Copycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (2024)

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This Copycat Chili’s Steak Fajitas Recipe is easy to make and SO delicious – – maybe even a little bit better than at the restaurant!

Copycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (1)Copycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (2)

Awhile back I was craving fajitas like crazy, and I don’t really care for our local Mexican restaurant! We only have one nearby, since we live in such a small town, so I decided I would make some a Chili’s fajitas recipe myself. I have made them a few times at home and they just never compare to the restaurant style!

So I searched and searched online to find a recipe that could hopefully compare. I came across this Low-Fat Chili’s Fajitas Copycat Recipe, and I thought, this is the recipe I will have to try!

I ran to the store and grabbed the ingredients, let the meat marinate and cooked them up for dinner! I was pretty impressed with this recipe. You could taste the lime from the marinade quite a bit, but the lime did a great job at making the steaks nice and tender!

I would definitelymake these again. This is honestly the best at-home fajita recipe I have made to date!

It does require you to marinate the meat anywhere from 4 hours to 24 hours. I did mine for around 8-9 hours and it tasted good to me when I made them! I picked up red, orange, and green peppers, and I love the color it has!!

Copycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (3)Colgin Gourmet Liquid Smoke – Natural Mesquite and Natural Hickory FlavorsCopycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (4)

One of the keys to give this recipe its restaurant style is the liquid smoke. They are a few different brands to choose from, but the most popular is Colgin’s Natural Mesquite Liquid Smoke.

It’s an all-natural liquid smoke with no additives or preservatives. It instantly adds smoke flavor to almost any food that would benefit from real smoke flavor and aroma. It definitely adds the perfect touch to the fajitas!

So enough chit-chat, let’s get to theCopycat Chili’s Steak Fajitas Recipe, shall we….

Copycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (5)

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice

3 tbs. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Liquid Smoke
3 tsp. Soy Sauce
1 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
4 Cloves Garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (it does make it a little spicy, if you like more mild add 1/8 tsp)
Steaks (I used 1 Flat Iron Steak2-3 lbs). You can use chicken if you want.
1 Onion
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Orange Bell Pepper

Copycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (6)Simply Organic Cayenne PepperCopycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (7)Copycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (8)Kikkoman Soy SauceCopycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (9)Copycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (10)Colgin Gourmet Liquid Smoke – Natural Mesquite and Natural Hickory FlavorsCopycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (11)

Marinade to make for later (in a separate bowl):

2 tbs. Water
1 tsp. Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp. Fresh Lime Juice
Dash of salt and pepper

Copycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (12)How to Make:

1. First you will want to make your marinade for the steaks! I grabbed a gallon ziploc bag and poured it into that. Add your 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, oil, garlic, soy sauce, liquid smoke, cayenne, pepper and salt. Then add your steak and seal the bag up. Mix it around a little bit. It needs to marinade at least 4 hours all the way up to 24 hours. The longer you marinade the stronger the flavors will be.

2. Next you want to add your marinade to make for later ingredients into a bowl to store in the fridge. You will use this once the fajita’s are cooked, you will pour this over the veggies and steak for a little more flavor. Combine the ingredients listed above for the extra marinade, water, soy sauce, lime juice, and salt and pepper.

3. Once your meat has marinated long enough, turn out your grill, I used our Green Mountain Grill, and turned it to 400 degrees. It is okay to use a charcoal grill. You will toss your steaks on and cook like you would any steak. Once they are done pull them off, and let cool a few minutes and then cut into strips!

4. In a pan add a little oil to the pan and toss in your diced peppers and onion. Cook until they get a bit soft, it won’t take very long, 5 minutes or so. Once they are cooked, toss in your steak, and use that marinade you made and put in the bowl, and pour over the veggies and steak. Stir well, and serve!

5. I had sour cream, shredded cheese, and salsa on hand. Serve on warm tortillas, and enjoy!

Copycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (13)

If you make these fajita’s I would love to hear what you think! Feel free to Pin this recipe on Pinterest and make later!!

Love you all, thanks for reading- xoxo

Yield: 8 servings

Copycat Chili’s Steak Fajitas

Copycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (14)

Make your favorite Chili's steak fajitas at home with this easy copycat recipe!

