Fajitas

Submitted by: JustRightMenus

Description:

This is another one where the book will open right to it.. we have had this so very, very many times. It's a pretty frequent Friday meal - I don't know about you, but I don't like to cook too long on a Friday; I'd rather rest from the week. This is a really quick one!

Servings: 2

Categories: Mexican, chicken, easy, quick

From the kitchen of:

Rachael Ray: 30-Minute Meals (Lake Isle Press, 1998), page 90

Ingredients

The Marinade

1 1/2 TB (21 shakes) liquid cayenne papper sauce (Red Hot or Tabasco - that sort of thing)

1 TB ground cumin

1/2 tsp allspice

1 TB chili powder

a shake of dried oregano

1/4 bottle of beer OR 

1/3 cup apple juice

1 drizzle olive oil

The Guts

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

olive oil

1/4 to 1/2 sweet onion, cut into 1/2" strips

1/2 bell pepper (red is nice but green is cheaper)

If you like life spicy, add a poblano chile, cut into strips

S&P to taste

The Wraps

4 small, 6" flour tortillas OR 2 large, 9-12" tortillas

The Topping

Pico de Gallo is fresh salsa made of only finely chopped tomato, serrano or jalapeno chiles, minced onion, cilantro (aka the stuff of the gods, ha), mint, and salt. The mint is there to curb the bitterness of the cilantro.

Directions

Mix all marinade ingredients together.

Coat the chicken in the marinade and let it hang out.  Heat 2 pans, one to high (for the chicken) and one to medium (for the veggies).

Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the medium-heat veggie pan. Cook the onions, peppers, and optional chiles, with an occasional shake, until they darken around the edges, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and turn off the heat.

Spray the high-heat chicken pan w/ nonstick, and sear the meat 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat. Slice very thinly, "on the bias" (holding the knife at a 45°angle to the meat, thus also a 45°angle to the cutting board).

Return strips of chicken to the griddle to brown and cook through.

Heat tortillas according to package directions (or.. since I'm only heating 2, I'll lay both of them on top of the veggies while they cook to steam them, flipping them 1/2 way through the veggies' time, so they both get hot).

Fill the tortillas with meat, veggies, adn a scoop or two of Pico de Gallo ... or serve w/ sour cream, guacamole, and/or sour cream.

Side item ideas: 

tortillas & salsa, refried beans