Fajitas: the filling is light, the extras are not.
Chicken, peppers and onion are not the heavy part of a fajita. The oil, the flour tortillas, the sour cream and the cheese are. Swap those and a serving goes from 639 to 449 kcal.
- 449 kcal a serving, down from 639 for the classic, with 46 g protein, 38 g carbs and 13 g fat
- 4 swaps, each with what it does to a serving, and 2 ways to add protein, up to 57 g a serving
- 4 servings, weighed at 1,300 g when finished, from 11 USDA FoodData Central entries in the library
Classic vs lighter, per serving.
The same chicken fajitas, made two ways from the same library entries and the same 4 servings. The lighter version is the one built on the screens below.
| Per serving | Classic | Lighter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| kcal | 639 | 449 | −190 |
| Protein g | 46 | 46 | 0 |
| Carbs g | 46 | 38 | −8 |
| Fat g | 31 | 13 | −18 |
| Saturated fat g | 9.6 | 3.4 | −6.2 |
Saturated fat comes from the same USDA entries; the recipe sheet itself shows calories, protein, carbs and fat. Calorie and macro figures are fitness estimates, not medical or dietary advice.
Swap by swap.
Each change in turn, from the classic to the lighter version, and what it does to one serving.
1. Use corn tortillas, not flour
−75 kcal, −2 g protein, −7 g carbs, −3 g fat, −1.5 g saturated fat a serving
Corn tortillas are lighter by weight and you need a little less of them. The swap saves 75 kcal and 3 g of fat a serving.
2. Top with nonfat Greek yogurt, not sour cream
−40 kcal, +2 g protein, −1 g carbs, −6 g fat, −3.2 g saturated fat a serving
The same 120 g saves 40 kcal and 3.2 g of saturated fat a serving, with more protein and the same cool tang.
3. Use reduced-fat cheddar
−13 kcal, −2 g fat, −1.0 g saturated fat a serving
The same 60 g saves 13 kcal and 2 g of fat a serving, and it melts well enough on a hot filling.
4. Cook in 14 g of oil, not 42 g
−62 kcal, −7 g fat, −0.5 g saturated fat a serving
A hot pan needs only a film of oil. The rest was 62 kcal a serving.
More protein, if you need it.
Hitting a protein target is the hard part for most people. Each option is added to the lighter version on its own, with what it does to a serving of 46 g protein and 449 kcal. Save the one you like as its own recipe.
Add a can of black beans
+91 kcal, +6 g protein, +16 g carbs, +0.1 g saturated fat a serving, making 52 g protein a serving
400 g of black beans adds 6 g of protein a serving for 91 kcal, with more fibre.
Use 800 g of chicken
+60 kcal, +11 g protein, +1 g fat, +0.3 g saturated fat a serving, making 57 g protein a serving
Another 200 g of skinless breast adds 11 g of protein a serving for 60 kcal.
Oil and fat: the type changes the fat, the amount changes the calories.
The three oils below are each 884 kcal per 100 g, and ghee is within a few calories of them. Swapping one for another moves the saturated fat, not the calories; using less is what saves them. Butter is lower per gram only because part of it is water.
| Fat, per tablespoon, 14 g | kcal | Fat g | Sat fat g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | 124 | 14 | 1.9 |
| Canola oil | 124 | 14 | 1.0 |
| Avocado oil | 124 | 14 | 1.6 |
| Ghee (butter oil) | 123 | 14 | 8.7 |
| Butter, salted | 100 | 11 | 7.2 |
The sample data
These are the amounts of the lighter version used on the screens below, with each figure taken from the library entry for that ingredient. They are sample figures for a pot or tray of this size, not a measurement of anyone's kitchen.
| Ingredient | Amount | kcal | Protein g | Carbs g | Fat g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, skinless, raw | 600 g | 720 | 135 | 0 | 16 |
| Red bell pepper, raw | 200 g | 52 | 2 | 12 | 1 |
| Green pepper, raw | 200 g | 40 | 2 | 9 | 0 |
| Onions, raw | 252 g | 101 | 3 | 24 | 0 |
| Lime juice | 40 g | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Chili powder | 12 g | 34 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| Cumin seed | 4 g | 15 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Canola oil | 14 g | 124 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Corn tortillas | 200 g | 436 | 11 | 89 | 6 |
| Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat | 120 g | 73 | 12 | 4 | 0 |
| Cheddar cheese, reduced fat | 60 g | 190 | 16 | 2 | 12 |
| Whole recipe | 1,702 g | 1,795 | 184 | 151 | 52 |
| Per serving (4) | 325 g | 449 | 46 | 38 | 13 |
Calorie and macro figures are fitness estimates, not medical or dietary advice. Ingredient values are from USDA FoodData Central, which is in the public domain.
