Ingredient Notes
Here I explain the best ingredients for my homemade fajita seasoning recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card. All you really need are some spices, but I have a couple optional ingredients here to take it up a notch:
Hot Spices – The primary ingredient in fajita seasoning is chili powder, but I also add cayenne pepper for additional heat. You can omit or reduce the cayenne if you don’t like much spice. Savory Spices – I reverse engineered the spices found in store-bought blends, but skipped the fillers. My version includes garlic powder, onion powder, paprika (or feel free to use smoked paprika), ground cumin, dried oregano, and sea salt. (You can also use kosher salt or table salt in place of sea salt.) All spice rack staples! Sweetener (optional) – Most grocery store spice blends use sugar to a hint of sweetness to balance out the spicy and savory ingredients. I use Besti Granulated, since it replaces sugar 1-to-1 without the sugar spike or any aftertaste. Bromelain Powder (optional) – This is the secret ingredient in most store-bought fajita seasonings! It’s a meat tenderizer that makes your fajita meat super tender. My small jar has lasted me what seems like forever, and I highly recommend it, but you can skip it if you like.
How To Make Fajita Seasoning
There’s not much to it. Simply mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, and you’re done! The enzyme reaction will continue until you cook it, so if you let meat sit in a bromelain-containing seasoning for too long, it will be mushy. If you use my fajita seasoning recipe to make steak fajitas and like them cooked less than medium-well or well done, it’s best to skip the bromelain powder, because it won’t stop working until the meat reaches 160 degrees F.
How To Use It
There are two main ways to use fajita seasoning:
Simply Season
Not surprisingly, I use this blend to season chicken fajitas and shrimp fajitas most often. You can also use it for my recipes made using other methods, including Instant Pot steak fajitas and sheet pan fajitas. But who says you have to stop there? My homemade fajita seasoning mix recipe can also add flavor to your regular sauteed shrimp, sauteed veggies, or simple healthy baked chicken breast. I’ve even used it in place of taco seasoning when I ran out of it to make my taco salad.
Marinade
To make this seasoning into a fajita marinade, whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of my spice mix. Then, marinate your chicken, steak, fish, or shrimp. Anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours is a good marinating time for chicken or beef. The closer to the 24-hour mark, the juicier they will be! (Don’t go over that time, or your meat will become mushy.) But for fish and other seafood, limit marinating to 30 minutes, or it will turn into ceviche.
Storage Instructions
I store my homemade fajita seasoning in these little jars, but any airtight container will do. It will last for 1-2 years, but tastes best within the first year. This is perfect for chicken or steak, but sometimes I use a little bit less for seafood (1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons), as it tends to take on the flavor more strongly.
More Homemade Seasoning Recipes
If you like my fajita seasoning recipe, you might also like some of my other seasonings made from scratch: Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. Makes about 10 tablespoons, or enough seasoning for 5-6 pounds of protein, depending on if it’s chicken, beef, or shrimp.
