Chipotle Fajita Veggies Recipe (Old-School Copycat)
This Chipotle fajita veggies recipe is green bell pepper and red onion cut into strips at a ratio of 3 to 2 by weight, cooked until they have some color but still have a little crunch, then seasoned with salt and oregano. It serves 4 and takes about 20 minutes.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase. It doesn't cost you anything extra. Full disclosure.
Chipotle's Fajita Veggies Are a Ratio
Chipotle's fajita veggies aren't technically a recipe. I was told they're really a ratio by weight: 3 parts green bell pepper for every 2 parts red onion, both sliced into strips about ¼ inch wide.
I season them at the end, off the heat, with a little salt and Mediterranean oregano, the same oregano that goes in the adobo paste.
To figure this out, I went through the ingredient list on Chipotle's website and read what a lot of people who've worked at Chipotle have said about it online. These are the fajita veggies in my Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl.
How Mine Compares to the Restaurant's
Mine use the same ratio and the same cut. Chipotle sometimes uses red bell peppers, but it's typically the green ones.
When I meal prep these bowls for my parents, I use red, orange and yellow bell peppers, because my mom hates the green ones. That works fine too; it's just not the usual Chipotle mix.
Why These Chipotle Fajita Veggies Work
- Three parts pepper to two parts onion by weight. That's the ratio I was told Chipotle uses.
- Leaving them alone in the pan. A couple of minutes at a time without stirring gives them some color.
- Seasoning off the heat. The salt and oregano go on after you kill the heat.
Chipotle Fajita Veggies Ingredients
Green bell peppers. Two of them, cut into ¼-inch strips. Red, orange or yellow peppers work if you don't like green ones.
A small red onion. Cut into ¼-inch strips, the same as the peppers.
Mediterranean oregano. From what people who've worked there have said, Chipotle uses McCormick's. Mexican oregano has a stronger flavor, so it won't taste quite the same.
Morton kosher salt. If you only have Morton table salt, use about a fifth less by the spoon.
How to Make Chipotle Fajita Veggies
1. Slice the peppers and onion
Slice the bell peppers and the red onion into strips about ¼ inch wide. If you have a scale, go for 3 parts pepper to 2 parts onion by weight.
2. Cook them without stirring
Heat some neutral oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When it's up to temp, toss in the peppers and onion and leave them alone for about 2 minutes so they brown a little.
Stir them, then leave them alone for another couple of minutes. Keep cooking until they've got some color but aren't totally limp and soggy. You want them to still have a little crunch.
3. Season them off the heat
Kill the heat, then stir in the salt and oregano. Taste them and add a little more salt if they need it.
Storage
The fajita veggies keep 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge, which is the USDA's guidance for cooked leftovers. Reheat them until they reach 165°F.
Chipotle Fajita Veggies Questions
Does Chipotle use red peppers in its fajita veggies?
Sometimes, but it's typically green bell pepper. Red, orange and yellow peppers all work in this recipe.
What else can I make with these?
They go in the burrito bowl, but they're good anywhere you'd use fajita peppers and onions. If you want the full Tex-Mex restaurant version of fajitas, with buttered and caramelized onions, that's in my Real Tex-Mex Chicken Fajitas.
If you make this, leave a star rating in the card below; it helps other people find the recipe.
More Mexican-Style Recipes
- Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Chipotle Steak Burrito
- Real Tex-Mex Chicken Fajitas
- Chipotle Corn Salsa
- Chipotle Guacamole
Recipe
Chipotle Fajita Veggies
Equipment
- 1 12-inch frying pan
- 1 Tongs
Ingredients
Fajita Veggies
- 2 green bell peppers ¼-inch strips
- 1 small red onion ¼-inch strips
- neutral oil
- ¾ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Mediterranean oregano
Instructions
Cook the Fajita Veggies
- Slice the bell peppers and red onion into ¼-inch strips. The Chipotle ratio is 3 parts bell pepper to 2 parts red onion by weight.
- Heat neutral oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the pepper and onion slices and leave undisturbed for about 2 minutes to let them caramelize. Stir, then leave for another 2 minutes. Continue cooking until they have color but still have some crunch. Season with salt and oregano off the heat.
