This All-On-The-Grill Chicken Fajita Recipe Is Perfect For Summer Cookouts

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Some purists insist that classic fajitas need to be made with steak and, even more specifically, skirt steak. Chicken fajitas, however, have been around for many years now, so they too are part of the culinary canon by this point. In fact, chicken fajitas are so ubiquitous that you can just as easily whip them up at home as you can find them on the menu at a Mexican restaurant. As developer Kate Shungu describes her recipe, "These fajitas are a fun spin on taco night," although they're great for any time you're in the mood for Mexican food.

One unique thing about this chicken fajita recipe, as you might have guessed from the name, is that everything is prepared on the grill. "I love that I don't have to heat up my house on a warm day to make them," says Shungu, adding, "The grill lends a smoky flavor to the whole dish, even the guacamole." Because this dish is light and easy to prepare and can be cooked outdoors, it makes for a meal that practically screams "summer."

The main ingredient in these fajitas is chicken thighs seasoned with chili powder, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. A green bell pepper and a yellow onion are also needed as part of the filling, while flour tortillas are used as fajita wrappers. The guacamole used as a condiment is made from avocados, tomato, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice.

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together the chili powder, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and 1 ½ teaspoons salt.

Sprinkle the seasoning over the chicken thighs, both front and back.

Place the seasoned chicken thighs, the bell pepper pieces, and the quartered onion pieces on the grill. Cover and cook for 4 minutes, or until the chicken thighs easily release from the grill.

Flip the chicken thighs, bell pepper pieces, and onion pieces. Continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes more, or until the chicken is cooked through, the bell pepper is soft, and the onion is tender. Remove chicken and veggies from grill.

Place the avocados face-down on the grill for 2 minutes, or until grill marks appear, then remove from the grill.

Remove the avocado flesh from the skin, adding it to a medium bowl. Mash with a fork.

Add the diced tomato, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Fold to combine.

Slice the chicken into strips.

Slice the bell pepper pieces and onion into thin slices.

Place the tortillas on the grill for 30 seconds. Flip and cook for an additional 30 seconds, or until grill marks appear and the tortillas are very lightly charred.

Place the tortillas on a serving platter. Top with the sliced chicken, sliced bell pepper, sliced onion, and a dollop of guacamole.

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If you're thinking that you'll have to pass up on this recipe because you don't own a grill or can't cook outdoors, rest assured that the meat and vegetables can be cooked on the stove top as well. If you want those pretty hatch marks, you'll need to use a grill pan with ridges, but if not, a plain cast-iron skillet will do just fine.

You can also save a little time by using store-bought fajita seasoning and guacamole instead of mixing your own. It's even okay to swap out some of the main ingredients, using chicken breasts instead of thighs and corn tortillas instead of flour ones.

The toppings, too, can be changed up to suit your preferences. Instead of guacamole, you might want to use pico de gallo or salsa, and you could even step up to sour cream or plain yogurt. Add fresh or pickled jalapeños to give the dish a bit more heat, and sprinkle on the shredded cheese if you want it.

If you've never grilled an avocado before, doing so starts out like all grilling projects: You've got to clean that grill. Scrub it down with a grill brush, then use some vegetable oil to grease the grates. (Don't make the mistake of over-oiling the vegetables, as this could cause them to become soggy.) You'll also need to ensure that the avocados are at the proper degree of ripeness — they should have a little give to them when pressed, but shouldn't feel squishy.

Grill the avocado halves with the skin-side up for about 2 minutes, which should be just about long enough to give them hatch marks. They should also have absorbed just a bit of grill flavor, but won't have had time to become mushy. At this point, you should remove them from the grill, then allow them to sit until they're cool enough to handle. You can either mash them into guacamole, as per the recipe, or simply peel and slice them to use on your fajitas.

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