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Chicken Fajita Rice Bowls

Fresh, flavorful, and weeknight-friendly—Chicken Fajita Rice Bowls are a customizable meal packed with marinated chicken, charred peppers, and delicious toppings over lime-cilantro rice.

  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced into thin strips
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 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)
  • 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
  • 1.5 cups long-grain white rice or basmati rice
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
  • 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
  • 0.75 tsp salt
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
  • 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mexican blend)
  • 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)

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. Marinate the chicken: Place chicken in a bowl or zip-top bag, pour marinade over chicken, and toss. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes.
  3. Cook the rice: Rinse rice, bring chicken broth or water to a boil, add rice, butter or oil, and salt. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15–18 minutes until done. Fluff with lime juice and cilantro.
  4. Cook the fajita vegetables: Heat olive oil in a skillet, add bell peppers and onion, season, and cook for about 6–8 minutes until softened and slightly charred. Remove and set aside.
  5. Cook the chicken: In the same skillet, increase heat, add marinated chicken in batches, and cook until cooked through and lightly charred (4–6 minutes per batch). Return vegetables to the skillet to warm with the chicken if desired.
  6. Warm beans and corn: Warm black beans for about 3–5 minutes and corn for 1–2 minutes (microwave or stovetop).
  7. Assemble: Spoon rice into bowls, top with chicken, vegetables, beans, corn, cheese, avocado, sour cream, salsa, cilantro, and lime wedge. Serve immediately.

Notes

Marinate chicken up to 24 hours in advance for deeper flavor. Fully assembled bowls with avocado may keep 1–2 days refrigerated, but avocado will brown sooner.

  • Author: jayne
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Skillet Cooking
  • Cuisine: Tex-Mex
  • Diet: Gluten-Free; Dairy-Free options available

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bowl
  • Calories: 600
  • Sugar: 5g
  • Sodium: 600mg
  • Fat: 25g
  • Saturated Fat: 8g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 15g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 55g
  • Fiber: 8g
  • Protein: 40g
  • Cholesterol: 120mg

Keywords: chicken, fajita, rice bowl, Tex-Mex, meal prep, customizable