Stumbling across this recipe could not have come at a more perfect time! I purchased a family-size package of chicken breasts the other day and used the majority for my chicken scaloppine. I had three large chicken breasts left and what do you know...that's EXACTLY what this recipe calls for! :) My husband and I used to enjoy going out for the "all-you-can-eat" fajitas at the local Don Pablos...that is, of course, before we had kids! Dining out is quite the ordeal and not overly enjoyable with the two kids fidgeting around the entire time, so I was excited to find a recipe that claimed to create "the best chicken fajitas", so we could enjoy them at home!
Marinade:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 3-4 limes)
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons apple cider or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
Fajitas:
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts (about 3 large chicken breasts)
1 yellow onion, cut into thin strips
1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red (or orange) pepper, cut into thin strips
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice (a quick squeeze of a cut lime)
dash of salt and pepper
Combine all marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place chicken in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade ingredients over the top. Seal the bag and place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 2-3 hours.
After marinading, take chicken out of the bag and discard the marinade. Grill or broil the chicken 4-5 minutes per side--I used my indoor grill pan. Remove from pan and tent with foil to keep warm.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat and add the onion, mushrooms and peppers. Stir fry until softened but still crisp tender. Add soy sauce, water, lime juice and salt and pepper. Cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Slice chicken thinly on the diagonal and toss with the vegetables in the skillet. Serve immediately with flour tortillas and any toppings of your choice--I used Mexican cheese and sour cream, but you could also use tomatoes, lettuce and guacamole!
Source: My Kitchen Cafe
I know what you mean about not going out to eat often with the kids!! It always ends up being such an ordeal. We took the kids to see the new chipmunk movie the night it opened at the theater and we took them out to eat before. We ended up having to stop at a JcPenny so I could run in a buy my son pants. He spilled his entire drink at the resturant and couldn't wear them. Unfortunately going home to change wasn't an option because the movie theater is in another town 20 minutes away. Don't worry though, they get easy to take out to eat as they get older. My 6 & 8 year old are much easier!
ReplyDeleteYour fajitas look great!! I've never seen them made with mushrooms. YUM :)
They look and sound great - were they the best.
ReplyDeleteGosh these sound GOOD. We love a good fajita, and this recipe sounds like a keeper. Good find! Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHeidi--you're "dining out experience" sounds much like the way ours play out! I could totally see my son doing that very same thing! I hate to rush time, but I am looking forward to the day we can all go out as a family and enjoy eating out. My kids are both still pretty young (4 1/2 and 22 months), so I can't really fault them for being antsy and not wanting to sit still. I will tell you, though...if we take them to a Chinese buffet, they are in heaven! Those kids really get us our money's worth :)
ReplyDelete"Big Dude"--they were REALLY good! By far, the best I've ever made at home!
Katy--I think you guys would really enjoy these!
We usually use a fajita seasoning mix when we make fajitas, but my teen son has developed a strong aversion to it. I need to give this homemade version a try.
ReplyDeleteWe used to love Don Pablos too, but they closed our local one down. :(
Wow - I crave chicken fajitas and LOVE them! These sound fabulous :D
ReplyDeleteCould you substitute lemon juice for the lime?
ReplyDeleteHi, Melissa! Honestly, I'd be a bit reluctant to substitute lemon for lime in this particular recipe...I think it needs the lime flavor. I'm generally all for substituting, if possible, but in this case, I think I'd stick with the lime. I don't know if you happen to have an Aldi's by you, but I was there the other day and they had limes on sale for $.35/each. (Made me think of it when I saw your question!) I picked up a small bottle of lime juice (from concentrate) that I keep in the fridge, because there have been a few times when I've needed it and I certainly wouldn't ordinarily keep it on hand, as I would something like lemon juice. Good luck :) Take care and have a wonderful weekend! ~Rachel
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