The sound of fajitas hitting a hot skillet is half the appeal, but the real trick to good fajitas is not overcrowding the pan and not stirring the vegetables too much — both stop the char from forming.
Give the chicken and vegetables room to actually sear instead of steam, and 20 minutes gets you something better than most restaurant versions.
Cook the peppers and onion on high heat without constant stirring — let them sit in contact with the pan to develop char, rather than stirring every few seconds.
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Toss the chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Add remaining oil to the skillet and cook the peppers and onion over high heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring only occasionally, until softened with charred edges.
Return the chicken to the skillet, squeeze lime juice over everything, and toss together. Serve immediately with warm tortillas.
Use high heat and resist the urge to stir constantly — letting the vegetables sit in contact with the hot pan for a stretch is what creates char, while frequent stirring just steams them.
Yes — the chicken and vegetables keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a hot skillet rather than the microwave to bring back some of the char.
Sour cream, shredded cheese, guacamole and fresh cilantro all pair well without overwhelming the smoky-spiced chicken.