Chicken Fajitas

 

 

One thing I have a real love and taste for is anything to do with Tex Mex or Mexican flavors.   They are not something which I really grew up with, but something I discovered as an adult. 

The most Tex Mex my mother ever got was when she discovered a recipe for Chili on the back of a tin of Tomato soup!  Suffice it to say, it was not the same thing at all, but my father loved it and it replaced our regular Saturday night wieners and beans! 

 

 

My second husband and I used to love to go to a Mexican restaurant chain in London, Ontario many moons ago. I usually ordered either the Chicken Chimichangas or the Chicken Fajitas.   

We also used to frequent a really authentic smaller Mexican restaurant in Fredericton NB, who made fabulous Fajitas!  I think it is safe to say that I love Fajitas, be they chicken or be they beef!  There is something about that spicy meat, peppers, and onions that makes my tastebuds sing!

 

 

 A Fajita in Tex Mex cuisine is any type of  meat, cut into strips and spiced, fried together with peppers and onions and served in a warm flour or corn tortilla. 

The restaurant in Fredericton used to bring them hot to the table in a sizzling cast iron skillet. You needed to be careful not to burn yourself.  They were incredibly delicious. 

 

This recipe I am sharing today was inspired by one I found in the cookbook, Hope's Table by Hope Helmuth.  I did not make the full recipe.

I also did not follow her recipe exactly and switched things out a bit according to the ingredients I had in my house.  What follows is my inspired version of her recipe.  It is delicious. 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHICKEN FAJITAS 

Everything is pretty simple really.

For the chicken: 

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 TBS green tabasco sauce (this is found next to the red Tabasco in the grocery store)
• 1 TBS light olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed (alternately you can use the equivalent in garlic powder, not salt)
• the juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp each salt and black pepper

 

You will also need:

• 1 small green pepper, cored, trimmed and sliced (or 1/2 large)
• 1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced (or 1/2 large)
• 1/2 TBS butter
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup (60g) grated Tex Mex Blend Cheese (it is a mix of mild and spicy cheeses

 

To serve:

• 1 cup hot cooked rice (I like basmati)
• 1/2 TBS green tabasco sauce
• chopped fresh tomato
• chopped fresh avocado
• sour cream or ranch dressing (optional)
• 4 soft flour tortillas (I only had six inch, but 10 inch would be better)

 

Hope used fresh green jalapenos in her marinade. I did not have any, but I thought that the green tabasco sauce would be a great substitute. You get some of the heat of the jalapeno and the flavor of course. 

She also made a special black bean rice to serve with hers. I did not have any black beans, so I just used a regular basmati rice that I stirred more of the tabasco sauce into to give it a bit of a spiciness. It was very nice.

 

I cut the quantities of everything down to feed just two people.  I also added some cheese to melt over top at the end.  Yummy. Yummy. 

She served hers with guacamole and ranch dressing. I did not have guacamole, but I did have frozen chunk avocado. I felt this would work beautifully and it did.

 

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN FAJITAS

These were really simple to make and incredibly delicious.

Begin by marinating the chicken. Slice the chicken into 1/2 inch strips. Place into a bowl and toss together with the olive oil, lime juice, green tabasco, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Set aside for 1/2 hour. 

 

Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the peppers and onions. Season lightly and sauté just until tender. Scoop out and set aside.

Add the chicken to the pan, along with any marinade. Cover and cook over medium heat, just until done. Uncover and return the peppers and onions to the pan. 

Turn up the heat and cook on high until any juices have evaporated. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Sprinkle the cheese over top and allow to melt.

  

Warm your tortillas.

Stir the remaining tabasco into the hot cooked rice. Place 1/4 down the center of each warm tortilla. Top with some chopped fresh avocado. 

Divide the chicken/pepper mixture between each and then top with chopped tomato and sour cream or ranch dressing if using. Fold together and serve immediately.

I was really pleased with how these turned out.  The chicken was moist and tender and filled with amazing flavor.  The peppers and onions cooked just the right amount/

I thought the cheese melted on top was just the right touch.  I also loved the creamy contrast of the avocado and the sweetness of the chopped tomato. 

I was going to have sour cream with them, but I forgot. It was delicious as is but sour cream would have added a nice rich touch.  Whilst these were slightly different than the usual fajitas, I thought they were actually more delicious. 

                 

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