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Home Method Slow Cooker Slow Cooker Chicken
5
/5
4 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

Dairy Free Dairy-Free Gluten Free Gluten Free Low Carb Low Carb Freezer Friendly Freezer Meal Prep Meal Prep
Jump to Recipe
By: Annie24 Comments
Posted: 5/31/21 Updated: 2/11/25

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Hands off, yet filled with big Tex-Mex flavors, these crockpot chicken fajitas are a crowd-pleasing dinner. Made with a flavorful homemade fajita seasoning, fire roasted tomatoes, bell peppers and red onion.

Whether you have a newborn baby or are trying to work from home, the slow cooker can be such a useful tool for getting dinner on the table! While we love crockpot teriyaki chicken and slow cooker lemon garlic chicken, these crockpot chicken fajitas are definitely the family favorite!

overhead view of slow cooker chicken fajitas
Jump to... show
1 Reasons you’ll ♡ this recipe
2 Recipe video
3 Ingredient notes
4 What are fajitas?
5 Step by step directions
6 Recipe tips
7 Chicken fajita toppings
8 Serve
9 Meal Prep + Storage
10 More slow cooker chicken recipes
11 Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

Simple to prepare, and delivering bold Tex-Mex flavors are just two reasons we love crockpot chicken fajitas so much. Not only can you get the ingredients into the slow cooker in under 15 minutes, but you can assemble them ahead as a crockpot freezer meal.

Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!

Reasons you’ll ♡ this recipe

  • no sautéing means you can get the ingredients into the slow cooker quickly
  • it delivers big on flavor thanks to the homemade fajita seasoning and fire roasted tomatoes
  • adding the peppers and onions later during the cooking period prevents them from overcooking

Recipe video

Watch the video below to see how I make crockpot chicken fajitas! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!

Ingredient notes

ingredients required to make slow cooker chicken fajitas
  • Chicken- as written, this recipe uses boneless skinless chicken breasts. You can use bone-in chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs, but I advise increasing the cook time to 4-5 hours on low.
  • Fajita seasoning- you can use store bought fajita seasoning, but taking the time to make your own homemade fajita seasoning is 100% worth it in terms of improved flavor.
  • Tomatoes- I love using fire roasted tomatoes for this recipe as it gives a subtle smoky flavor. You could also swap for rotel (caution as it can be too spicy for some kids) or just regular diced tomatoes.
  • Vegetables- I advise adding the bell pepper and red onion strips during the last 1-2 hours of cook time; this ensures that they maintain some structure rather than getting completely soft and soggy.

What are fajitas?

Truly Tex-Mex, fajitas originated in Texas in the early 1930's, when the less desirable cuts of beef were given to Mexican cowboys working on ranches as part of their pay (1). Traditionally involving strips of skirt steak cooked on a campfire or grill, modern fajitas usually include bell peppers and red onions, and can use a variety of meats (including chicken) as the protein.

Modern-day fajitas are frequently made with fajita seasoning, which is meant to replicate the traditional fajita marinade (2). These days, fajitas are often served in a sizzling skillet with warmed tortillas and toppings (guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded cheese and more).

These crockpot chicken fajitas are certainly different than the original fajitas, but I hope this slow cooker interpretation can bring delightful Tex-Mex flavors to your dinner table with minimal effort and clean up required.

Step by step directions

slow cooker chicken fajitas in slow cooker before cooking

1. Combine- In the base of a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker, stir together the honey, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and fire roasted tomatoes. Add the chicken breasts, and turn to coat in the mixture.

slow cooker with 4 hours on low set

2. Cook- Put the lid on the slow cooker, then program to cook on low for 4-5 hours.

A note about slow cookers- I use Crock Pot brand slow cookers which cook slightly hot. If you know your slow cooker cooks lower or slower, increase the cook time to 5-6 hours.

overhead view of slow cooker, bell peppers and onions added

3. Add peppers- 2 hours before serving, add the onions and peppers to the slow cooker. You can stir them in, or just let them sit on top.