Why this recipe
Fajitas are a good recipe to build because the filling and the toppings are separate, and the toppings are where the calories go. Building the whole plate as one recipe shows what the tortillas, the cream and the cheese add.
What to weigh
Weigh the chicken raw, as the library entry describes it, and the tortillas as they come from the pack. The sample finishes at about 1,300 g from 1,702 g of ingredients, because the vegetables and chicken lose water in the pan.
The full workflow, in four steps.
1. Open Create a recipe and search the library
Open Add food and choose Create a recipe, name it, then choose Add ingredient and search the library. Typing "chicken breast skinless" lists the entries, raw and cooked, each with its calories per 100 g.
2. Enter the amount you weighed
Pick the raw, skinless breast, switch the portion to grams and enter what the scale showed. The sheet shows 720 kcal for the chicken before you add the vegetables.
3. Add the rest, then set the servings and finished weight
Add the peppers, onion, lime, spices, 14 g of oil, the tortillas, yogurt and cheese, then enter the 4 servings and the 1,300 g you weighed at the end. One serving comes to 449 kcal.
4. Save it and log a serving
Save the recipe and it becomes one of your own foods. The next screen is the normal Add food form, ready to log one serving or any weight of it.
Tips while you build it
- Slice everything the same thickness and cook it in a hot, dry-ish pan. A thin film of oil is enough when the pan is hot enough.
- Warm corn tortillas in a dry pan for a few seconds a side, so they fold without cracking.
- A serving is about 325 g: the filling, two small tortillas and the toppings. Log by weight when you are measuring.
Go further
- Making them for a crowd? Build the flour tortillas, sour cream and regular cheddar version as a second recipe, and log whichever one you served.
- Add a handful of shredded lettuce as another ingredient: more plate, very few calories.
Each change is a second recipe with its own name, so the first stays as you built it.
Chicken fajitas questions.
How many calories are in chicken fajitas?
It depends on the oil, the tortillas and the toppings. The sample comes to 449 kcal a serving made lighter, with 46 g protein, 38 g carbs and 13 g fat, against 639 kcal with flour tortillas, sour cream and regular cheese.
Can I use flour tortillas?
Yes. Search the library for the flour tortilla entry and enter the weight from the pack; the sheet shows the difference straight away.
Should I weigh the chicken raw or cooked?
Raw, because the library entry is raw. Weigh the cooked filling once, to enter the finished weight.
More example recipes.
- Chicken burrito bowl613 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 767 for the classic, with 48 g protein.
- Hummus bi tahini145 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 211 for the classic, with 6 g protein.
- Mujadara286 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 337 for the classic, with 13 g protein.
- Chicken shawarma (oven tray)309 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 444 for the classic, with 50 g protein.
- Chana masala288 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 307 for the classic, with 13 g protein.
- Dal tadka241 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 265 for the classic, with 14 g protein.
- Butter chicken314 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 442 for the classic, with 46 g protein.
- Spaghetti bolognese446 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 564 for the classic, with 31 g protein.
- Chicken cacciatore385 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 639 for the classic, with 48 g protein.
- Turkey chili315 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 430 for the classic, with 27 g protein.
- Homemade cheeseburgers363 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 500 for the classic, with 35 g protein.
- Kafta162 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 289 for the classic, with 22 g protein.
- Tabbouleh102 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 178 for the classic, with 4 g protein.
- Chicken biryani464 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 617 for the classic, with 32 g protein.
- Rajma masala290 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 364 for the classic, with 17 g protein.
- Tandoori chicken357 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 617 for the classic, with 53 g protein.
- Chicken souvlaki329 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 605 for the classic, with 49 g protein.
- Chicken teriyaki559 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 774 for the classic, with 44 g protein.
- Beef and broccoli529 kcal a serving made lighter, down from 676 for the classic, with 46 g protein.
Cook it once. Log it for good.
Build a lighter version of your own mexican favourite in Nutrition.