This steak fajita chili recipe is brimming over with chunks of fork tender beef and fajita style vegetables in a rich, spicy chili base. The whole recipe is made on the stove top to coax out the flavors that only one pot meals made in layers can deliver.
There is nothing quite like the look or feel of fresh fajitas sizzling on a platter in a Mexican restaurant. Today’s recipe for steak fajita chili brings the taste of fajitas to the stove top in the form of another Mexican favorite – spicy chili con carne.
The cold weather always gives me a yen for chili. And since my daughter is arriving this week for a visit and her favorite meal is Mexican fajitas, I decided to mix the two dishes in one as a treat for her.
I love to put together meals that cook entirely in one pot. They are loaded with flavor and clean up could not be easier. (See my tips for one pot cooking here.)
For another twist on fajitas, be sure to check out my oven baked chicken fajitas. They have all the flavor but without the sizzle platter!
Making a pot of Steak Fajita Chili
The base of this delicious chili comes from the best ingredients of Mexican fajitas – colorful sweet peppers, jalapeño peppers, red onions, garlic and sirloin steak.
Start by heating the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat and cooking the steak pieces until they are browned on all sides. Once they are nicely browned, remove them to a plate and keep warm.
Add the diced sweet peppers, jalapeño, onions and garlic to the pot, being sure to scrape up the bottom crusty bits which will help to flavor the sauce. Cook until the vegetables are starting to get tender, about 4 minutes.
Now it’s time to add the chili fillings. I used black beans, diced tomatoes, tomato juice and some chili powder, cumin and fresh oregano as well as sea salt and cracked black pepper. Give everything a good stir to mix it all up well.
Return the browned sirloin steak cubes to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes. The more you cook the chili, the thicker it will get and the better the flavor will become. (I love the flavor of chili the next day!)
You kitchen will smell amazing right about now. I love the look on my husband’s face when he walks in the door, takes a whiff and says “we’re having chili tonight!” with a big grin.
Serving this delicious gluten free Mexican recipe
It’s time to get creative when we serve this chili. I want to deliver the taste of both fajitas and chili to the toppings as well as to the recipe itself.
Spoon the chili into bowls and add your favorite toppings. I like to use a variety of toppings for this tasty Mexican recipe.
You can use your favorite toppings but some of mine are those that are often uses with both fajitas or chili recipes:
- Avocado, diced
- Tomato, diced
- Lime wedges for juicing
- Blue Tortilla chips for dipping
- Fresh Cilantro, chopped for garnish
- Sour cream or Greek Yogurt for garnish
- Mexican cheese – just because!
- Sliced sweet peppers
Tasting a bowl of this Steak Fajita chili.
Every mouthful of this delicious chile is just bursting with Mexican flavor. The beef is fork tender and the sauce and beans give everything a delicious hearty flavor.
This chili also makes a great topping for hot dogs to turn them into the best tasting chili dogs. Or think outside the box and turn normal baked potatoes into a meal by itself by spooning the chili over them.
This steak fajita chili has all of the flavors of a sizzle platter of fajitas heaped with your favorite toppings for a great chili experience. It has become one of our favorite chile recipes.
The next time the cold winter weather rears its ugly head, warm up with a big bowl of this delicious steak fajita chili. You won’t know which Mexican meal you are having and you won’t care one darn bit. Warm up!I also like to serve this chili with crusty bread. The sauce is so amazing, it’s nice to have something to soak up every last drop! This recipe serves four hearty bowls of chili, each with about 555 calories (chili only – toppings are extra.)
If you love Mexican recipes, be sure to check out my spicy Mexican rice and sour cream chicken enchiladas. They are super tasty!
Steak Fajita Chili

This steak fajita chili has all of the flavors of a platter of fajitas but is served in a bowl with toppings for a great chili experience.
Ingredients
- 16 oz steak, cut into bite sized pieces. (use a good cut like sirloin or rib eye for the most tender chili)
- 2 tbsp extra Olive oil
- 1 yellow peppers, diced
- 1 red peppers, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, diced
- 2 14 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes
- 1 11.5 can of tomato juice
- 2 tbsp Mexican chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tsp fresh oregano
- Sea Salt & cracked black Pepper, to taste
- Toppings -use your favorite toppings. Some of mine are:
- Avocado, diced
- Tomato, diced
- Lime wedges for juicing
- Tortilla chips for dipping
- Fresh Cilantro, chopped
- Greek Yogurt or Sour cream
- Mexican cheese
Instructions
Add the oil to a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Cook the steak pieces until they are nicely browned on all sides - about 6 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
Add the sweet peppers, jalapenos and ontons to the pot, scraping up the bottom crusty bits. Cook until the vegetables are starting to get tender, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the black beans, diced tomatoes, tomato juice, spices and herbs. Stir the reserved steak back to the pot, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the chili starts to thicken. The longer you cook the chili, the more it will thicken.
Spoon the chili into bowls and top with your favorite toppings. It also makes a great topping for hot dogs or baked potatoes.
Notes
The calorie counts are for the chili only. Toppings are extra.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 555.7Total Fat: 20.2gSaturated Fat: 7.0gUnsaturated Fat: 2.5gCholesterol: 76.0mgSodium: 458.2mgCarbohydrates: 55.3gFiber: 17.2gSugar: 11.0gProtein: 39.5g