The problem with taking too much time off from posting is that I have all these photos of delicious looking food, and have no idea what the recipe is, what the meal is called, or even if we liked it.
This one, however, I do remember. I made it way back on 8/31, and it was delicious. I'd had a craving for fajitas after making the
Shrimp "Fajitas", and had almost gotten them out at dinner one night when something else caught my fancy. So I decided to add them to the meal plan.
I found these over at
The Way the Cookie Crumbles. They were a little more work than I'd have expected for fajitas, but they were worth every minute. So yummy. Perfect homemade fajitas.
Chicken Fajitas (from Cooks Illustrated via
The
Way the Cookie Crumbles)
Serves 4 to 6
CI’s note: The chicken and vegetables in these fajitas are only
mildly spicy. For more heat, include the jalapeno seeds and ribs when
mincing. When you head outside to grill, bring along a clean kitchen
towel or a large piece of foil in which to wrap the tortillas and keep
them warm as they come off the grill. Although the chicken and
vegetables have enough flavor to stand on their own, accompaniments
(guacamole, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese,
and lime wedges) can be offered at the table.
⅓ cup juice from 2 to 3 limes
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons brown sugar
1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, minced
1½ tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
table salt and ground black pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds), trimmed of fat,
tenderloins removed, pounded to ½-inch thickness
1 large red onion (about 14 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick
rounds (do not separate rings)
1 large red bell pepper (about 10 ounces), quartered, stemmed, and
seeded
1 large green bell pepper (about 10 ounces), quartered, stemmed, and
seeded
8-12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, 4 tablespoons
oil, garlic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, jalapeno, cilantro, 1 teaspoon
salt, and ¾ teaspoon pepper. Reserve ¼ cup marinade in a small bowl;
set aside. Add another teaspoon salt to the remaining marinade. Place
the chicken in the marinade; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 15
minutes. Brush both sides of the onion rounds and the peppers with the
remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, using a large chimney starter, ignite 6 quarts of
charcoal briquettes and burn until the coals are fully ignited, about 20
minutes. Empty the coals into the grill, spreading them in a single
layer; place an additional 20 unlit coals over the lit coals on one side
of grill to create a two-level fire. Position the grill grate over the
coals and heat the grate for 5 minutes; scrape clean with a grill
brush. (For a gas grill, light all burners and turn to high, cover, and
heat the grill until hot, about 15 minutes; scrape the grill grate
clean with a grill brush. Leave one burner on high heat while turning
the remaining burner(s) down to medium.)
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place it smooth side down
on the hotter side of the grill; discard the remaining marinade. Place
the onion rounds and peppers (skin side down) on the cooler side of the
grill. Cook the chicken until it’s well browned, 4 to 5 minutes; using
tongs, flip the chicken and continue grilling until it’s no longer pink
when cut into with a paring knife or an instant-read thermometer
inserted into the thickest part registers about 160 degrees, 4 to 5
minutes longer. Meanwhile, cook the peppers until spottily charred and
crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once or twice as needed; cook the
onions until tender and charred on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes,
turning every 3 to 4 minutes. When the chicken and vegetables are done,
transfer them to a large plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
4. Working in 2 or 3 batches, place the tortillas in a single layer
on the cooler side of the now-empty grill and cook until warm and
lightly browned, about 20 seconds per side (do not grill too long or the
tortillas will become brittle). As the tortillas are done, wrap them
in a kitchen towel or a large sheet of foil.
5. Separate the onions into rings and place them in a medium bowl;
slice the bell peppers lengthwise into ¼-inch strips and place them in
the bowl with the onions. Add 2 tablespoons reserved unused marinade to
the vegetables and toss well to combine. Slice the chicken into ¼-inch
strips and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons reserved marinade in
another bowl; arrange the chicken and vegetables on a large platter and
serve with the warmed tortillas.
