As with so many other recipes for toddlers, making fajitas for kids is as much about how you serve them as what you serve. Forget authenticity; the focus here is on choice. Everything needed for the fajitas you know and love will, of course, be on the table—literally, it’ll be spread before the child. But we can only assure you that you will have fajitas; what ends up going into your child’s mouth, though, may just be some formative facsimile of, quite possibly including neither the meat nor the vegetables you associate with the Tex-Mex staple. That’s okay: you’re serving fajitas to build to…something. It’s dinner as opportunity, not obligation—a chance to introduce your child to future favorites that will define mealtime for years to come.
But what a great weekday dinner fajitas for kids are (now or later)! So many options and permutations to play with–and eat. All the cooking is done on a single sheet pan; prep is a breeze, especially if you buy pre-cut chicken and vegetables (which you should). The marinade adds a nice natural sweetness and zing; you can skip it if time is short and/or you’re feeling lazy. Just like your kid when you serve fajitas for kids, you’ve got options–make ‘em count.
Make our guacamole recipe to go with it, and check out our other great chicken recipes!
This chicken fajita for kids keeps things simple and colorful—thin strips of marinated chicken, a warm tortilla, a little guacamole, and a sprinkle of cheese make a perfect handheld for small appetites. It’s mildly seasoned, easy to eat, and built to please kids while giving parents a quick, tasty weeknight win.
As the peppers and onions cook, do the following:
As seen/suggested in the recipe photo, a good place to start is by putting all ingredients on the table on/in separate plates and bowls; we usually show our child how we like to assemble a fajita, then help him assemble one. (Pro tip: use a snack clip to hold one end of a folded tortilla in place to ensure filling does not spill out.) Don’t hesitate to build one out for your child if that works best for everyone; you can also serve the components individually, providing a sauce or two (e.g., barbecue sauce for the chicken, or ranch for the peppers) to nudge them on.
You can take the same approach with steak–just cook it an extra minute or two. If tacos don’t do it for your child, or if some ingredient is visually off-putting to your child, try putting the same ingredients in an empanada, frozen dough discus are readily available at most grocery stores and Target: we like to spread the dough with cream cheese, layer the ingredients, then top with cheese; air fry for 6-7 minutes on 375 for a crunchy and creamy handheld dinner.
Servings 6
Serving Size one fajita
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.
