Overview

A classic Tex-Mex recipe, the grilled chicken fajita has become one of America’s favorite south of the border meals. The best part about the chicken fajita is the customization of ingredients that each diner can use to create their dream chicken fajita. This recipe requires an indoor or outdoor bbq to grill the chicken.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 limes

For the grilled vegetable accompaniments

• 2 bunches of scallions
• 3 bell peppers (any combination of red, yellow or green)

For the chicken fajita toppings

• 1 avocado peeled, diced and tossed with salt and lime juice
• 2 cups of sour cream
• 2 cups of salsa of your choice
• 3 limes cut into wedges
• 18 small soft flour tortillas

Directions

Step 1:
Place the chicken breasts in a pan. Combine the chili powder, salt, cumin, garlic, onion powder, and black pepper in a bowl. Spread this mixture over the chicken, patting it into the meat with your fingertips. Squeeze the lime juice over the chicken and let marinate, covered in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Step 2:
Pre-heat your indoor or outdoor bbq grill to high.

Step 3:
Place the bell peppers directly on the hot grill until charred on all sides, flipping as needed for about 15 minutes. Remove the peppers from the grill, transfer to a cutting board and wrap in wet paper towels to cool.

Step 4:
Grill the scallions until browned, but not charred.

Step 5:
Unwrap the bell peppers from the wet paper towels and remove the charred skins with your hands or a knife leaving the flesh of the bell pepper. Cut the bell peppers in half, remove the seeds and cut into strips.

Step 6:
Place the chicken breasts on the high heat grill. For a medium sized chicken breast cook 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to cutting board and let rest before cutting the chicken into fajita-ready strips.

Step 7:
Turn the grill off, and place the tortillas directly on the grill to warm. Be careful not to burn.

Step 8:
Assemble chicken fajitas as you wish with a tortilla, chicken and the various accompaniments to suit your taste.

Enjoy!

In a slow cooker, layer:

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1 inch pieces)

2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced

4 large carrots, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 dried apricots, coasely chopped

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons garlic salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon pepper

Pour mixture over chicken and vegetables.  Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours.  Garnish with toasted pine nuts, if desired.

Serves 8

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Slit and rinse:

1 can (28oz.) of Ortega whole green chili

Make sure to remove all seeds and allow chilies to drain on paper towels.  Meanwhile, on a cutting board, slice  8oz. of Monterey Jack cheese into long wedges small enough to fit into chilies.

Arrange chilies in a shallow casserole dish, filling each chili with a wedge of cheese.  Cover stuffed chilies with:

1 can (14oz.) tomato sauce

6 oz. of sliced and cleaned white mushrooms

Cover with any left over cheese.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and cheese has melted.

Serves 6-8 as an appetizer

In a small saucepan, over medium high heat, add:

1 tablespoon of butter

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Once the butter has melted into the oil, add:

1 cup rice (I prefer jasmine, but any long grain rice is fine)

salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to brown.  Add:

1/2 cup of dry white wine

Allow wine to evaporate, stirring occasionally.  Add to the pan:

3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

zest from 1 lemon

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover.  Cook for about 20-25 minutes.  In the last five minutes of cooking the rice, add:

3/4 cup washed snow peas

Return cover to rice and snow peas.  Do not stir.  The steam from the rice cooking will cook the snow peas.  You want the snow peas to be crisp.  Stir just before serving.

While the rice is cooking, to a large wok or skillet, over medium-high heat add:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Once oil is hot, add and brown:

1 1/2 -2 lbs chopped chicken tenders

Cook chicken for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Once chicken is cooked and starting to brown, add:

1 tablespoon onion powder

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 inch piece of ginger, grated

3 tablespoons of honey

Stir to combine and cook 2-3 minutes more.  Add:

1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon of cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons of broth (to prevent lumps)

juice from 1 lemon

5 green onions, chopped

Bring to a boil ans reduce heat to thicken, stirring occasionally.  You should only have to cook this for a few more minutes.  Serves over the Snow Pea Rice and enjoy.

Serves 4

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat.  Once oil is warm, add to the skillet:

11/2 cups shredded carrot

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until bell pepper starts to become tender.  Add to the skillet:

*3 tablespoons Tamari (dark soy sauce)

1-1 1/4 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined

3 green onions, chopped

Cook until shrimp are pink on both sides, about 5 minutes, and reduce heat to medium-low.  Add:

1/2 cup chicken broth

20 basil leaves, chopped

1/4 cilantro, chopped

juice from 1 lime

Cook until all of ingredients are combined and basil leaves are wilted.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

*Soy sauce can be substituted for Tamari, but if you can find it , Tamari has a richer flavor.

Serves 4

In a small skillet, on low to medium heat, toast 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut. Be careful not to burn it; as soon as the coconut starts to brown, reduce heat and stir frequently. Once browned, set aside.

In a saucepan with a tight fitting lid, combine:

1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1 cup rice (I prefer jasmine, but any white rice is fine)

2 cups vegetable broth

Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer for 25-30 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to sit for another 5 minutes, before removing lid. Add toasted coconut and fluff with a fork before serving.

Serves 4

In a large bowl, combine:
3 1/2 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
1 cups sour cream
1 10oz can cream of chicken soup
1 4oz cans of chopped green chiles, drained
3 bunches of green onions, chopped
3/4 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth

Grease a 13×9 inch baking pan. Place about three tablespoons of chicken mixture into flour or corn tortilla and roll up, placing seam side down. Fill pan, repeating with tortillas (should use 8-10 tortillas, depending upon how full they are). Once pan is filled tightly with tortillas, sprinkle evenly with an additional 3/4 cup of shredded Colby Jack cheese and any remaining chicken mixture. Bake, covered with foil, at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted on top. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6-8

Combine all of the following spices in a small skillet and toast for 1-2 minutes.
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/8 cayenne pepper

Add toasted spices to bowl containing and combine:

1 cup plain yogurt
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Once yogurt and toasted spice mixture are combined, pour over 2 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs in 9×13 baking pan (glass or coated). Refrigerate for six hours or up to overnight.

When ready to cook chicken, preheat oven to 500 degrees and bake about 40 minutes or until chicken is slightly charred and juices run clear when meat is pierced.

Serve with following Yogurt Sauce:

Combine and refrigerate:
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 diced cucumber, peeled and seeded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cumin
3 tablespoons fresh, chopped mint

Serves 6-8