Fajitas

I finally have a favorite recipe for fajitas! It's delicious, fast, and incredibly easy to make.

Previously, I made (some probably-ok-by-90s-standards) fajitas before using a recipe from a cookbook I'd had for years; they were always tasty, but I recall the recipe being a little involved, though I can't remember how.

But, leave it to Smitten Kitchen to again give a delicious, streamlined recipe that I can count on.

What do I love about this recipe? Little things. You cook the vegetables before the meat, then add it back - I can't recall ever seeing that in a recipe like this (which is essentially a stir-fry). The marinade for the meat has little liquid, so you don't have to drain it. You just dump the meat into the skillet, and there's no mess and no waste! I've made this with beef and with chicken, and they were equally delicious, but I favor using beef mainly because I can buy precut stir-fry beef.

The marinade was flavorful but not spicy. The meat and vegetables cooked perfectly in my cast iron skillet (affiliate link). It was quick for me to combine the spices and lime juice (I use bottled) to marinate the meat and to cut the vegetables (while Amelia had her afternoon snack), and that could easily be done the night before. The fajitas took very little time to cook, and were great as leftovers too.

Like this recipe or have questions? Rate it or leave a comment below!

In the past:

One Year Ago: Dark Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

Two Years Ago: Gluten-Free Baked Donuts

Three Years Ago: Anise Ice Cream

Four Years Ago: Granola Muffins

Five Years Ago: Beef and Mushroom Sloppy Joes

Six Years Ago: Fried Catfish with Hush Puppies

📖 Recipe

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Fajitas

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Marinating Time

30 mins

Total Time

1 hr

 

This delicious fajitas recipe works well with chicken or beef. Incredibly quick and easy to make. 

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 4

Author: Leona Konkel

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breasts or beef (cut into thin (¼- to ½- inch strips))
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (I used bottled juice)
• ¾ teaspoon table salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons oregano (I omitted this once; the recipe still turned out!)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 minced garlic clove (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
• 2 bell peppers (I used green and red, cut into thin strips)
• 1 large onion (cut into thin strips)
• Olive oil
• Tortillas for serving
• Your favorite toppings (we had black beans, salsa, and cheese)

Instructions

1. Combine lime juice, spices, and garlic. Add meat and toss to coat, making sure all the meat is covered with the marinade. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
2. Heat a large (preferably cast iron) skillet on high heat. Coat lightly with olive oil. When it's hot, add the peppers in a single layer. Wait a few minutes before stirring to let them begin to char, then add the onion and sprinkle with salt. Cook for a few minutes without stirring to allow the onions to brown as well. Once the vegetables have browned and softened, remove them from the pan.
3. Add a little more oil, and once the oil is hot, add the meat in a single layer. Let the meat cook for a few minutes before stirring to let it brown. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until meat is browned and cooked through. Return vegetables to the pan and stir to combine. Heat until the vegetables are warm, then serve.