Chicken Fajitas

If you love cilantro and want an authentic tasting chicken fajita – this is your recipe.  I love that you marinate the chicken and use some reserved marinade on it after grilling to really bring out the flavors.   I cooked the chicken on my indoor grill pan – but you can also use your outdoor grill.  I topped mine with my favorite guacamole – this is easily one of my all time favorite meals. 

 

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 medium cloves garlic , minced
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 jalapeño chile , seeds and ribs removed, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
• 1 large red onion (about 14 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (do not separate rings)
• 2 large red or yellow bell peppers (about 10 ounces), quartered, stemmed, and seeded
• 6-inch flour tortillas

Directions

1. In medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, 4 tablespoons oil, garlic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade in small bowl; set aside. Add another teaspoon salt to remaining marinade. Place chicken in marinade; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes.

2. Adjust one oven rack to upper-middle position (about 8 inches from heating element) and second rack to lower-middle position; heat broiler.

3. Brush both sides of onion rounds and peppers with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange onion rounds and peppers (skin sides up) in single layer on rimmed baking sheet.

4. Wrap the number of tortillas you need securely in a foil packet.

5. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels; discard marinade. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Swirl oil to coat skillet, then arrange chicken smooth side down in skillet in single layer; cook without moving chicken, until well browned, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken; continue to cook until second sides are well browned, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, turning chicken once or twice, until chicken is no longer pink when cut into with paring knife or instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 160 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to large plate and let rest 5 minutes.

6. While chicken is cooking, place baking sheet with vegetables in oven on upper rack; place tortilla packets on lower rack. Broil vegetables until spottily charred and peppers are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer peppers to cutting board. Flip onion rounds and continue to broil until charred and tender, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Turn off broiler and remove vegetables, leaving tortillas in oven until needed.

7. Separate onions into rings and place in medium bowl; slice bell peppers lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips and place in bowl with onions. Add 2 tablespoons reserved unused marinade to vegetables and toss well to combine. Slice chicken into 1/4-inch strips and toss with remaining 2 tablespoons reserved marinade in separate bowl; arrange chicken and vegetables on large platter and serve with warmed tortillas.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated

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