How to Make Fajita Seasoning

I’ve been making homemade spice blends my whole life, and this Fajita Seasoning recipe is the most popular one on the site. With nearly 500 5-star reviews, commenters can’t stop raving about how delicious this blend is!

As a classically-trained chef, I’ve perfected the art of creating spice blends that are full of flavor and properly-balanced. You always have the option to make them spicer if you love that, but they are family-friendly as written.

Put this Fajita Seasoning to work as a dry rub, a marinade, or even as a substitute for taco seasoning. Make a big batch and keep in the pantry because trust me, you’ll reach for it again and again!

What is in Fajita Seasoning?

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

• Paprika: Both sweet and smoked paprika work here.
• Sugar: Leave this out if you want to.
• Cayenne pepper: Add more if you like spicy food, omit entirely if you don’t.

How to Make Fajita Seasoning

• In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, paprika, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper to taste (I like ½ teaspoon), and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon). Store in an airtight container.

Should I use a spice grinder?

I HIGHLY recommend using a spice grinder if you want the freshest flavors for your spice blends. They’re not too expensive and make a tremendous difference in your cooking! The KRUPS Fast Touch Electric Grinder is my favorite one because it’s powerful and easy to clean. You can get it at Walmart for $19.98 but I recommend a few others in my best spice grinder roundup!

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This recipe makes ¼ cup fajita seasoning which is enough to season 4 pounds of beef, chicken, or shrimp.
• Storage: Store this spice blend covered in the pantry for up to 6 months.
• Making chicken fajitas:
  1. In a plastic bag, add 2 pounds chicken (breasts or thighs), ¼ cup minced cilantro, 3 tablespoons lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of fajita seasoning. Mash until evenly coated. Marinate at least 30 minutes (room temperature) or up to 1 hour (refrigerated).
  2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil until shimmering. Add chicken and cook until crispy and browned on one side, about 8 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the second side and chicken registers 160 degrees, about 8 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before cutting into strips (do not discard fat in skillet).
  3. Meanwhile, to the skillet with the fat over medium-high heat, add 3 bell peppers (sliced) and 1 red onion (sliced) and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Push peppers and onions to one side and add sliced chicken back to skillet for serving. Serve with tortillas, avocado, cilantro, and sour cream (or your favorite toppings).

How to use Fajita Seasoning

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Fajita Veggies (Chipotle Copycat)

More From Culinary Hill

Fajita Seasoning Mix

By Meggan Hill

Skip the store-bought packets and make your own homemade Fajita Seasoning! It's incredibly simple and can be mixed together in minutes (and you can reduce or omit the salt and the sugar if you want to).

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Servings 4 tablespoons

Course Pantry

Cuisine Mexican

Calories 24

5 from 484 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 4 teaspoons chili powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ▢ 2 teaspoons paprika (see note 1)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons granulated sugar (see note 2)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ cayenne pepper to taste (see note 3)
• ▢ salt to taste

Instructions 

• In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, paprika, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper to taste (I like ½ teaspoon), and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon). Store in an airtight container.

Recipe Video

Notes

1. Paprika: Both sweet and smoked paprika work here.
2. Sugar: Leave this out if you want to.
3. Cayenne pepper: Add more if you like spicy food, omit entirely if you don’t.
4. Yield: This recipe makes ¼ c. fajita seasoning which is enough to season 4 pounds of beef, chicken, or shrimp.
5. Storage: Store this spice blend covered in the pantry for up to 6 months.
6. Making chicken fajitas:
   1. In a plastic bag, add 2 pounds chicken (breasts or thighs), ¼ c. minced cilantro, 3 Tbsp. lime juice, and 2 Tbsp. of fajita seasoning. Mash until evenly coated. Marinate at least 30 minutes (room temperature) or up to 1 hour (refrigerated).
   2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil until shimmering. Add chicken and cook until crispy and browned on one side, about 8 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the second side and chicken registers 160 degrees, about 8 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before cutting into strips (do not discard fat in skillet).
   3. Meanwhile, to the skillet with the fat over medium-high heat, add 3 bell peppers (sliced) and 1 red onion (sliced) and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Push peppers and onions to one side and add sliced chicken back to skillet for serving. Serve with tortillas, avocado, cilantro, and sour cream (or your favorite toppings).

Nutrition

Serving: 2teaspoonsCalories: 24kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 36mgPotassium: 89mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1098IUCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg

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