Chicken Fajitas

Views: 87576

Introduction

These chicken fajitas are delicious. They’re a great way to spice up your weeknight dinners and they come together in no time at all (especially if you use the prepackaged peppers).

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• Heat your oil in a pan on medium heat.
• Add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes total.
• Stir in your onions and bell peppers, cooking for about 4 minutes more, until tender-crisp (not limp).
• To make a sauce: Pour any remaining drippings from the pan into a small bowl or cup along with some water or broth to make it easier to spoon out later if you want to add liquid for gravy; stir well until combined; pour back over cooked fajitas mixture and toss to coat evenly with sauce (if using).

1/2 medium onion, cut into strips

• Cut the onion into strips. Start by cutting off the top of the onion and peeling away its outermost layer. Then, cut it in half through its equator, from top to bottom. Lay each half flat on your cutting board and make a horizontal slice through one end of the onion, about 1/4 inch down from the tip of its base (don’t cut all the way through). Repeat on other side so that you have two peeled halves with four hollowed-out sides facing up toward you—two flat ends, two hollow ends. Make another horizontal cut straight down into this hollowed-out side as far as you can go without cutting through it entirely (again try not to cut all the way through).
• Separate each half into three strips using this technique: starting at either flat end of one half or at either hollow end of another half (whichever feels more natural), hold your knife steady while pulling back slowly along a lengthwise “divide” between two connected segments; repeat with other segment until entire surface has been divided into single pieces; repeat with remaining halves until all four are sliced into thirds vertically—six 3″-long strips per whole onion should suffice!

2 cloves garlic, minced

Garlic is a member of the onion family and a staple ingredient in many cuisines. It’s also good for you: garlic is a good source of manganese, which helps strengthen bones and may lower blood sugar levels. It can also help prevent heart disease and cancer, thanks to its antioxidants.

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

• Slice the pepper into strips.
• Be sure to slice it thin, so that it cooks quickly and thoroughly in the skillet.

1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

Bell peppers are a vegetable. They’re part of the nightshade family, which also includes potatoes and eggplants. Bell peppers come in many colors: green, yellow, orange and red. Green bell peppers tend to be more bitter than their red counterparts.

In this recipe we call for 1/2 green bell pepper sliced into thin strips; if you have a variety pack of colored peppers on hand (like we did!) you can use any combination that suits your mood or what’s available at the store!

1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

Slice the pepper into thin strips

• Use a sharp knife to cut the top and bottom of the pepper off.
• Slice one side of the pepper into long strips about 1/4-inch wide and 2 inches long, stopping when you hit where seeds begin to form inside of it; repeat on other side of pepper.
• Cut each strip into small cubes just slightly larger than 1/4 inch across each way – this will help prevent them from being overcooked later during cooking!

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

You can make a great chicken fajita marinade with dried oregano, which is more concentrated and flavorful than fresh oregano. It’s also cheaper than fresh oregano—a little goes a long way! If you’re using dried oregano in your recipe, don’t worry about how much to use: just add about 1/2 teaspoon for every pound of chicken or other meat you’re cooking (this will vary with the type of meat). For example, if you’re making this chicken fajita recipe for four people and are using one pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts, add two teaspoons of dried oregano to your marinade.

1/4 teaspoon dried ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon dried ground cumin

Cumin is a mild spice commonly used in Mexican, Indian and other cuisines. It has a distinctive flavor that is described as “warm,” “spicy” and earthy. Cumin is often found in curries, chili powder blends and various dry rubs for meats or vegetables. In the United States, cumin can be found in southwestern dishes such as tacos and enchiladas.

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Paprika is a spice made from ground sweet red peppers. The peppers are dried and then ground to a powder. It is used in the making of paprikash, goulash, schnitzel and other dishes. The word comes from the Hungarian word “paprika” which means pepper and it was named after its source city: Szeged where it was first produced by local apothecaries in 1777.

Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

If you like heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the marinade. The amount that’s needed will vary depending on your taste and how spicy you want your chicken fajitas. Next time I make these, I’m going to add two pinches instead of one because I love spicy food! To add the cayenne, simply put a little bit in with everything else in the bowl and mix until evenly distributed.

If you’re not sure whether or not this is for you, just leave out the cayenne for now and try it again later when you know more about how much spice suits your palate.

Salt and black pepper to taste

You probably don’t need to add too much salt. The chicken is already seasoned, and the pan will get seasoned from searing the chicken. If you are using black pepper, do not overdo it! This is only a guideline for how much salt and pepper I like when making fajitas, so feel free to adjust these measurements as necessary.

1 teaspoon of each

Juice from half a lime (or more to taste)

Juice from half a lime (or more to taste)

This is one of the key ingredients in these chicken fajitas and it adds a nice citrus flavor. This can be substituted with lemon juice, but you will have to adjust the amount accordingly.

For the chicken fajitas marinade:

• Place the chicken in a resealable plastic bag, and add the lime juice, oil, garlic powder and chili powder.
• Seal the bag, removing as much air from it as possible (this will ensure that your chicken is well covered with the marinade), then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes — but preferably up to 24 hours — turning occasionally to ensure even marinating.

1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips (or use chicken thighs)

If you have a hard time finding chicken thighs, you can use boneless and skinless chicken breasts instead. However, I recommend using thighs because they have more flavor and are cheaper than chicken breasts.

As for the cut of your meat, it’s easiest to buy it pre-cut into strips at the store if you’re not comfortable cutting it yourself. Otherwise, cut the breasts into thirds horizontally (so that each piece has a little bit of bone on each side).

3 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil + more for drizzling over the cooked chicken fajitas (1 tablespoon will work)

The olive oil or avocado oil will add the extra healthy fat your body needs, and the additional flavour to make these fajitas taste even better. It’s up to you—any kind of oil will work here! But don’t go overboard: too much olive or avocado oil (or any other type of cooking fat) will make your fajitas soggy and greasy, so just use one tablespoon per serving.

Pinch of salt and black pepper to taste

Pinch of salt and black pepper to taste

• Salt and pepper are the main seasonings. You can add other spices, but they are optional. You can also add other ingredients, such as onions or bell peppers, but they are optional as well—the chicken is really the star of this dish!

These chicken fajitas are delicious.

These chicken fajitas are delicious, easy to make, healthy and a great option for a quick meal or entertaining.

Fajitas are basically skirt steak wrapped in corn tortillas with onions, peppers and cheese. Traditionally they’re served with guacamole and sour cream on the side but you can skip those if you like. The chicken marinade is made using ingredients that most people keep in their pantry so it requires no more than 10 minutes of prep time before placing everything into the slow cooker!

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed these chicken fajitas! They are a great way to use up leftover chicken, or you could use up some turkey. I love eating them with rice and beans on the side, but if you want something lighter then just serve them with salsa and guacamole instead.