Chicken Fajita is a family favourite meal. It’s interactive as family members can build their own fajita. Place the fillings in the middle of the table and let everyone dig in. Filled with bright, fresh flavours, it’s sure to bring smiles around the table.
Yield: 4 – 5 Fajitas
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
INGREDIENT LIST
- 1 large boneless chicken breast, skin removed
- ½ cup (125mL) fresh cilantro leaves
- ½ lime or lemon, juiced
- 1 tsp (5mL) chili powder
- 1 tsp (5mL) ground cumin
- a few grinds freshly cracked pepper
- 1Tbsp (15mL) vegetable oil (to cook the chicken)
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 large red pepper, sliced into thin strips
- pinch salt and pepper
- 1 Tbsp (15mL) vegetable oil, to cook the veggies
- ½ cup (125mL) plain yogurt
- 1/4 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional)
- salt and pepper
- 4 large flour tortillas
EQUIPMENT LIST
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- micro-plane or garlic press
- juicer, or reamer
- medium bowl
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- 4 small bowls
- spoons
- tin foil
- large frying pan
- metal or plastic spatula
METHOD
1. Turn on the oven to 350 F.
2. On a cutting board, cut the chicken breast into thin slices, cutting across the grain. Place the chicken in a small bowl. Wash the knife and cutting board with warm, soapy water and dry them.
3. Pick the leaves off of the fresh cilantro stems and tear into small pieces. Place in a small bowl.
4. Add 2 good pinches of the cilantro to the chicken.
5. Juice the ½ lime using a juicer or reamer and add to the chicken.
6. Measure the chili powder, ground cumin and a few grinds of pepper and add to the chicken.
7. Mix the chicken with the other ingredients and let marinade for about 10 minutes.
8. Cut the onion in ½, from the hairy root end to the tip. Peel the skin from each half. Slice each half into thin strips, starting with the tip of the onion. Put in a small bowl.
9. Peel the skin from the garlic clove and grate with a micro-plane or crush through a garlic press. Add to the onion.
10. Cut the red pepper in ½ from the stem to the tip. Remove the stem, seeds and pith and compost these bits. Slice each half into thin strips, about the same size as the onion strips. Put into a small bowl.
11. Cut a jalapeno pepper in ½ from stem to tip and remove the seeds and compost them. (When cutting jalapenos, be careful you do not rub your eyes, as they will burn.) Cut 1/4 of the jalapeno into thin strips and then cut the strips into small cubes. Put the jalapeno into a small bowl and then wash your hands, cutting board and knife. (Save the rest of the jalapeno for another use.)
12. Measure the yogurt and add to the jalapeno. Add 2 – 3 pinches of the cilantro. Mix the ingredients together and put to the side for now.
13. Put a frying pan on the stove-top and turn on the heat to medium-high. Add 1 Tbsp (15mL) of oil and let the pan and oil heat up.
14. Season the chicken with a pinch of salt. Add the chicken mixture to the frying pan. Move the chicken around the pan with a spatula, so that both sides cook. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Turn the heat off and remove the
chicken to a clean bowl (not the bowl it was marinating in).
15. Turn the heat back on to a medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp (15mL) of oil to the same frying pan and let heat up. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes.
16. Add the red peppers and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté, moving them around the pan until they are soft, about 4 – 5 minutes.
17. While the red peppers are cooking, wrap the tortillas in tin foil and heat them in the oven for about 5 minutes.
18. Add the chicken to the pepper mixture and cook until the chicken is heated through. Turn off the heat and mix in the remaining cilantro.
19. Spread 1 or 2 Tbsp (15 – 30mL) of the yogurt mixture over each warm tortilla.
20. Spoon some of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla and roll them up.
21. Serve right away. Fresh salsa on the side is a nice addition if you have it.
SKILLS
STEP-BY-STEP – CHICKEN FAJITAS!
STEP 1
Gather ingredients
STEP 2
Cut boneless chicken breast into thin strips and place in bowl. Wash hands, knife and cutting board. Add lime juice, spices and a couple of sprigs cilantro. Mix. Let marinade 10 minutes.
STEP 3
Cut onion into thin strips. Place in small bowl. Cut red pepper into thin strips and add to the bowl. Grate garlic and add to onion-pepper mixture.
STEP 4
Cut 1/4 jalapeno pepper into small dice. Place in a third small bowl. Add yogurt and a few sprigs of cilantro. Mix.
STEP 5
Heat frying pan to medium-high. Add 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil. Heat up then add chicken mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove to a CLEAN bowl or plate.
STEP 6
Add 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil to same frying pan, heat then add onion mixture. Cook until soft then add red peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
STEP 7
While mixture is cooking, wrap tortillas in foil and warm in 350 F oven for 5 – 10 minutes.
STEP 8
Add chicken to pepper mixture and cook until chicken is heated through. Turn off heat and mix in a few sprigs of cilantro.
STEP 9
Spread 1 or 2 Tbsp. of yogurt mixture over warm tortillas. Spoon chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up and enjoy right away.
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