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Steak, Chicken, and Shrimp Fajitas Texanas

Juicy Steak, chicken, and shrimp are coated in fresh lime juice and chili marinade and cooked to perfection. Served with warm tortillas, peppers, onions, and your favorite toppings for an easy Tex-Mex dinner.
Course Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine American, Mexican, Tex-Mex
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6 People
Calories 326kcal
Author Diana Reis

Equipment

  • Large Cast Iron Skillet 12" skillet

Ingredients

  • 1 Pound Steak flank, flap, or skirt
  • 1 Chicken Breast butterflied, split in half
  • 1 Pound Shrimp large, cleaned, tails removed
  • 1 Yellow Onion thinly sliced
  • 2 Bell Peppers any color
  • 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil

Fajita Marinade

  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Granulated Garlic
  • 1 Teaspoon Granulated Onion
  • ½ Teaspoon Ancho Chili Powder
  • ½ Teaspoon Red Chili Powder mild
  • ½ Teaspoon Paprika
  • ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • ½ Teaspoon Oregano Mexican oregano, if possible
  • ¼ Cup Olive Oil
  • ¼ Cup Lime Juice juice of 2 limes

Instructions

  • Start by mixing olive oil, lime juice, and dry spices in a small bowl to make the marinade.
  • Next, prepare each meat for grilling.
  • Butterfly the chicken breast by slicing horizontally to make two thin halves.
  • Next, cut the steak into a size that fits in the frying pan. For my 12 inch skillet, this was just two pieces.
  • Clean shrimp by peeling away the shells. Then, make a cut along the top of the shrimp and remove the vein. Finally, remove the tails for easy eating.
  • Place each meat into its own food storage bag. Then, pour ⅓ of the marinade into each of the bags. Let the meats marinate while you prepare the peppers and onions.
  • Thinly slice bell peppers and onions.
  • Next, heat a large cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. Add canola oil to the pan and add sliced peppers and onions. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper and cook until the onions are translucent.
  • Remove the cooked onions and peppers and place them in a bowl while you cook the three meats.
  • Start with the chicken breasts. Add the marinated chicken breast pieces to the hot skillet and sear well. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Then, turn and cook on the second side. Make sure the centers reach 165°F. Remove the cooked chicken breast and place on a cutting board to rest.
  • Next, add the marinated skirt steak to the hot pan. Cook for 4 minutes on the first side. Then, turn and cook an additional 4-6 minutes on the second side for a steak cooked to medium or 135° F. Remove the cooked steak and place on the cutting board. Let the meat rest.
  • Cook the shrimp with all of its marinade for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  • Slice chicken and steak into thin slices. For the most tender pieces, cut against the grain of the meat. Identify the grain direction and set the knife perpendicular to it. Then slice across the piece of beef or chicken in that direction.
  • Add sliced chicken, sliced beef, shrimp, and grilled peppers and onions to the skillet while it is still hot.
  • The hot skillet will give the rested meats a little warm up and they are ready to serve with warm flour tortillas, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and your favorite fajita toppings.

Notes

Toppings
Serve with flour tortillas and your favorite toppings.
  • Guacamole
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Cheese
  • Sour Cream
  • Lime Wedges
 
What are Fajitas?
Fajitas are part of Tex-Mex cuisine that originated with vaqueros. These cattlemen were sometimes paid with undesirable portions of meat called skirt. They would grill them directly over an open flame and make steak fajitas. 
Today, fajitas are thin strips of meat grilled with vegetables and served with tortillas and toppings.
Diana’s Tips for Success
Steak and chicken can be marinated overnight. However, the acidic marinade will make the shrimp soft if left too long. It is best to marinate the shrimp close to the start of cooking.
Take the steak, chicken, shrimp out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before cooking. Letting them get closer to room temperature before cooking. Refrigerator cold meat is hard to cook to the center without burning the outside. 
Storage and Reheating
Fajitas can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 
Reheat by warming in a large skillet on low heat. Slowly warming will help keep the meat tender and moist. 

Nutrition

Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 908mg | Potassium: 629mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1579IU | Vitamin C: 56mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 2mg