Chicken Fajitas
by Nigella. Featured in KITCHENIntroduction
I am very much in favour of a bit of DIY at the table, and in my experience it’s always particularly popular with any children you might be feeding, too. Fajitas (properly pronounced “faheetas”, though we favour the Kath’n’Kim pronunciation “fadge-eye-ters” in my house) are a Tex-Mex joy, and although I am perfectly happy to acknowledge that this may not be an authentic rendition, I have tried to preserve the flavours and brio it’s had when I’ve eaten it on my travels.
I’ve included a list of suggested accompaniments in the ingredients list (and do look at it before you go shopping for the wherewithal to make these) but I haven’t added salsa. So let me give you a trio of choices here. You can go for the tomato salsa that accompanies the Tortilla Lasagne, my Jumbo Chilli Sauce or that house favourite, Coriander/Cilantro and Jalapeño Salsa. But no one is going to come and knock at your door if you choose to go salsa-less!
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
I am very much in favour of a bit of DIY at the table, and in my experience it’s always particularly popular with any children you might be feeding, too. Fajitas (properly pronounced “faheetas”, though we favour the Kath’n’Kim pronunciation “fadge-eye-ters” in my house) are a Tex-Mex joy, and although I am perfectly happy to acknowledge that this may not be an authentic rendition, I have tried to preserve the flavours and brio it’s had when I’ve eaten it on my travels.
I’ve included a list of suggested accompaniments in the ingredients list (and do look at it before you go shopping for the wherewithal to make these) but I haven’t added salsa. So let me give you a trio of choices here. You can go for the tomato salsa that accompanies the Tortilla Lasagne, my Jumbo Chilli Sauce or that house favourite, Coriander/Cilantro and Jalapeño Salsa. But no one is going to come and knock at your door if you choose to go salsa-less!
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 4 but could be stretched to feed 8 smaller eaters
- 2 skinless chicken breast fillets
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano or regular oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt flakes or ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 x 15ml tablespoon garlic infused olive oil plus 2 teaspoons more ( see addtional information for using regular olive oil)
- 2 x 15ml tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 x 15ml tablespoons groundnut oil or regular olive oil
- 2 onions (peeled, halved and cut into thin half-moons)
- 1 red pepper (core and seeds removed, cut into strips)
- 1 orange pepper (core and seeds removed, cut into strips)
- 1 yellow pepper (core and seeds removed, cut into strips)
- 8 soft flour tortilla wraps
Optional accompaniments
- 100 grams Cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese (grated)
- 125 millilitres creme fraiche or sour cream
- 1 x small (198g) can sweetcorn (drained)
- 1 large or 2 small avocado (finely diced and dressed with ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes and 2 teaspoons lime juice)
- ½ iceberg lettuce (shredded)
- chopped fresh coriander
- chilli sauce
- 2 skinless chicken breast cutlets
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano or regular oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon garlic flavored oil plus 2 teaspoons more ( see addtional information for using regular olive oil)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil or regular olive oil
- 2 onions (peeled, halved and cut into thin half-moons)
- 1 red bell pepper (core and seeds removed, cut into strips)
- 1 orange bell pepper (core and seeds removed, cut into strips)
- 1 yellow bell pepper (core and seeds removed, cut into strips)
- 8 soft flour tortilla wraps
Optional accompaniments
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese (grated)
- ½ cup creme fraiche or sour cream
- 1 x small (7-ounce) can sweetcorn (drained)
- 1 large or 2 small avocado (finely diced and dressed with ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes and 2 teaspoons lime juice)
- ½ iceberg lettuce (shredded)
- chopped cilantro
- chilli sauce
Method
- Over a shallow bowl, cut the chicken with a pair of scissors into thin (1-2cm - ½-¾ inch) strips lengthways, then halve the long strip across to give 2 shorter strips (to echo the pepper strips later). Don't get too hung up on precision, though; you're just trying to cut things into easily wrappable and munchable shapes.
- Once the chicken has been snipped into the dish, add the oregano, cumin, salt, sugar, 1 tablespoon garlic oil and the lime juice. Mix everything about and leave to marinate while you get on with the onions and peppers. And preheat the oven to 125°C/115°C Fan/225°F if you wish to warm your tortillas.
- Warm the groundnut or olive oil in a large frying pan or wok and fry the half-moon onion slices over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Spread the tortillas out on a baking sheet and put in the oven to warm.
- Add the pepper strips to the onion pan and cook for a further 10 minutes. When both onions and peppers are tender, remove to a bowl.
- Warm the remaining 2 teaspoons garlic oil in the pan and tip in the chicken with its marinade. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Check the chicken is piping hot and cooked through, add the onions and peppers from the bowl, stir together then decant to a serving dish.
- Take the warmed tortillas out of the oven and put on the table alongside the chicken tangled in onions and peppers and all the other accoutrements. Wrap what you fancy in the tortillas to eat straightaway.
- Over a shallow bowl, cut the chicken with a pair of scissors into thin (1-2cm - ½-¾ inch) strips lengthways, then halve the long strip across to give 2 shorter strips (to echo the pepper strips later). Don't get too hung up on precision, though; you're just trying to cut things into easily wrappable and munchable shapes.
- Once the chicken has been snipped into the dish, add the oregano, cumin, salt, sugar, 1 tablespoon garlic oil and the lime juice. Mix everything about and leave to marinate while you get on with the onions and peppers. And preheat the oven to 125°C/115°C Fan/225°F if you wish to warm your tortillas.
- Warm the groundnut or olive oil in a large frying pan or wok and fry the half-moon onion slices over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Spread the tortillas out on a baking sheet and put in the oven to warm.
- Add the pepper strips to the onion pan and cook for a further 10 minutes. When both onions and peppers are tender, remove to a bowl.
- Warm the remaining 2 teaspoons garlic oil in the pan and tip in the chicken with its marinade. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Check the chicken is piping hot and cooked through, add the onions and peppers from the bowl, stir together then decant to a serving dish.
- Take the warmed tortillas out of the oven and put on the table alongside the chicken tangled in onions and peppers and all the other accoutrements. Wrap what you fancy in the tortillas to eat straightaway.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD NOTE:
The onion and peppers cut be cut 1 day in advance. Cover tightly with clingfilm and refrigerate. The chicken can be cut 1 day in advance and tossed with the oregano, cumin and garlic oil. Cover tightly with clingfilm and refrigerate. Add the lime juice and salt just before cooking.
If you can't get garlic oil then marinade the chicken with a grated clove of garlic, and use olive oil for the step 6.
MAKE AHEAD NOTE:
The onion and peppers cut be cut 1 day in advance. Cover tightly with clingfilm and refrigerate. The chicken can be cut 1 day in advance and tossed with the oregano, cumin and garlic oil. Cover tightly with clingfilm and refrigerate. Add the lime juice and salt just before cooking.
If you can't get garlic oil then marinade the chicken with a grated clove of garlic, and use olive oil for the step 6.
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What 1 Other has said
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Posted by joshv41680 on 12th August 2021
Show more commentsI have been making this recipe since “Kitchen” first came out. It’s easy, flavorful, and the whole family loves it! They really do taste just like what you order in Mexican restaurants. I always make the Jumbo Chili Sauce (from the same book) to go with the fajitas. It compliments the recipe perfectly!