Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Fajita Sauce and Homemade Tortillas

Sizzling seared chicken and peppers wrapped in warm homemade flour tortillas, finished with a rich, creamy homemade fajita sauce. Everything here is made from scratch — no packet seasoning, no store-bought tortillas — for a fajita night that tastes far better than takeout.

What You Need

• 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced into strips
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup sour cream or Mexican crema
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder or 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, for tortillas
• ½ teaspoon salt, for tortillas
• ½ teaspoon baking powder, for tortillas
• ⅓ cup lard or vegetable shortening, for tortillas
• ¾ cup warm water, for tortillas

Method

1. TORTILLAS: Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together. Cut in the lard or shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the warm water and mix until a soft dough forms.
2. Knead the dough for 2–3 minutes until smooth, then divide into 10–12 balls. Cover and rest for 20 minutes — this makes the dough much easier to roll thin.
3. Roll each ball into a thin round on a lightly floured surface. Cook each tortilla in a dry, hot skillet for 30–45 seconds per side, until lightly browned in spots and puffed. Stack and keep covered with a towel to stay warm and soft.
4. CREAMY FAJITA SAUCE: Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, minced garlic, lime juice, and chipotle powder. Season with salt to taste and refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. FAJITAS: Toss the sliced chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Sear the chicken in a single layer for 4–5 minutes per side until well browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
7. Add the remaining olive oil to the same skillet and sauté the peppers and onion over high heat for 5–6 minutes until charred at the edges but still crisp.
8. Return the chicken to the skillet, squeeze the lime juice over everything, and toss together for 1 minute to combine.
9. Serve immediately with the warm homemade tortillas and a generous drizzle of the creamy fajita sauce.

Tips & Notes

• Resting the tortilla dough before rolling is the step people skip — it is what keeps the tortillas from shrinking back and staying thick.
• A screaming hot skillet is essential for the charred, smoky edges that make fajitas taste "restaurant-style."
• The fajita sauce also works well as a dip for the tortilla scraps or a topping for tacos.
• Homemade tortillas dry out quickly once cooled — keep them wrapped in a clean kitchen towel until serving.

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