Chicken Fajita Rice Bowls deliver bright, saucy fajita flavors over fluffy cilantro-lime rice for a meal the whole family will love. If you enjoy simple, build-your-own dinners, you might also like this Buffalo Chicken Bowls recipe for another easy weeknight option.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Fajita Rice Bowls:
- Bold Tex-Mex flavor without complicated steps — smoky, tangy, and bright from lime.
- Fast weeknight dinner: about 30–40 minutes from start to finish.
- Meal-prep friendly — cooks and stores well for lunches or busy nights.
- Customizable toppings make it family-friendly and easy to adapt for picky eaters.
- Balanced bowl with protein, veggies, and grains in one dish.
Ingredients Needed :
For the chicken and marinade:, 1.5 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced into thin strips, 3 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 2 limes), 2 tsp chili powder, 1.5 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 0.5 tsp dried oregano, 0.5 –1 tsp salt, to taste, 0.5 tsp black pepper, 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat),
For the fajita vegetables:, 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced, 1 large yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced, 1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced, 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced, 1 tbsp olive oil, 0.5 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp black pepper, 0.5 tsp chili powder (optional, to echo the fajita flavor), 0.5 tsp ground cumin (optional),
For the rice base:, 1.5 cups long-grain white rice or basmati rice (or brown rice if preferred), 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water, 1 tbsp butter or olive oil, 0.75 tsp salt (if using salted broth, reduce to 0.25 ), Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tbsp), 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional for cilantro-lime rice),
For toppings and assembly:, 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed, 1 cup corn kernels (frozen and thawed, canned and drained, or fresh cooked), 1 cup shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mexican blend cheese, 1 large avocado, sliced or cubed, 0.5 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, 0.5 cup salsa or pico de gallo, Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish, Lime wedges, for serving, Pickled jalapeños or fresh sliced jalapeños (optional), Hot sauce (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the marinade: In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne (if using). Whisk until smooth and well blended.
- Marinate the chicken: Place the sliced chicken in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate 20–30 minutes (up to 4 hours). While it marinates, start the rice and prep vegetables.
- Cook the rice: Rinse rice under cold water until mostly clear. Bring chicken broth or water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice, butter or oil, and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15–18 minutes for white rice (or follow package directions for brown). Remove from heat, let sit 5–10 minutes, then fluff and stir in lime juice and cilantro. Keep warm.
- Cook the fajita vegetables: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sliced peppers and onion, season with salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin (if using). Cook 6–8 minutes until tender-crisp and slightly charred. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook the chicken: In the same skillet, increase heat to medium-high. Add marinated chicken in a single layer (work in batches to avoid crowding). Cook 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and edges are lightly charred (165°F/74°C internal). Return all chicken to the skillet briefly to coat in juices. Adjust seasoning with salt or lime.
- Warm the beans and corn: Warm black beans in a small saucepan with a splash of water for 3–5 minutes. Heat corn in a small pan or microwave 1–2 minutes; optionally char briefly in a dry skillet.
- Assemble and serve: Spoon cilantro-lime rice into bowls, top with fajita chicken, peppers and onions, black beans, corn, shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, salsa, cilantro, and a lime wedge. Serve immediately and encourage a squeeze of fresh lime over each bowl.
Serving Suggestions Chicken Fajita Rice Bowls
- Serve with warm tortillas or tortilla chips for scooping.
- Offer a simple side salad or pickled red onions to brighten the meal.
- For parties, set up a toppings bar (cheese, avocado, jalapeños, salsa, hot sauce) and let guests build their own bowls.
Tips for Success Chicken Fajita Rice Bowls
- Slice chicken against the grain for tender strips.
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet when searing chicken — cook in batches to get a nice char.
- Rinse rice to prevent gummy texture, especially important with basmati or long-grain rice.
- Use fresh lime juice — it brightens the marinade and the rice in a way bottled juice can’t.
- Make components ahead: rice, beans, and peppers keep well and reheat quickly for busy nights.
- For extra smoky depth, finish chicken with a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of smoked paprika right before serving.
variation (if any)
- Shrimp fajita bowls: swap shrimp for chicken, marinate 10–15 minutes, and cook 2–3 minutes per side.
