Lime-Marinated Chicken Fajitas

This recipe and photography was provided courtesy of local cookbook author and chef, Carla Snyder. Learn more about Carla and discover her recipes at Ravenouskitchen.com. 

Fajitas make any day a party. They appeal to the control freak in me because they allow me to assemble everything on that warm tortilla just the way I like it (not too much meat, lots of avocado and salsa). If you haven’t tried a chicken fajita lately, you’re going to love it marinated with lime, cumin and garlic and flash cooked on a blazing hot grill. When combined with the Viva Mexican Dip Trio, this meal ends a tough day on a bright note.

Lime-Marinated Chicken Fajitas

Start-to-Finish: 40 minutes
Hands-On Time: 25 minutes
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
• 4 limes, divided
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. salt, divided, plus more for sprinkling
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into strips
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 2 poblano peppers, seeded and sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Eight to twelve 6-inch flour tortillas
• Salsa, guacamole and queso fresco, as accompaniments

Instructions

1. Mince the garlic and put it in a large Ziploc bag or shallow bowl. Add 2 Tbsp. of the vegetable oil, juice of 2 limes, cumin, 1/2 tsp. salt, a few grinds of pepper and the chicken. Mush the marinade around, squeeze out the extra air, zip it closed or stir it all together to blend well and let it rest on the counter while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. On a large cutting board, slice the onion and poblano. Transfer it to a bowl and drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil, 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper. Chop the cilantro and set it aside.
3. Now you’re ready to cook. Heat a grill to medium-high with a grilling basket. Add the onion and poblano and cook, tossing occasionally, until the edges begin to brown, or cook the vegetables on a sheet pan in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes.
4. While the onion/poblano cook, drain the marinade from the chicken and toss it with the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, 1/4 tsp, salt and pepper.
5. Add the chicken to the vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. If cooking in the oven, add the chicken to the sheet pan of vegetables and cook another 10 minutes or until cooked through.
6. Transfer the vegetables and chicken to a platter.
7. Warm the tortillas in the microwave on a plate covered with microwave-safe plastic wrap.
8. Lay out the platter of chicken and vegetables, warm tortillas, salsa, guacamole and queso on the table and make your own personal fajita just the way you like them.

Extra Tasty: For extra color and flavor, add 2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced to the grilled veggies.

Extra Hungry? Open a can of refried beans or seasoned black beans and warm them up in the microwave. Serve them with the fajita fixings and either load the beans onto your fajita or serve them alongside.

In the Glass: Just hearing the word fajita makes me want a cold Corona longneck plucked from an icy cooler or a margarita. But if wine’s your thing today, try a Rioja from Spain. Marques de Caceres Rioja Crianza Red is easy to find and a bargain at under $15.

Click Here to Print the Recipe for Lime-Marinated Chicken Fajitas.