TIP- Adding the peppers later on in the cook time prevents them from overcooking and getting stringy.

shredded chicken in a bowl with two forks

4. Shred chicken- Once the cooking cycle has completed, transfer the chicken to a clean bowl using tongs. Shred the chicken with two forks or using an electric hand mixer.

slow cooker chicken fajitas in the slow cooker after cooking through

5. Toss back up- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker with a squeeze of lime juice, and stir everything up with tongs.


Recipe tips

Make your own fajita seasoning

Homemade fajita seasoning is easy to prepare, cost effective, and much more flavorful than store-bought. Simply stir together salt, chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and a bit of brown sugar, mix together, and you can store in the pantry for up to 1 year! Grab my homemade fajita seasoning here.

Add veggies at the end

If you've ever cooked bell peppers for 4 hours in a slow cooker, you were likely met with mushy and bitter results. Instead of adding at the start, we add the bell peppers and onions to the crockpot during the last 2 hours of the cook time. They soften and sweeten as they cook, but retain their structure this way.

Add a squeeze of lime

One of my favorite slow cooker tips is to add a bit of acid after cooking as it helps brighten all the flavors back up again after a long cook time. For this recipe, add a squeeze of fresh lime to taste before serving; it compliments the spices in the fajita seasoning, as well as the fire roasted tomatoes.

Chicken shredding hack

To shred your chicken quickly, transfer the cooked boneless chicken breasts or thighs to a bowl, and use an electric hand mixer to shred it in seconds. This is much quicker than using two forks!

If you have bone-in chicken breasts, you'll want to pull the chicken off the bone before shredding.

Toast your tortillas

One easy way to improve both the texture and flavor of grocery store tortillas is to toast them on an open flame (easy to do on a gas range stove or on a barbecue). Toast until they start to smoke a touch, then use tongs to flip them over.

If you don’t have a gas range stove or grill, you can toast them in a frying pan until lightly golden.

Half batch

As written, this recipe makes a large batch of chicken fajitas (serves 8!). If you'd like to cook a half batch of this recipe, you'll need to use a smaller 2.5 quart slow cooker, as there is just not enough liquid to cook in a regular 6 quart slow cooker.

fajita filling placed on a small tortilla

Chicken fajita toppings

When serving your chicken fajitas, don't forget about the toppings! Here are some options:

  • Fresh avocado or guacamole
  • Shredded cheese
  • Shredded lettuce or slaw
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • Pico de gallo, salsa, or chopped cilantro
  • Fresh chopped tomatoes

Serve

Serve fajitas with rice, black beans, corn tortillas or flour tortillas. Don't forget to add a splash of fresh lime juice!

The leftovers make great burrito bowls!

Meal Prep + Storage

Crockpot chicken fajitas make for a great meal prep option. Here are two ways to do it:

Crockpot freezer meal

ingredients for crockpot chicken fajitas in silicone bag for crockpot freezer meal

A crockpot freezer meal is assembled ahead and frozen before cooking. That way on cook day all you need to do is dump the meal into the slow cooker and press the cook button. No measuring!

  1. Assemble all ingredients except for the bell peppers, red onions and lime juice, in a large freezer bag, reusable silicone bag, or meal prep container.
  2. Squeeze out as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months.
  3. Thaw completely before cooking as directed in the recipe card.

Find my favorite freezer containers here.

Reheat meals

Alternatively, you can cook this meal ahead and portion out. When you're ready, reheat and enjoy your easy meals!

  1. Cool completely, then portion out into meal prep containers.
  2. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  3. Reheat in the microwave or (best) in a frying pan over medium heat. Heat until steaming hot, but do not reheat more than once.
  4. Serve in tortillas with toppings listed above, and enjoy!

Favorite Meal Prep Containers

Our tried and true favorite meal prep containers and jars that will keep your food fresh, help you reheat it evenly, and withstand the test of time. No more wasting your money, these are the absolute best containers out there!

