Chicken Fajita Grilled Cheese Sandwich

If you like a good fajita you’re gonna fall in love with this Chicken Fajita Sandwich. It’s easy, cheesy and bursting with flavour!

I did tell you ‘there’s nothing that can’t be sandwiched’ and I truly meant it 🤣. Think chicken fajitas but crisper and cheesier. It totally works. Follow me…

Fajita Chicken

The star of the show here is the chicken, so it’s important to let it shine. Here’s a few tips to get you started:

• Room Temp – Frying cold meat straight from the fridge causes it to seize up and go chewy. As such I recommend bringing the chicken close to room temp before frying it.
• Butterfly the breast – By slicing each breast in half, you’ll be left with 4 even sized breasts, meaning they’ll cook at a more even rate. It also means they’ll cook quicker too.
• Fajita Seasoning – You can use store bought or make your own! I’ve popped down a homemade recipe in the recipe card notes.
• Rest then slice – Letting the chicken rest before slicing allows it to retain its juices.

Another tip specifically with regard to fajita chicken is letting the chicken char a little. Frying the chicken in a roasting hot pan blackens the outside of the chicken slightly, which gives it a really nice smoky, authentic flavour.

Process shots: butterfly chicken (photo 1), coat in seasoning (photo 2), add to pan with oil (photo 3), fry both sides then remove (photo 4).

Fajita Veg

Alongside the chicken you’ll want to throw in some veg too. Here I opt for peppers (red, yellow, green) and onion. You should have enough oil leftover from the chicken to fry the veg. You’ll also notice a fair bit of char/flavour stuck to the pan after frying the chicken. As the veg fries, it’ll start releasing moisture. This will help you scrape off the flavour from the pan and incorporate it with the onions/peppers.

Process shots: add onions/peppers to pan and fry until soft (photo 1), add in fajita seasoning and fry until lightly charred/fully soft (photo 2).

Chicken Fajita Sandwich

Aaaaaaaaand now the fun begins. To make the sandwich you’re essentially making a grilled cheese, using the chicken/veg as the filling. Loaded with cheese, of course.

What Bread to use?

A white bloomer or sourdough works great. The main thing is that you use oval slices, as opposed to square. This will contain the chicken much better.

What Cheese to use?

I usually go for Monterey Jack and Mexican Cheese Blend. A nice strong Cheddar also works as a great sub for either of those.

Process shots: add bread butter-side-down (photo 1), add cheese #1 (photo 2), add veg (photo 3), add sliced chicken (photo 4), add cheese #2 (photo 5), add bread butter-side-up and fry both sides (photos 6).

Serving a Chicken Fajita Sandwich

I usually serve with a pot of sour cream and/or salsa. Just slice the sarnies in half and get dunkin’!

• Crisp/Chip Recommendation: Flamin’ Hot or Nacho Cheese Doritos.
• Side Recommendation: Balance out the spiciness with some Sweet Potato Wedges, or spice things up even more with some Spicy Potato Wedges!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this cheese and onion sandwich shall we?!

How to make a Chicken Fajita Sandwich (Full Recipe & Video)

Chicken Fajita Grilled Cheese Sandwich

If you like a good fajita you're gonna fall in love with this Chicken Fajita Sandwich. It's easy, cheesy and bursting with flavour!

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5 from 4 votes

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Course: Dinner, lunch

Cuisine: American, Mexican, Tex Mex

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4 sandwiches

666kcal

Author: Chris

Cost: £2 / $2.50

Equipment

• Large Fry Tong & Tongs
• Spatula/Turner
• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
• Paper Towels (optional)

Ingredients

• 8 medium slices of Bread (see notes)
• 2x 7-9oz/200-250g Chicken Breasts, brought close to room temp
• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp Fajita Seasoning (see notes)
• 6 square slices of Monterey Jack or Cheddar
• 1 cup / 100g Mexican Cheese Blend, shredded (or more Monterey Jack/Cheddar)
• 3 Peppers, sliced (red, yellow, green)
• 1 medium Red Onion, sliced
• Butter, as needed
• Olive Oil, as needed
• Salsa/Sour Cream, to serve

Instructions

• Prep Chicken: Butterfly your chicken breasts right through to make 4 even sized breasts. Cover in 2 tbsp fajita seasoning.
• Fry Chicken: Add a drizzle of oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and fry both sides until lightly charred and white through the centre. Place to one side to rest, then slice into thin strips when needed.
• Veg: Add a drizzle more oil to the pan if needed. Add peppers & onion and fry until they begin to soften. Sprinkle in 1 tsp fajita seasoning and continue frying until they begin to char and completely soften. Remove and place to one side. Turn heat off. Wipe with paper towels if a considerable amount of char is left.
• Sandwich: Butter one side of each of your slices of bread. Allow pan to cool slightly and keep the heat off at this point. Add in 2 slices of bread butter-side-down, then top 1 1/2 slices of cheese each. Top with peppers/onion then add chicken (1 sliced breast per sandwich). Sprinkle with more cheese then add bread butter-side-up.
• Fry: Turn heat to a medium and fry both sides until golden, with the cheese nice and gooey. Repeat with remaining sandwiches, then slice in half and serve with sour cream/salsa!

Quick Demo

Notes

a) Fajita Seasoning - You can use store bought or make your own. My homemade version makes 3 tbsp worth, so a little more than you'll need. Here's what you'll need: 

• 2 tsp Cumin
• 2 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 - 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (or to spice preference)  
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

If you're using store bought just check how salty it is. You might need to add more salt, especially on the chicken.

b) Bread - Try and use oval shape slices i.e the same kinda shape as the chicken. Square slices don't work particularly well. I usually go for Italian style bread or a White Bloomer. Sourdough will also work nicely.

c) Calories - Per sandwich with no sides, assuming 1 tbsp olive oil and 4 tbsp butter is used in total:

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Fajita Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Amount Per Serving

Calories 666 Calories from Fat 341

% Daily Value*

Fat 37.85g58%

Saturated Fat 19.13g120%

Trans Fat 0.515g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2.604g

Monounsaturated Fat 11.451g

Cholesterol 166mg55%

Sodium 986mg43%

Potassium 834mg24%

Carbohydrates 32.32g11%

Fiber 2.9g12%

Sugar 3.29g4%

Protein 47.61g95%

Vitamin A 1307IU26%

Vitamin C 256.1mg310%

Calcium 554mg55%

Iron 3.22mg18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.

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