I ask every recipe contributor what they want their future grandchildren to call them. This chicken fajita recipe comes from my real Grandma, and she still wants me to call her that.
Grandma is my mom's mom, and that side of the family numbers 21 when we're all together, so Grandma multiplies this recipe by six or so to feed all the babies and all the adults. These fajitas helped me grow out of my childhood pickiness, e.g., refusing to eat the parsley on my pasta because it was "green and poisonous." These fajitas are in part kid-friendly because they're mild, so spice them up if you'd like with hot salsa or another teaspoon of chili powder.
Thank you, Grandma, for serving this meal to a line of hungry Mennonites over and over again.
2 Tablespoons (30 g) fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons (42 g) honey
1 Tablespoon (14 g) canola oil (and more for cooking)
2 teaspoons chili powder (or more to taste)
2-3 garlic cloves
1 pound (16 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
(285 g) 1 large white onion
half of 1 large red bell pepper
half of 1 large green bell pepper
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
toppings to taste:
shredded lettuce
cheddar cheese
salsa
sour cream
optional: avocado
Serves 3-4
MARINADE
Grandma firms up the chicken in the freezer to make slicing it easier. Chill in the freezer for 1 hour:
1 pound (16 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
In a large non-metal bowl, mix:
2 Tablespoons (30 g) fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons (42 g) honey
1 Tablespoon (14 g) canola oil
2 teaspoons chili powder (or more to taste)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
Slice the chilled chicken against the grain into 1/2-inch strips. Add the chicken to the liquid, and mix to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
COOKING
Slice into 1/4-inch strips:
(285 g) 1 large white onion
half of 1 large red bell pepper
half of 1 large green bell pepper
Heat a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Lightly coat the pan with canola oil, and let it heat up again. Carefully pour in the chicken strips and liquid marinade, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the onion and pepper strips, and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is no longer pink inside, registering at 165 degrees F / 75 degrees C.
Thoroughly drain the chicken and vegetables in a colander and transfer to a serving dish.
ASSEMBLY
To ensure easy fajita folding, stack on a plate covered loosely with a damp paper towel:
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Microwave for 1 minute.
Place the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla and top with:
shredded lettuce
cheddar cheese, freshly grated
salsa
sour cream
optional: avocado
To fold, Grandma recommends folding the bottom edge of the tortilla towards the center, then folding the two sides towards the center to slightly overlap each other. This will be leak-proof unless you're like me and my cousins who add too much filling every time.