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Chicken fajitas recipe

“Austin made me the best chicken fajitas,” said my grandma. “I have never had chicken taste so good.”

My uncle is more renown for his squash enchiladas, so I was very intrigued. Now, I have to admit, chicken fajitas are not something I’ve ever been too inspired to make. Perhaps it’s because they’re made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, which isn’t the most flavorful cut.

There’s also the language purist inside of me, that insists calling something chicken fajitas is simply wrong, as the word fajitas originally refers to the cut of meat. Naming the dish chicken fajitas is like saying it’s “chicken sliced steak.”

Of course, this battle was lost long ago and it’s silly for me to not favor a dish because of its inaccurate name. And you have to admit, there’s a thrill when the sizzling chicken arrives on a bed of sautéed peppers and onions, along with the required bowls of pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream. A stack of warm flour tortillas makes the meal complete. Fajitas are definitely more than the sum of their parts, and with sweet bell peppers and onions in such abundance these days, I decided to follow my uncle’s lead.

Chicken fajitas | Homesick Texan

“What did he do to the chicken?” I asked my grandma. She said she couldn’t remember everything, but his marinade did contain lime juice and balsamic vinegar. Lime juice is a classic ingredient for a fajita marinade, so that didn’t surprise me. But balsamic vinegar? That seemed like an inspired choice, as it’s both tangy and sweet. I got in touch with Austin to learn more.

He admitted that it was his first time making chicken fajitas and his marinade was completely improvised. He did indeed start with the standard lime juice and olive oil base, and then threw in the balsamic vinegar, a bit of Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, Mexican hot sauce, salt and pepper.

It sounded good, so I decided to play around with his basic ingredient list, omitting the brown sugar, as balsamic vinegar is plenty sweet, and substituting a few cloves of garlic and chiles de arbol for the Mexican hot sauce. The marinade was bright and lively, with a bit of heat from the chiles. I threw in my chicken breasts and let it sit for a few hours before cooking.

Now, Austin had grilled his chicken but since I don’t have a grill I instead quickly cooked the chicken breasts in a cast-iron skillet. Since I wasn’t at the farm the day Austin cooked, I don’t really know how his tasted. But if they were at all like the ones I made, then my grandma was correct—this marinade did indeed make a fine fajita. And once I smothered the chicken with guacamole and folded them into fresh flour tortillas, it made for an excellent, end-of-summer dish.

Chicken fajitas | Homesick Texan

It’s strange to think that this long, hot and dry season is officially ending this weekend. It’s been a rough one for so many and I hope that there is some relief soon. Whether you’re staying inside this holiday or attempting to cook outdoors, may you stay cool and safe. And perhaps make some chicken fajitas.

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5 from 3 votes

Chicken fajitas

Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 6
Author Lisa Fain

Ingredients

Ingredients for the chicken:

  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 4 dried chiles de arbol, stemmed
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

Ingredients for the fajitas:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 2 bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • Salt, to taste
  • 12 flour tortillas
  • Guacamole
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Sour cream

Instructions

  • In a blender, mix together the lime juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, cumin, and chiles de arbol. Blend until smooth, and add salt and black pepper to taste. Pour the marinade over the chicken, and marinade refrigerated for at least 1 hour.
  • To make the fajitas, drain the chicken from the marinade. In a large, heavy skillet, heat up 1 tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Add the chicken, and cook covered for about 5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature is 160°F. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet, and cook the bell pepper and onion slices on medium heat until tender and soft, about 7-10 minutes. Add salt to taste. While the peppers and onions are cooking, heat up the flour tortillas by either cooking each one over a burner or in a hot, dry skillet for about 15 seconds per side or until they puff.
  • Slice the chicken and serve with the bell peppers, onions, warm flour tortillas, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream, so people can make their own tacos.

Notes

If you can’t find chiles de arbol just use serrano chiles. The taste will be a little brighter but still fiery.

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55 Comments

  1. Suzette Rothlisberger says:

    Just made this recipe for two Texas boys…they loved it. Thanks for sharing and we'll make it again in October at a group campout in Moab, Utah!

    Suzette

  2. I made the chicken marinade earlier this week and it was fantastic! it's my new "go-to" marinade. Thanks! 🙂

  3. mytwocentsworth says:

    I'm dying to try the Frito pie. Last year, I experienced the Friday night lights and the roar of the crowd as I was strolling at dusk through the historic district of Bastrop. Great reminder of my earlier days growing up in Appalachia. Very sorry to hear of all the fire destruction in Bastrop County. I was touring Texas in search of some fantastic barbecue (which I found) and I'm always ready to go back again.

  4. Anonymous says:

    I have to say its a very nice recipe. My husband and I both have latino roots (he being mexican and i being filipino) and anything with seared or grilled chicken is a staple in our family. I noticed how you and your uncle kept it authentic, as most cooks often try to over-europeanize most latin dishes. Some Latino culture may be from spain, however mexican food differs greatly from spanish food altogether. Its good to experiment and find new flavors though. P.S.– both from deep southern Texas

  5. I love lime-soy sauce-red wine vinegar marinated chicken in my fajitas, and I'll try it with Balsamic vinegar next time. I always use Balsamic in my pico de gallo! It gives it an incredible brightness!