How to make Perfect Homemade Chicken Fajitas

"The key to perfect chicken fajitas is in the marinade. The second key is a hot skillet. The third key is…well, there is no third key. So just marinate, stir-fry and enjoy with simple accompaniments - fresh guacamole, cilantro, Cotia cheese, all wrapped into a warm tortilla"

The making of - Perfect Chicken Fajitas

We all do it.

Turn our heads at the sound of those sizzling fajitas being served up in our favorite Mexican restaurant.

How can you not? They sizzle, they steam, they smell ... oh so good.

And now you can make them at home.

Even better. Because when you make them at home, you have control.

Over the ingredients. Over the fat and calories. And over the flavor.

Step #1 - The Perfect Chicken Fajitas Marinade

For me, one of the most important factors in perfect chicken fajitas is the marinade. You want flavorful meat, that way you don't have to add a lot to the plate to make it taste good. And when investigating recipes, I found that most of them lacked any real depth of flavor. Cumin, lime juice, chili powder.

"I have that - and more!"

Using both lime and orange juices gives the chicken a real zing with a sweet back note. Chili powder, oregano, cumin, garlic, and onion powder, give depth. And the oil helps everything blend together in smooth harmony.

Again, remember that using citrus as a marinade does change the texture of the meat, so keep the marinating time 2 hours or less.

There really isn't all that much difference in how far a marinade penetrates the meat by leaving it in longer, and we're going to use some of that marinade in the cooking process, so all the flavors will be there at the end.

So avoid mealy meat, and keep the marinating time from 1 - 2 hours.

Step #2 - The cooking part

It is important to have a hot pan when you throw those peppers and onions into cook.

You want them to be crisp-tender, but with some brown edges which = flavor!  

Once you have that, remove them and then throw the chicken into the pan; along with some of the marinade to cook through. Return the veggies and toss them together until well coated and most of the marinade is mostly evaporated.

Step #3 - Choose your wrapper

Personally, fajitas are one of the few Mexican dishes that I actually use flour tortillas for.

I'm a corn tortilla girl, but for some reason, perfect chicken fajitas seem more sandwich-like and flour seems to be a better choice.

But if you love corn, or are gluten-free, corn tortillas work too. Whatever tortillas you use, just get them nice and soft and pliable so they fold over the delicious fajita mix.

Step #4 - The final touches

Toppings are another personal choice. I like to make my Super Simple Guacamole along with cotia cheese, a semi-hard Mexican cheese, similar to parmesan, and fresh cilantro leaves. Again, if you are a cilantro hater, feel free to leave that off. In place of cotia cheese, you could use grated cheddar, jack, or just leave it off completely.

Sour cream is an option as well.  I usually choose not to add sour cream as I find it convolutes the flavors a bit. But if you are a sour cream lover, such as my granddaughter is, then go ahead and slop some on.

Perfect Chicken Fajitas

"See easy peasy. It's a Mexican Stir-Fry!"

So once the marinating is done, it's less than 30 minutes to the table for fantastic sizzling perfect chicken fajitas.  Serve with Cara's Authentic Mexican Rice,  or some Savory Black Beans for a complete meal.

Wine Recommendation: Well the perfect wine for this dish is a Margarita or a cerveza. If you really want to drink wine, a Sauv Blanc or Pinot Grigio would be good bets as they both have hints of citrus which plays well with the lime/orange flavors as well as cumin and cilantro.