Saturday, July 11, 2009

Tequila Chicken Fajitas

Being able to make an entire meal on the grill in the warm months of summer is such a great thing! Chicken fajitas (you can also substitute steak or shrimp, but only marinate shrimp for a few minutes) are mouthwatering and chock full of brightly colored vegetables. You can feel good about eating this brightly flavored dish. It's also a great way to stretch a few breasts of chicken and is great for entertaining. You can serve it with all sorts of great accompaniments; some of my favorite include roasted corn, guacamole, fresh salsa, shredded cheese (yes, I know fajitas are not traditionally served with cheese!) and flavored sour cream. Guests can put together their favorite toppings, individualizing this dish to each guest's preference.
Ingredients (serves 4):
8 flour tortillas (taco sized)
2 chicken breasts
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
1/2 green bell pepper, julienned
1 small red onion, sliced
1 tsp. finely diced serrano chile pepper (you can add more or less to adjust heat)
4-6 oz. baby bella or white mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. cumin

juice of 1/2 lime
salt, pepper

Marinade for chicken:
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup tequila
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. diced serrano chile
2 diced garlic cloves
1 chipotle in adobo (add more if you like extra heat)

Assembly:
Combine marinade ingredients. Marinate chicken up to 4 hours in the refrigerator. Remove chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Allow chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes out of the refrigerator to take the chill off before grilling on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. While chicken is resting, add sliced vegetables, salt, pepper, cumin and diced serrano to a sheet of tinfoil with the edges turned up. Toss with a drizzle of oil and place on the grill. Cook vegetables until the edges of the peppers begin to turn golden. Remove from heat while the veggies still have some crunch (takes about 6-8 minutes). Let chicken rest on a cutting board. You can microwave the tortillas (45 sec., covered) or wrap them in tinfoil and put them on the grill for 6-8 minutes to warm. After slicing the chicken, place it in a bowl with the vegetables and let your family or guests create their own fajita.

No comments: