Keto Chicken Fajita Skillet with Bell Peppers and Avocado
This keto chicken fajita skillet brings the full flavor of Mexican fajitas to the plate, completely without tortillas. Chicken breast is seasoned with cumin and chili, seared with colorful bell peppers and onions, and served with avocado and sour cream. Just 6 g net carbs per serving with 40 g protein, ready in about 20 minutes.
The essentials at a glance
- Prep time: approx. 20 minutes, a quick skillet meal with roasted aromas.
- Approx. 6 g net carbs and 35 g fat per serving.
- Ingredients: chicken breast, bell pepper, onion, lime, avocado, sour cream, cumin, chili.
- Works as a filling keto dinner; also great to take along.
Ingredients
One serving is designed as a filling keto dinner; with avocado and sour cream it's a complete meal.
| Amount | Ingredient | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | - | |||
| Bell pepper (red and yellow) | cut into strips | |||
| cut into strips | ||||
| Onion | in strips | |||
| in strips | ||||
| Avocado | ½ fruit | |||
| ½ fruit | ||||
| Sour cream | approx. 2 tbsp | |||
| approx. 2 tbsp | ||||
| Olive oil | approx. 10 g; 1 tbsp | |||
| approx. 10 g; 1 tbsp | ||||
| Lime juice | ½ lime | |||
| ½ lime | ||||
| Cumin | - | |||
| Chili powder | - | |||
| Salt | to taste | |||
| to taste | ||||
| Pepper | to taste | |||
| to taste | ||||
| Fresh cilantro | for garnish | |||
| for garnish | ||||
Preparation
-
Season and sear the chicken
approx. 8 minutes150 g Chicken breast 80 g Bell pepper (red and yellow) cut into strips 11 ml Olive oil approx. 10 g; 1 tbsp 0.5 tsp Cumin 0.3 tsp Chili powder 0.5 tsp Salt to taste 0.3 tsp Pepper to taste Cut chicken breast (150 g) into strips approx. 1 cm wide. Season with cumin (½ tsp), chili powder (¼ tsp), salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil (10 g) in a large skillet over high heat. Cook the chicken strips for 5 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
-
Cook the vegetables and combine
approx. 5 minutes30 g Onion in strips 15 ml Lime juice ½ lime Add bell pepper strips (80 g) and onion strips (30 g) to the hot skillet and cook over high heat for 4 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet, squeeze lime juice (½ lime) over it, and toss everything briefly.
-
Plate and serve
approx. 2 minutes70 g Avocado ½ fruit 30 g Sour cream approx. 2 tbsp 5 g Fresh cilantro for garnish Transfer the skillet contents to a plate. Slice the avocado (70 g) and arrange alongside. Add the sour cream (30 g) as a dollop and garnish with fresh cilantro.
You did it! Enjoy every delicious bite.
What tips help with the chicken fajita skillet?
- Cut the chicken breast into evenly thin strips, about 1 cm wide, so everything cooks through at the same time.
- Let the skillet get really hot before the meat goes in. At too low a temperature, the chicken poaches in its own juices instead of browning.
- Add bell pepper and onion only after the chicken so they keep some bite and don't turn mushy.
- Season the raw meat directly with cumin and chili, not the oil, so the spices stick better and don't burn.
- Add the lime juice only at the very end; its aroma fades with too much heat.
Why chicken fajita fits keto well
Classic fajitas quickly land 30 g of carbs on the plate thanks to the tortilla. This version skips the tortilla entirely, leaving only the natural carbs from bell pepper and onion. Chicken breast delivers around 23 g of protein per 100 g with less than 1 g of fat. Avocado contributes approx. 15 g of fat and just 2 g net carbs per half fruit, rounded out by sour cream with another 10 g of fat. Together you get a profile of 6 g net carbs, 35 g fat, and 40 g protein, a ratio that fits keto macros nicely. Bell pepper is on the higher-carb end of vegetables (approx. 4 g net carbs per 100 g), but at the 80 g portion used here it stays comfortably in range.
Source: FDDB – Chicken breast nutrition , USDA FoodData Central – Avocado
How much bell pepper is allowed on keto?
Bell peppers contain 4 to 6 g of net carbs per 100 g, depending on color. Red bell peppers carry slightly more sugar than green ones. A keto serving of 80 g lands at around 3.5 g net carbs, which is easily manageable. If you want to stay even stricter under 5 g net carbs, swap the bell pepper for zucchini strips.
Avocado as a fat source in keto recipes
Avocado is one of the best plant-based fat sources for keto. Per 100 g it delivers around 15 g of fat, mostly monounsaturated, and only 2 g net carbs. In this fajita skillet it practically replaces the cheese and makes the dish dairy-free if you want.
How do I serve and vary the fajita skillet?
Best served straight from the skillet, topped with avocado slices and a dollop of sour cream. From my own experience, a squeeze of lime juice right before serving works especially well, bringing freshness to the savory spices. A green salad with olive oil dressing rounds it out nicely.
Meal prep and taking it along
The cooked chicken with bell peppers keeps in the fridge for 2 days. Transport avocado and sour cream separately, otherwise they oxidize or get watery. Served cold over a bed of salad, the dish also makes an excellent lunch bowl.
Variation without avocado
If you don't like avocado or don't have one on hand, sprinkle shredded cheddar over the hot skillet instead. It melts easily and adds extra fat. Store-bought guacamole also works; just keep an eye on the net carbs of the specific brand.
Nutrition values
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Keto context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | approx. 140 kcal | approx. 500 kcal | Filling main meal; energy from chicken, avocado, and sour cream. |
| Filling main meal; energy from chicken, avocado, and sour cream. | |||
| Fat | approx. 9.8 g | approx. 35 g | Mostly from avocado and sour cream; good fatty acid profile. |
| Mostly from avocado and sour cream; good fatty acid profile. | |||
| Net carbs | approx. 1.7 g | approx. 6 g | Low; comes from bell pepper, onion, and avocado. |
| Low; comes from bell pepper, onion, and avocado. | |||
| Sugar | approx. 1.2 g | approx. 4.3 g | Natural sugar from bell pepper and onion; no added sugar. |
| Natural sugar from bell pepper and onion; no added sugar. | |||
| Protein | approx. 11.2 g | approx. 40 g | High protein from chicken breast; ideal for muscle-preserving keto eating. |
| High protein from chicken breast; ideal for muscle-preserving keto eating. | |||
| Salt | approx. 0.3 g | approx. 1.1 g | Moderate; mainly from seasoning and sour cream. |
| Moderate; mainly from seasoning and sour cream. | |||
Note: Nutrition values are estimated averages per 100 g and per serving and may vary depending on ingredients, brands, portion size, and preparation. They do not replace individual nutrition or medical advice.
FAQ
Is the fajita skillet really keto-friendly?
Yes, at 6 g net carbs per serving it fits easily into a daily keto budget of 20 to 30 g net carbs. The bulk of the carbs comes from bell pepper and onion, both natural sources.
Can I use a different meat instead of chicken breast?
Beef strips (rump steak) work beautifully and naturally bring more fat to the dish. Shrimp is another quick alternative with similarly low carbs. Turkey raises the protein content slightly.
Is the skillet suitable for weight loss?
At 500 kcal, 40 g protein, and only 6 g net carbs, the dish is very filling. The high protein share supports muscle retention during a calorie deficit. To save calories, simply skip the sour cream.
Is there a dairy-free version?
Yes, just swap the sour cream for a tablespoon of olive oil or leave it out entirely. The avocado already provides plenty of fat for a solid keto macro ratio. The dish is then fully dairy-free.