Is the slow cooker a good way to cook chicken fajitas?

Absolutely! Slow cooker chicken fajitas are one of the easiest, most flavorful meals you can make with minimal effort. By layering fresh veggies, seasoning, and boneless chicken breasts in the crockpot, you’ll get tender meat and bold, well-developed flavors. The slow cooking process allows the spices, lime, and tomatoes to fully soak into the chicken and vegetables.

Is it safe to throw raw chicken straight into the slow cooker?

Yes, it’s completely safe to put raw chicken into your slow cooker—this recipe is built around that. As long as you cook your slow cooker chicken fajitas on LOW for 4–6 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours , the internal temperature will safely reach 165°F or higher. Browning or searing the chicken beforehand isn’t necessary.

What cut of chicken is best for fajitas?

For the best results, use boneless skinless chicken breasts in your slow cooker chicken fajitas . They hold their shape well, are easy to shred or slice, and absorb flavor beautifully. If you prefer something juicier, boneless thighs are a great substitute—but they’ll break down more during cooking.

How to thicken up fajitas in a slow cooker?

Sometimes your slow cooker chicken fajitas can come out with more liquid than expected. To thicken the mixture: Remove 1 cup of excess broth after cooking and discard it before shredding the chicken. Stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp cold water) and cook for an additional 15–20 minutes on HIGH. Or serve with less juicy toppings like avocado, cheese, and refried beans that soak up flavor. These easy fixes keep your tortillas from getting soggy and help the flavors stay concentrated.

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas – The Best Dump-and-Go Tex-Mex Dinner

Description

All the delicious flavors of traditional slow cooker chicken fajitas without all the extra hassle! Just dump everything in the slow cooker and let it simmer to tender well seasoned perfection.

Ingredients

Scale

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes with green chilies

3 bell peppers (preferrably 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green) cored and sliced

1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 1/2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

3/4 tsp ground coriander*

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp honey

For serving:

12 6-inch flour tortillas

Cilantro, sour cream, salsa, guacamole or sliced avocados, shredded Mexican cheese (optional)

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Instructions

Pour half of the canned tomatoes into the bottom of a slow cooker and spread into an even layer. Top with half of the peppers** and half of the onions. Sprinkle garlic in. Top with chicken breasts.

In a bowl whisk together chili powder, cumin, paprika, coriander, salt and pepper. Evenly sprinkle half of the seasoning over chicken breasts then flip chicken and sprinkle in remainder. Top with remaining half of the tomatoes, then layer in remaining peppers and onions.

Cover and cook on HIGH heat about 2 – 3 hours or low heat 4 – 6 hours, until chicken has cooked through and veggies are tender.

Remove chicken, and cut into strips, or shred. Ladle out 1 cup of the broth in slow cooker (mostly tomato liquid) and discard.

In a small bowl whisk together lime juice and honey and add to slow cooker along with chicken and season with additional salt to taste if desired (I sometimes like to add 1/4 cup chopped cilantro too here but this is optional). Gently toss. Serve warm in warmed tortillas optional toppings.

Notes

*Oregano can be substituted for coriander. Much different flavor but another delicious option for fajitas.

**If you like the bell peppers tender crisp and not soft, wait until about the last 30 minutes to add them.

Extra toppings not included in nutritional estimate.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 6
Calories: 432
Sugar: 13g
Sodium: 1007mg
Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 48g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 34g
Cholesterol: 96mg