August 15, 2012

Chicken Fajitas

Tonight I made Food Network's Chicken Fajitas and this recipe is definitely a keeper!  There was silence during dinner because these fajitas were so good!  It was a fairly easy recipe with a lot of flavor.  The cilantro gives it a very fresh summery taste and the Greek yogurt tastes just like sour cream.  
  I actually followed the recipe (almost) word for word.  I sliced the onions and peppers before grilling but waited to slice the chicken until after it was grilled.  I marinated the chicken and vegetables together which was only safe to do because everything was going to be thoroughly cooked.

Ingredients
  • 1 cup packed cilantro leaves, plus extra for serving
  • 1/4 cup lime juice, about 2 limes
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded if desired (I left the seeds in and it wasn't too spicy)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 1/2-pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 red onion, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
  • 2 orange and/or yellow bell peppers, quartered, seeds removed (I used green and red bell peppers)
  • 1 ripe avocado, halved, seeded and peeled
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 cup fat-free Greek Yogurt
  • 12 corn tortillas
Preparation
Put the cilantro, lime juice, broth, scallions, garlic, jalapeno, honey, and salt in a blender, puree until smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons; do not wash out the blender. 
Put chicken breasts in a medium bowl and the peppers and onions in another. Divide the remaining cilantro puree evenly between the chicken and the peppers and onions. Toss well to coat the chicken and vegetables and let stand, at room temperature, for 30 minutes. 
Add the avocado, 1/2 cup water, and the reserved 2 tablespoons cilantro sauce to the blender. Puree until smooth and season with salt. Set aside.  See below for directions on how to cut up an avocado.

Heat the oil in a small skillet set over medium heat until hot. Add the cumin and coriander and continue to cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour the spices over the yogurt and set aside for the flavors to blend. Stir before serving. 
Preheat a grill for medium-high/direct heat cooking. Oil the grill grates. Grill the chicken and vegetables, turning, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, about 5 to 8 minutes for the vegetables and 12 to 15 minutes for the chicken. Let chicken rest 5 minutes. Place the tortillas on the grill until just warmed through, about 30 seconds. 

To assemble the fajitas: slice the onions and peppers into thin strips and then slice the chicken. Place some peppers, onions, chicken and cilantro in a tortilla topped with the spiced yogurt and the avocado sauce.

How to Cut an Avocado
Cut the avocado with a knife down to the seed.  Run the knife around the avocado to cut it in half.
 Twist the two sides in opposite directions to separate the halves.
 
Gently tap the knife blade on the seed and twist to remove the seed.  Be careful not to tap too hard so that you don't cut yourself!
 
Using a spoon, scoop the flesh of avocado out by running the spoon around the edge just inside the skin.
 

Happy Cooking!
Jenny

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