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Additional Time4 hours

Total Time4 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice
  • 3 tbs. Olive Oil
  • 1/2 tsp. Liquid Smoke
  • 3 tsp. Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1/8 tsp. Pepper
  • 4 Cloves Garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
  • Steaks (I used 1 Flat Iron Steak 2-3 lbs). You can use chicken if you want.
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper
  • 1 Orange Bell Pepper
  • 2 tbs. Water
  • 1 tsp. Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. Fresh Lime Juice
  • Dash of salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. First you will want to make your marinade for the steaks! I grabbed a gallon ziploc bag and poured it into that. Add your 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, oil, garlic, soy sauce, liquid smoke, cayenne, pepper and salt. Then add your steak and seal the bag up. Mix it around a little bit. It needs to marinade at least 4 hours all the way up to 24 hours. The longer you marinade the stronger the flavors will be.
  2. Next you want to add your marinade to make for later ingredients into a bowl to store in the fridge. You will use this once the fajita’s are cooked, you will pour this over the veggies and steak for a little more flavor. Combine the ingredients listed above for the extra marinade, water, soy sauce, lime juice, and salt and pepper.
  3. Once your meat has marinaded long enough, turn out your grill, I used our Green Mountain Grill, and turned it to 400 degrees. It is okay to use a charcoal grill. You will toss your steaks on and cook like you would any steak. Once they are done pull them off, and let cool a few minutes and then cut into strips!
  4. In a pan add a little oil to the pan and toss in your diced peppers and onion. Cook until they get a bit soft, it won’t take very long, 5 minutes or so. Once they are cooked, toss in your steak, and use that marinade you made and put in the bowl, and pour over the veggies and steak. Stir well, and serve!
  5. I had sour cream, shredded cheese, and salsa on hand. Serve on warm tortillas, and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 168Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 479mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 11g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Copycat Chili's Steak Fajitas Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What cut of meat is best for steak fajitas? ›

Skirt steak is the traditional cut used for fajitas. It used to be inexpensive, but now it's not so cheap; oftentimes flank steak costs less. Either will be a good choice.

How do you make fajita steak not chewy? ›

Cut the Beef Against the Grain.

Slicing meat against the grain helps tenderize it. By looking closely at the steak, you'll be able to see the direction the grain is running. Make your cuts perpendicular to it (this rule applies if you are making chicken fajitas too).

What cut of meat do Mexican restaurants use for fajitas? ›

Steak Fajitas: While skirt steak is the traditional cut of meat used in fajitas, other cuts of steak can also be used, such as flank steak or sirloin steak. The steak is marinated in a mixture of lime juice, garlic, and spices, then grilled with onions and peppers.

Are Chili's fajitas served with flour tortillas? ›

Your choice of protein with grilled bell peppers & onions, topped with cilantro. Served with Mexican rice, black beans, sour cream, pico & shredded cheese included on the side (add 250 cal). Comes with flour tortillas.

Do you cook steak before cutting fajitas? ›

4Heat the same same skillet (or a grill pan if you have it) over high heat and drizzle in some oil. Cook the meat for about 2 minutes per side until medium rare. Remove and allow to rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes. Slice the meat right before serving and serve with all the fixins.

How do you cook fajita meat so it's tender? ›

How do you make fajitas tender? Marinating the flank steak is a crucial part of the fajita recipe. A marinade adds more flavor to the meat and makes it more tender, because the acid in the marinade helps to break down the muscle and proteins in the meat before cooking.

What kind of onion for fajitas? ›

There's no one-size-fits-all answer to choosing the right onion for your fajitas. You can go for the traditional white or yellow onions, offering a more savory option, or experiment with sweet onions like Vidalia or Walla Walla to add a subtle sweetness to your dish.

What tenderizes skirt steak? ›

If only the inside skirt is available, tenderize it with a mallet to 1/4-inch thickness and use a marinade.

What is fajita steak called? ›

The term originally referred to skirt steak, the cut of beef first used in the dish. Popular alternatives to skirt steak include chicken and other cuts of beef, as well as vegetables instead of meat. In restaurants, the meat is usually cooked with onions and bell peppers.

How thick to cut steak for fajitas? ›

“For fajitas, I like something relatively tender and evenly marbled,” says Jake Dickson, owner of butcher shop Dickson's Farmstand Meats. “I cut ¼-inch slices from the meat, toss with heavy seasoning, and sear.

How does chilis make their fajitas sizzle? ›

Sorry, but fajita sizzle isn't real. TikTokers have discovered restaurants just add water or a sauce to make it appear like the dish is cooking. A viral TikTok showed a restaurant worker pouring water onto a dish to make it steam and sizzle.

How does chili's make their fajitas sizzle? ›

Like any good presentation, Chili's isn't afraid to use a little bit of "special effects" to make the sizzling magic happen. Reddit user "slackador" explained that, before the fajita is taken out, a chef squirts "sizzle sauce" over the white-hot fajita to amplify the trademark sound of popping and hissing.

What is chili's secret sauce? ›

You can make my Chili's Secret Sauce recipe revealed here in just a couple of minutes with a simple combination of mayonnaise, ketchup, barbecue sauce, honey, and mustard, plus a little turmeric to add a golden tint.

What is the most common meat used for fajitas? ›

Classic Tex Mex, fajitas (pronounced fah-hee-tas) are typically made with grilled strips of skirt steak with onions and bell peppers and served with fresh tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. You can make fajitas with steak or chicken, or even make it plain vegetarian.

What is the best cut of meat for skirt steak? ›

There are two types of skirt steak: inside and outside. The inside skirt comes from the transverse abdominal muscle and is rather tough; the more desirable outside skirt comes from the diaphragm and is quite tender.

What meat is used for skirt steak? ›

Skirt steak comes from either of two separate muscles inside the chest and abdominal cavity, below the ribs, in the section of the cow known as the beef plate primal cut. The two muscles are the diaphragm muscle, called the outside skirt, and the transversus abdominis muscle, or inside skirt.

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