Chicken Fajitas

An easy, no fail recipe for proper Texas fajitas! A quick marinade results in a weeknight friendly AND family pleasing meal!

Awhile back, I had the joy of having not one but two friends hand deliver me fresh flour tortillas, straight from Texas. We were in heaven! I lamented the lack of good tortillas awhile back. It's a serious problem :)

Now with this load of fresh tortillas, I got to menu planning a TexMexPalooza of meals for the coming days. And what is more Tex Mex than good ol' chicken fajitas? When ordered at a restaurant, they come out on these sizzling hot plates that fill the restaurant with this drool-worthy aroma. I haven't mastered that at home yet but I didn't hear any complaints coming from my other half when I served up a plate of these, straight off the grill.

There are a lot of fajita recipes out there but I'd argue that this is one of the best marinades I've tried. And it couldn't be easier! It only needs to marinate an hour or two which helps those of us who forget to thaw the chicken in time to marinade it before work.

Don't have a grill? See the note below for stove-top instructions. 

Chicken Fajitas

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

6 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon ground cumin

4 dried chiles de arbol, stems removed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs

2 bell peppers, seeded and halved

1 yellow onion, quartered

flour tortillas, fajita size

toppings: salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese

In a food processor, combine the lime juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, cumin, and chiles de arbol. Blend until smooth and add the salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a gallon sized resealable bag and pour the marinade over top. Seal and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Drain the chicken from the marinade and discard. Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Grill the onion and peppers until tender, turning often, about 10 minutes for the peppers and 15 minutes for the onion.*don't have a grill? see note below*

Transfer the grilled chicken and vegetables to a large cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice the onion and peppers into thin slices. Slice the chicken crosswise into strips.

Warm the tortillas and serve with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

*If not using grill: Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat in a large heavy skillet. Add the chicken and cook, covered, for 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the onion and peppers into thin slices. Heat another tablespoon of oil and add the sliced peppers and onion. Cook until tender and soft, around 7-10 minutes.    

Source: adapted from The Homesick Texan's Family Table