This simple fajita seasoning from scratch is made with classic Mexican spices you probably have in your pantry and takes just 5 minutes to mix homemade instead of buying store-bought.
Simple Fajita Seasoning
With a chile powder, paprika, and cumin base, this fajita seasoning is the flavor builder for chicken fajitas or steak fajitas, with a rainbow of vegetables that gives sizzling Mexican fajita platters their unmistakeable flavor.
It’s highly likely you have everything you need in your spice cupboard to make this flavorful mix at home. So why bother with those spice packets from the store? By skipping the store-bought seasoning packets, you know exactly what whole ingredients are in the mix, and you can control the quality and amount of spices, salt and sugar in your homemade blend.
What’s the Difference Between Taco Seasoning and Fajita Seasoning?
When making tacos, try substituting fajita seasoning mix for taco seasoning. With a base of chile powder, kosher salt, and cumin, the difference between taco seasoning and fajita seasoning isn’t much, in fact, they’re pretty much interchangeable.
What’s In Fajita Seasoning
So long as you have the Mexican spice foundation of chile powder and cumin, this fajita seasoning mix recipe is very forgiving, so feel free to tweak it with what you have on hand. Add oregano or try adding some ground coriander. But first and foremost, always use high quality ground spices for your mix.
What’s in this homemade seasoning mix:
- Chili powder
- Paprika
- Kosher salt
- Onion powder
- Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Sugar
- Cayenne pepper
How to Make Fajita Seasoning From Scratch
Homemade fajita mix couldn’t be easier to make.
Measure the ingredients in a small bowl or jar fitted with a lid and mix together until combined.
How Long Does Fajita Seasoning Last?
When stored correctly, fajita seasoning made with ground spices should last 2-3 years.
How to Use This Seasoning
Add oil or water to the spice mix to create a marinade. Add ¼ cup canola or olive oil to the fajita seasoning then pour over steak, chicken, and onions and bell peppers. Marinade for 30 minutes before cooking.
Add some tang to the marinade with lime or cilantro. Bump up the flavor with the juice of one lime, or ¼ cup chopped cilantro.
Keep meats extra tender by adding 1 tablespoon cornstarch to the wet marinade. Cornstarch in the marinade makes a slurry with the juices of the meat, keeping the moisture in the meat and extra juicy.
Or, skip the oil or water and use as a dry seasoning. Even as a dry seasoning sprinkled directly on meats, this spice combination adds lots of flavor.
How to Store Fajita Seasoning
Like most spices, this spice mix will last longest when stored away from heat in a cool, dark cupboard so the spices don’t dry out.
Double the recipe and keep in a glass jar with a screw cap for easy accessibility. Keep the jar tightly closed to ensure freshness.
Other Spices to Add
- Oregano
- Ground coriander
- Brown sugar instead of granulated sugar
Fajita Recipes to Try Now
- How To Make The Best Steak Fajitas
- Chicken Fajita Foil Packet Dinners
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Chili
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rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
The BEST Fajita Seasoning Better than Store-Bought
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar , optional
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Notes
Nutrition
More Mexican Recipes to Try
- 31 Healthy Mexican Recipes to Make Now
- Beyond Easy Chicken Mole Enchiladas
- Baja Fish Tacos
- Just Like Taco Bell Tacos Recipe
- 5-Ingredient Chipotle Chicken Taquitos
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Excellent!!! After looking at this recipe I checked the fajitas seasoning packets you can buy pre-made. What I found was there may only be one seasoning and a bunch of Mono, dextrose kind of things. This made a super tasty fajita. So far have made Chicken several times. It’s a big hit at our house!
Happy to hear everyone enjoyed!
Better than store bought!
I’m glad you liked it Patti!
Just found this recipe and we have already tried it twice this week. It is fantastic.
good to know! I’ve always wondered what’s in the store bought versions of this or taco mix, etc, and like being able to actually know, even tweak a few ingredients here and there, thank you!
How many pounds of chicken will this recipe marinade? Need to know how many times to multiply the ingredients. Fixing 18 pounds of chicken!