- Steak fajita bowls: use flank or skirt steak, marinate, then sear and slice thinly against the grain.
- Vegetarian: skip the meat and double the peppers, add roasted sweet potatoes or tofu for protein.
- Cauliflower rice: replace rice with cauliflower rice for a low-carb option; quick-sauté with lime and cilantro.
FAQs
Q: Can I use brown rice instead of white?
A: Yes — brown rice works great. Use 2 cups water per 1 cup brown rice and cook according to package directions (usually 35–45 minutes).
Q: How long will leftovers keep?
A: Stored in an airtight container, components will keep 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave, adding a splash of water to keep rice moist.
Q: Can I freeze this meal?
A: You can freeze cooked chicken and peppers but the texture of rice and avocado won’t be ideal after freezing. Freeze in portioned containers without fresh toppings; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat.
Q: How do I make this gluten-free?
A: This recipe is naturally gluten-free when you use gluten-free broth and check that any packaged spice blends are certified gluten-free.
Q: Want more heat?
A: Add sliced fresh jalapeños, pickled jalapeños, or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at service.
Conclusion
For an easy, crowd-pleasing weeknight meal that’s meal-prep friendly and endlessly customizable, these bowls hit the mark. If you want another flavorful bowl idea, check out this Chicken Fajita Bowl – The Skinnyish Dish for a different take and extra inspiration.
Ingredients
For the chicken and marinade
- 1.5 lb 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced into thin strips
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 2 tsp 2 tsp chili powder
- 1.5 tsp 1.5 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp 1 tsp onion powder
- 0.5 tsp 0.5 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5–1 tsp 0.5 –1 tsp salt, to taste
- 0.5 tsp 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 0.25 tsp 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
For the fajita vegetables
- 1 large 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large 1 large yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large 1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 medium 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp olive oil
- 0.5 tsp 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 tsp 0.5 tsp chili powder (optional, to echo the fajita flavor)
- 0.5 tsp 0.5 tsp ground cumin (optional)
For the rice base
- 1.5 cups 1.5 cups long-grain white rice or basmati rice (or brown rice if preferred)
- 3 cups 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 0.75 tsp 0.75 tsp salt (if using salted broth, reduce to 0.25)
- 1 large Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tbsp)
- 0.25 cup 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional for cilantro-lime rice)
For toppings and assembly
- 1 cup 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup 1 cup corn kernels (frozen and thawed, canned and drained, or fresh cooked)
- 1 cup 1 cup shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mexican blend cheese
- 1 large 1 large avocado, sliced or cubed
- 0.5 cup 0.5 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 0.5 cup 0.5 cup salsa or pico de gallo
- Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Pickled jalapeños or fresh sliced jalapeños (optional)
- Hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
Preparation
- In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne (if using). Whisk until smooth and well blended.
- Place the sliced chicken in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes (up to 4 hours). While it marinates, start the rice and prep vegetables.
- Rinse rice under cold water until mostly clear.
Cooking the Rice
- Bring chicken broth or water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice, butter or oil, and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15–18 minutes for white rice (or follow package directions for brown). Remove from heat, let sit for 5–10 minutes, then fluff and stir in lime juice and cilantro. Keep warm.
Fajita Vegetables
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sliced peppers and onion, season with salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin (if using). Cook for 6–8 minutes until tender-crisp and slightly charred. Transfer to a plate.
Cooking the Chicken
- In the same skillet, increase heat to medium-high. Add marinated chicken in a single layer (work in batches to avoid crowding). Cook for 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and edges are lightly charred (165°F/74°C internal). Return all chicken to the skillet briefly to coat in juices. Adjust seasoning with salt or lime.
Warming the Beans and Corn
- Warm black beans in a small saucepan with a splash of water for 3–5 minutes. Heat corn in a small pan or microwave for 1–2 minutes; optionally char briefly in a dry skillet.
Assembly
- Spoon cilantro-lime rice into bowls, top with fajita chicken, peppers and onions, black beans, corn, shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, salsa, cilantro, and a lime wedge. Serve immediately and encourage a squeeze of fresh lime over each bowl.
