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Steak Fajita Bowls

Steak fajita bowls with smoky seared skirt steak, charred peppers and onions, and cilantro-lime rice. Sliced steak and fajita veggies get piled high with creamy avocado and chipotle crema for bold Tex-Mex flavor in a bowl.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Steak & Marinade
  • 1.5 lb skirt steak
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice about 2 limes
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp oregano
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Fajita Veggies
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper sliced
  • 1 white onion large, sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Cilantro-Lime Rice
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice
  • 3 cup chicken broth
  • 3 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Bowl Toppings
  • 1 avocado large, sliced
  • 0.5 cup pico de gallo
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp chipotle sauce mixed into sour cream
  • 0.25 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 fresh lime wedges
  • 1 extra cilantro for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Marinate the steak
  1. In a zip-lock bag or bowl, combine olive oil, fresh lime juice, garlic cloves, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper, then add skirt steak and coat well.
  2. Marinate at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours in the fridge) so the flavors soak in.
Cook cilantro-lime rice
  1. Rinse long-grain white rice and cook it in chicken broth according to package directions.
  2. When the rice is done, fluff with a fork and stir in fresh cilantro, lime juice, and salt, then keep warm.
Sear and slice steak
  1. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking.
  2. Remove skirt steak from the marinade, pat lightly, and sear for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply charred and medium-rare inside.
  3. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes, then slice thin against the grain.
Char the fajita veggies
  1. In the same cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil.
  2. Toss in red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, green bell pepper, and white onion with cumin and salt, then cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until edges are charred and onions are soft.
Make chipotle crema
  1. Mix sour cream with chipotle sauce until smooth to make chipotle crema.
Assemble and serve
  1. Start bowls with a generous scoop of cilantro-lime rice.
  2. Layer in sliced skirt steak, charred fajita veggies, avocado slices, pico de gallo, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
  3. Drizzle chipotle crema over the top, squeeze fresh lime wedges, and finish with extra cilantro before serving immediately.

Notes

For best browning, make sure the skillet is truly smoking before searing the steak, and pat the meat dry right after removing it from the marinade. Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers up to 3 days (rice, steak, and toppings separately if possible); reheat steak gently so it doesn’t dry out. Freezing is not recommended for the fully assembled bowls. To make it dairy-free, swap sour cream and Monterey Jack for dairy-free sour cream and a melting dairy-free cheese alternative (or omit cheese).