Chicken Fajita Bowls With Quinoa
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated [1]
Notes
Thanks to the flavorful marinade, this chicken reheats much more nicely than leftover cooked chicken breasts tend to, making it a good brown-bag lunch option. (For best results, pack the chicken, quinoa, and vegetables in one microwave-safe container; if you plan to top with guacamole or salsa, pack those in a separate container so that they can be added after reheating.)
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
7 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 jalapeño chile, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons minced cilantro, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2-3), trimmed of fat, tenderloins removed, breasts pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
1 large red onion (about 14 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (do not separate rings)
2 large bell peppers (about 10 ounces each), quartered, stemmed, and seeded
2 cups cooked quinoa [2]
Guacamole [3] or salsa [4], for serving, optional
Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, 4 tablespoons oil, garlic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, and 2 teaspoons salt. Set aside 1/4 cup of the marinade in a separate small bowl. Add another 2 teaspoons salt to the remaining marinade. Place chicken in the marinade; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes.
- Adjust one oven rack to the upper-middle position (about 8 inches from heating element); heat the broiler on high.
- Brush both sides of the onion rounds and peppers with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt. Arrange the onion rounds and peppers (skin sides up) in a single layer on a half sheet pan.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels; discard the marinade. Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it is just beginning to smoke. Swirl the oil to coat the skillet, then arrange the chicken smooth side down in the skillet in a single layer; cook without moving the chicken, until it is well browned, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the chicken; continue to cook until the second sides are well browned, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, turning the chicken once or twice, until it is no longer pink when cut into with paring knife or and instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160°F, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let rest 5 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, place the half sheet pan with vegetables in the oven on the upper rack. Broil until spottily charred and the peppers are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the peppers to a cutting board. Flip the onion rounds and continue to broil until charred and tender, 2 to 4 minutes longer.
- Separate the onions into rings and add to a medium bowl; slice the bell peppers lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips and add to the bowl with the onions. Add 2 tablespoons reserved unused marinade to the vegetables and toss well to combine. Slice the chicken into 1/4-inch strips and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons reserved marinade in a separate bowl.
- Add 1/2 cup quinoa to each bowl, divide the chicken and vegetables between the bowls, and garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with guacamole and/or salsa, if desired.
Information
- Category
- Main Dishes
- Cuisine
- Mexican
- Yield
- 4 servings