Culinary Guides

Strips of chicken in a smoky lime and chili marinade, seared and piled onto warm tortillas with charred bell peppers and onion. Set out the fixings and let everyone build their own.

Ingredients

For the marinade

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (or sweet paprika)
• 1 tablespoon ancho powder (or guajillo powder, up to 2 tablespoons to taste)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and black pepper to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper)
• Chili flakes to taste

For the fajitas

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, sliced into bite sized pieces
• 2 large bell peppers, sliced (red, yellow, orange, or green)
• 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced (optional, or use green bell pepper for milder fajitas)
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 12 flour tortillas, warmed (corn tortillas also work)

Fixings as desired

• Chopped tomatoes
• Pico de gallo
• Guacamole or avocado slices
• Hot sauce
• Shredded cheese
• Chili flakes
• Fresh chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Whisk together all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Add the sliced chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at least 5 minutes, or 30 minutes to overnight for more flavor.
3. Heat a large cast iron pan over medium heat with a little olive oil. Cook the chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side until cooked through, then remove and set aside.
4. Add a bit more oil if needed and cook the bell peppers, jalapenos if using, and onion about 10 minutes, stirring, until caramelized and soft.
5. Return the chicken to the pan and heat through with the vegetables.
6. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or the microwave.
7. Serve the chicken and vegetables in the tortillas with your favorite fixings: chopped tomatoes, pico de gallo, guacamole, hot sauce, cheese, chili flakes, and cilantro.

Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Marinated raw chicken freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before cooking.

Grower's tip: fajitas want sweet peppers with real crunch, so grow thick walled bells and pick them fully colored. Slice them the same width as your onions so everything chars and softens at the same pace.

The vegetables and garnish are the easy part to grow. Start some sweet and hot peppers, an onion bed, and a pot of cilantro for the top.