Chicken Fajitas

Chicken Fajitas

I have a confession to make: this recipe has been languishing in my drafts folder for nearly four years. It is something I cook all the time but usually after work when I just want something quick and can’t be bothered trying to make it look pretty. So I made it this weekend and made the effort to actually take pictures!

Chicken Fajitas were my first introduction to Mexican Food. I remember the first time we bought the Old El Paso Fajita kit, we thought it was so exotic! As I grew older and started to take more interest in cooking, I researched recipes from chefs like Jamie Oliver and The Pioneer Woman and started playing around with my own flavours. Nigella also has a great recipe in Kitchen if you want to check that out.

I now know that Chicken Fajitas are more Tex-Mex than authentic Mexican but I don’t care, they are so delicious and really easy. I personally prefer them with beef but chicken wins in my house so chicken it is. It is a great social meal for a crowd, put all the sides into bowls and let everyone help themselves at the table. Then each person can make their own fajita the way they like it.

 

 

 

Useful tips & links:

• The chicken benefits from marinating for a few hours in the fridge, but is not strictly necessary. You could also use beef, pork or more vegetables in place of meat. If you want to make the dish vegetarian leave the Worcestershire sauce out of the marinade.
• You can buy a pack of fajita seasoning mix if you like, but to make these I already have all of the ingredients in my cupboard so it seems a waste of money to buy the mix. A lot of recipes use a dry rub to marinate the meat but I like to add some wet ingredients, not just for their flavour but also as it coats the filling in a little sauce.
• For smokiness, I use chipotle chilli paste which I buy in The English Market in Cork or it is readily available online. If you can’t get it use chipotle chilli flakes or a little extra chilli powder with smoked paprika.
• This recipe is spicy but not particularly hot. Some of the sides have extra chilli so taste as you go and add more spice as needed.
• I like to serve it with sour cream, a little cheese, my Chunky Guacamole, and the warm tomato salsa from my Huevos Rancheros. You could use Pico de Gallo instead of the salsa if you prefer. Prepare these while the meat and veggies are marinating.
• Chef Mimi’s Green Rice with Corn would be a great accompaniment too. And talk about timing, Mimi published this the same day I published this Fajita recipe!
• I’ve said here the recipe feeds 3-4 but honestly, we have been known to polish the whole lot off between the two of us. I probably shouldn’t admit that.
• For more Chicken Fajita inspiration, have a look at Jolene’s kid friendly Chicken Fajitas on One Yummy Mummy,  or see June’s Homemade Fajitas on My Food Odyssey where she shames me by making her tortillas from scratch!

 

 

Chicken Fajitas

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 2 large skinless chicken breast fillets
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon of lime juice (approx. the juice of ½ a lime)
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 heaped teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 heaped teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon of chipotle chilli paste
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of sugar
• Black pepper
• 1 large onion
• 2 bell peppers
• 6-8 tortilla wraps

Suggestions to serve:

Sour cream, grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, tomato salsa, fresh coriander leaves, lime wedges, refried beans, Mexican red rice. Napkins!

Method:

• Slice the chicken breasts and set to one side. Put the ingredients listed from the olive oil down to the pepper into a bowl and whisk together until well combined and the sugar has dissolved. Pour most of it over the sliced chicken and cover and marinate in the fridge for a few hours or at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
• Sliced the onions and peppers, approximately the same size as the chicken slices. Pour the remaining marinade over them, stir and set to one side.
• While the meat is marinating, prepare the rest of your toppings. I like to heat my tortilla wraps in a low oven wrapped in foil as I think it keeps them warm for longer. Feel free to heat in a microwave or on a dry pan as per packet instructions.
• When you are ready to cook, heat a large griddle pan or non stick frying pan over a medium high heat. Cook the chicken quickly on the pan until just cooked through. Remove the chicken and cook the onions and peppers until the onions have caramelised and the peppers are cooked.
• When the onions and peppers are cooked, add the chicken back into the pan. While heating through, put all of your sides and tortilla wraps into bowls or serving dishes. To keep the chicken hot, take the griddle pan to the table and let people serve themselves from it. If you have kids – or careless adults – transfer the chicken to a serving bowl.
• I like to put sour cream and guacamole on the wrap, next the chicken and peppers and then top with salsa and a little cheese. Wrap it up to let all the flavours seep into each other and eat immediately.
• Enjoy the mess!