Keep reading

More slow cooker chicken recipes

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  • Crockpot Salsa Chicken
  • Crockpot BBQ Chicken
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    Slow Cooker Honey Lime Shredded Chicken
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    7 No Sautee Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
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    Cilantro Lime Chicken Crockpot Tacos
  • close up shot of sticky honey garlic chicken thighs on gray plate
    Sticky Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

close up shot of chicken fajitas in the slow cooker

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

5 from 28 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 4 hours hrs
Total Time: 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Print Rate
Hands off, yet filled with big Tex-Mex flavors, these crockpot chicken fajitas are a crowd-pleasing dinner. Made with a flavorful homemade fajita seasoning, fire roasted tomatoes, bell peppers and red onion.
8

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup fire roasted diced tomatoes see note 1
  • 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts see note 2

1 hour before serving

  • 1 lime juiced
  • 4 bell peppers sliced
  • 1 red onion sliced

To serve

  • tortillas
  • greek yogurt
  • avocado sliced
  • cheese shredded

Instructions 

  • Combine- In the base of a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker, stir together the honey, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and fire roasted tomatoes. Add the chicken breasts, and turn to coat in the mixture.
    slow cooker chicken fajitas in slow cooker before cooking
  • Cook- Put the lid on the slow cooker, then program to cook on low for 4-5 hours.
    slow cooker with 4 hours on low set
  • Add peppers- 2 hours before serving, add the onions and peppers to the slow cooker. You can stir them in, or just let them sit on top.
    overhead view of slow cooker, bell peppers and onions added
  • Shred chicken- Once the cooking cycle has completed, transfer the chicken to a clean bowl using tongs. Shred the chicken with two forks or using an electric hand mixer.
    shredded chicken in a bowl with two forks
  • Toss back up- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker with a squeeze of lime juice, and stir everything up with tongs.
    slow cooker chicken fajitas in the slow cooker after cooking through

Tips:

1- you may swap fire roasted tomatoes for rotel (caution- spicy!) or regular diced tomatoes
2- you may use bone-in chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs; adjust the cook time to 5-6 hours on low
Storage
After cooking, cool completely before portioning out in an air tight container.
Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheat
Reheat in the microwave or (best) in a frying pan over medium heat. Heat until steaming hot.
Do not reheat more than once
 
  • Nutritional information excludes tortillas and extra toppings

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/8 of batch (*), Calories: 268kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 387mg, Potassium: 517mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 2730IU, Vitamin C: 82.3mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 2.3mg
Author: Annie Holmes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

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Reader Interactions

5 from 28 votes (23 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




  1. Sam says

    Posted on 10/10/24 at Posted on 10/10/24

    5 stars
    We made this tonight and it was good. Instead of tacos/ fajitas we served it over rice and it was perfect.

    Reply
  2. Anisa says

    Posted on 7/22/24 at Posted on 7/22/24

    5 stars
    I’ve been use the recipe for ever but now I don’t have a crock pot how would I do this using the stove top

    Reply
  3. Steph says

    Posted on 3/18/22 at Posted on 3/18/22

    5 stars
    This recipe was soooo easy and so good. Turned out wonderfully. Chicken was flavourful and moist. I added the peppers for the last 1.5 hours to avoid them getting too soggy.

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 3/19/22 at Posted on 3/19/22

      Hi Steph, really glad you enjoyed it - and hopefully found a new favorite to keep in your meal rotation! Thanks for leaving a rating and review 🙂

      Reply
  4. Sarah says

    Posted on 3/6/22 at Posted on 3/6/22

    5 stars
    Made this tonight, turned out perfect, will always cook chicken in the crock pot this way!! Crock Pot on low for about 4 hours, added onions and peppers with 1.5 hours left, fantastic.

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 3/7/22 at Posted on 3/7/22

      Hi Sarah, sounds like you've found a new favorite to add to your rotation! Really glad to hear you enjoyed, thanks for leaving a rating and review 🙂

      Reply
  5. Anel says

    Posted on 11/17/21 at Posted on 11/17/21

    5 stars
    It was amazingly delicious 😋 family loved it🥰. I’ve been looking for a fajita recipe and so happy I found it. Thank you 🙏🏼

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 11/17/21 at Posted on 11/17/21

      Hi Anel, we are so glad to hear that you and the whole family enjoyed these crockpot chicken fajitas! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a rating and review!

      Reply
  6. Vicki says

    Posted on 10/25/21 at Posted on 10/25/21

    It was very tasty. I followed the recipe, but my fajita chicken was swimming in juices-liquids. What did I do wrong?

