Chicken Fajitas

Last summer I decided that I wanted to conquer fajitas- a meal my husband loved, but one I didn't really make. (Partly because I didn't think I liked peppers- I have since found out that I love red peppers!) I found this marinade recipe on allrecipes.com, and adapted it to our tastes. It has turned me into a fajita fan! I typically serve these with crockpot "refried" beans.

The finished fajita mixture, cooked in my 12" cast iron skillet


Chicken Fajitas
Printable version here

Marinade ingredients
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp. olive oil (or vegetable oil)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, or more if you like it spicy
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke flavoring, optional

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 small onion, sliced
1/2 to 1 red pepper, sliced into bite-sized pieces, about 1/4" wide

1. In a medium bowl, mix together marinade ingredients. Pour over chicken, either in a glass or plastic dish, or a large zip-top bag. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or at least 30 minutes.

2. Drizzle some canola or vegetable oil in a large skillet and preheat over medium. Once oil is shimmering, remove chicken from marinade and place in skillet, reserving leftover marinade. Cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is nearly done (about 160º). Remove chicken from pan to a clean dish or plate, cover with foil, and set aside.

3. Carefully wipe out the skillet with a paper towel and drizzle fresh oil in it. Add sliced onion & red pepper, saute until vegetables start to become tender. Pour reserved marinade into pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until sauce thickens. Meanwhile, slice the chicken into thin strips. Add to the pan, stir to combine, then serve in tortillas. Suggested toppings: sour cream, cheese, lime, and chopped cilantro.

Why I love it? It really isn't that hard- I typically have all of the ingredients in my kitchen already. (Thanks to the bulk section at WinCo, I have pretty much every spice I could ever need!) You could also adapt this recipe- make it spicier, use it with a different kind of meat, etc. For me though, this version is perfect! The meal works for the kids, too- I take out their chicken before adding it in with the peppers & onions, because they're not the biggest fans of peppers & onions. That's okay, it means more for the adults! :)