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 10/27/21 at Posted on 10/27/21

      Hi Vicki, Glad to hear it was tasty! This recipe won't come out the way sheet pan or skillet fajitas do, but should still taste delicious. We kept the liquid from the fire-roasted tomatoes to prevent the chicken from drying out while it cooks, but if you wanted to try, you could strain the extra liquid off before cooking. The additional liquid comes from the peppers and onions, but by adding during the last 1-2 hours of cook time, they shouldn't overcook and add too much liquid to the slow cooker. When you say "swimming" - did it look at all like ours did in the video for this recipe? I hope this helps!

      Reply
    • Annie says

      Posted on 6/13/22 at Posted on 6/13/22

      Could I use frozen pepper strips? If so, when should I add them to crockpot?

      Reply
      • Denise Bustard says

        Posted on 6/15/22 at Posted on 6/15/22

        Hi Annie! That should work, but I am not sure on when you would add them (I would personally try 2 hours before serving?). Putting frozen vegetables into the slow cooker will also mean you need a longer overall cook time, so make sure to factor that in.

        Reply
  7. Amy says

    Posted on 6/10/21 at Posted on 6/10/21

    Quick question...in the ingredients list, it mentions adding the peppers and onions 1 hour before serving but the directions say 2 hours before serving. Which is correct?

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 6/11/21 at Posted on 6/11/21

      Hi Amy, good question! It's really a matter of personal preference, depending if you like your veggies well cooked (2 hours) or more al dente (1 hour). Denise often recommends to cook veggies for less time if you are meal prepping, that way when you re-heat this meal they won't be over-cooked. I hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Amy Willmott-DeVos says

        Posted on 6/11/21 at Posted on 6/11/21

        Great...thank you!

        Reply
  8. Jessica Nicholls says

    Posted on 9/26/19 at Posted on 9/26/19

    Might be a silly question, but what do you mean when you say -
    "Combine all ingredients not marked 'after cooking' in a gallon-sized freezer bag."

    Can I freeze uncooked veggies and potatoes also?

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 10/2/19 at Posted on 10/2/19

      Hi Jessica! I don't recommend cooking the veggies with the chicken for the full cook time as they end up soooo mushy. I know some recipes are written this way (from other sites). If you are ok with extremely soft veggies, then it will work fine, but if you want them to have a little structure left, then I recommend adding during the last 1-2 hours of cooking. Hope this makes sense 🙂

      Reply
      • Denise says

        Posted on 10/2/19 at Posted on 10/2/19

        Just saw your question about potatoes- I wouldn't freeze uncooked potatoes unless part of a stew. I have done this successfully in my slow cooker tuscan chicken stew and also in my Portuguese Chicken Casserole, but straight up or in a less saucy recipe, I wouldn't do it. The texture changes and they brown and get really gross.

        Reply
  9. Healthy Kitchen 101 says

    Posted on 10/12/18 at Posted on 10/12/18

    Your dish looks gorgeous! I'm so missing some juicy, tender and savoury bites right now! xo
    Anyways, did you really test that it can be frozen up to 3 months? It's unbelievable ? (no negative meaning)!
    - Natalie

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 10/20/18 at Posted on 10/20/18

      Hi! For these ones I really did test for 3 months in the fridge (crazy, huh?). Most of my recipes I will test 1 week in the freezer. 3 months is a usual guideline for freezing food. Thanks so much, Natalie 🙂

      Reply
  10. Jan Pinkerton says

    Posted on 7/6/18 at Posted on 7/6/18

    This was a hit with the whole family, Denise. Easy on the cook (me), safe for the celiac family members, fun to eat, and delicious. The grand kiddos apparently raved about it when they got home. Today we’re loving the leftovers, which I always count on, and which we call “planned-overs”. Thanks for another keeper.

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 7/8/18 at Posted on 7/8/18

      Hi Jan! I'm so happy to hear that! Hope you're enjoying your summer with your grandkids 🙂

      Reply
  11. Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite says

    Posted on 7/5/18 at Posted on 7/5/18

    I love making homemade spice mixes versus store-bought packages of taco seasoning! Can't wait to make this 🙂

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 7/8/18 at Posted on 7/8/18

      Homemade is so much better, right? Thanks, Brittany!

      Reply

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