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Fast & Easy Dinner: Cilantro-Lime Chicken Fajitas

partysugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:45:41 -0700

Say hola to the weekend with this exciting and flavorful dish. Quick-grilling chicken breasts are coated with a mixture of lime juice, cumin, and chile powder. Poblano chiles, bell peppers, and red onions are charred on the grill alongside the chicken.

Bring the chicken and veggies to the table on a large platter and let everyone assemble their own fajitas. Chill some Coronas or shake up a couple of margs and you've got yourself a Mexican fiesta! For the recipe, read more.

Cilantro-Lime Chicken Fajitas
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup olive oil
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons ancho chile powder
6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
3 large poblano chiles, seeded, cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips
3 large yellow bell peppers, cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips
2 red onions, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
12 8-inch flour tortillas
Optional toppings: purchased salsas, guacamole, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, and chopped serrano chiles

Directions

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Puree first 5 ingredients in processor. Season marinade with salt and pepper.
Place chicken in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour 1/3 cup marinade over; turn to coat.
Arrange poblanos, bell peppers, and onions on large rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1/2 cup marinade over; turn to coat. Sprinkle chicken and vegetables with salt and pepper. Reserve remaining marinade.
Grill chicken until cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Grill vegetables until tender, turning frequently, about 15 minutes for onions and 12 minutes for poblanos and bell peppers. Grill tortillas until charred, about 1 minute per side.
Transfer chicken to work surface; slice crosswise into strips. Fill tortillas with chicken and vegetables; drizzle with reserved marinade. Serve with toppings.

Serves 6.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Chicken Fajitas

partysugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:50:45 -0700

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo tonight with a Mexican meal that comes together in minutes. These chicken fajitas are so simple a child could make them! Chicken strips and chunky vegetables are tossed with a super quick marinade of chile powder, cumin, and water.

Then, the ingredients are dumped into a searing hot pan. Once cooked, serve with the usual fajita fixings - shredded lettuce, grated cheese, warm tortillas, spicy salsa, and cool sour cream. For the ultimate fiesta, pair with guacamole and margaritas. Get the recipe and read more.

Chicken Fajitas
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 teaspoon pure chile powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 whole skinless, boneless chicken breast (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 green bell pepper-cored, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
8 flour tortillas, warmed in the microwave
Shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream, for serving

Directions

In a resealable plastic bag, combine the chile powder with the salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cornstarch, water and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the chicken, bell pepper and onion, seal and knead gently to coat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet until shimmering. Empty the contents of the bag into the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a large bowl and serve with the warmed tortillas, lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream and lime wedges.

Serves 4.

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Monday's Leftovers: Flash Fajitas

YumSugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:45:00 -0700

If you've got skirt steak left over in your fridge, transform them into a quick meal for a busy Monday night: fajitas. Not only are skirt steaks the cut of choice for fajitas because of their smoky, deep flavor, but they are also thin enough that they cook extremely quickly. To get this easy, breezy, in-a-jiffy meal onto your table, read more.

Flash Fajitas
From Real Simple

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1-pound skirt steak, cut into thirds
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 large bell pepper (any color), thinly sliced
1 12-count package corn or small flour tortillas
Sour cream, salsa, and guacamole for serving

Directions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Season the steak with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Turn and move to the sides of the skillet.
Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper, season with the remaining salt, and cook until the vegetables are softened and the steak is medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes more.
Transfer the onion and bell pepper to a bowl.
Transfer the steak to a cutting board.
Place the tortillas in a microwave and warm on high for 1 1/2 minutes.
Slice the steak and serve with the onion, bell pepper, tortillas, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

Serves 4.

Nutrition per serving: Calories 520(35% from fat); Fat 20g (sat 5g); Cholesterol 65mg; Carbohydrate 52g; Sodium 886mg; Protein 32g; Fiber 4g; Sugar 4g

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Fajita Roll-Ups

partysugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:45:09 -0700

Fajitas are similar to a stir-fry because they're made with the same quick-sear cooking technique. In this recipe onions, bell peppers, and beef are tossed in a hot sauté pan. A simple sauce made with fresh tomatoes and bottled Italian dressing adds a delicious flavor to the cooked meat-veggie mixture. Wrapped tightly in a whole wheat tortilla, these fajitas could easily be filled with chicken or mushrooms instead of beef. Check out the recipe when you read more.

Fajita Roll-Ups
From Better Homes and Garden magazine

Ingredients

12 ounces beef flank steak or sirloin steak
4 8-inch whole wheat, spinach, or flour tortillas
Nonstick cooking spray
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped green sweet pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomato
2 tablespoons bottled reduced-fat Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
1/4 cup purchased salsa or bottled taco sauce
1/4 cup light dairy sour cream (optional)

Directions

If desired, partially freeze beef for easier slicing. Trim fat from meat. Cut beef into bite-size strips.
Wrap tortillas tightly in foil. Heat in a 350 degree oven about 10 minutes or until heated through.
Meanwhile, coat an unheated 12-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium-high heat.
Add meat, onion, and sweet pepper to hot skillet. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until desired doneness for steak. Remove from heat. Drain well.
Stir in tomato and salad dressing.
To serve, fill warm tortillas with meat mixture. Roll up tortillas. Serve with cheese, salsa, and, if desired, sour cream.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Chipotle Steak and Tomatoes

partysugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:30:12 -0700

This delicious dish places thick slices of grilled steak on a bed tomatoes and avocados. Flavored with spicy chipotle peppers in adobo, it's kind of like a deconstructed fajita with no tortilla. The recipe is super simple and comes together in mere minutes. Served with a cold beer, it makes a superb start to the weekend! Get it now when you read more.

Chipotle Steak and Tomatoes
From Better Homes and Garden magazine

Ingredients

2 6- to 8-oz. beef shoulder petite tenders, or 2 6- to 8-oz. beef ribeye steaks
Salt and ground black pepper
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped plus 2 tsp. adobo sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
3 medium (1 lb.) tomatoes, cut in thick slices
2 medium avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced
1/2 of a small red onion, very thinly sliced (1/2 cup)

Directions

Sprinkle steaks lightly with salt and pepper. Spread each with 1 teaspoon adobo sauce.
For a charcoal grill, grill steaks on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals until desired doneness, turning once. Allow 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare (145°F) or 12 to 15 minutes for medium doneness (160°F). For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place steaks on grill rack over heat. Cover; grill as above.
Meanwhile, for dressing, in a screw-top jar combine the chopped pepper, olive oil, and vinegar. Shake to combine.
Slice steaks and arrange on serving plates with tomatoes and avocado slices. Top with onion slices and drizzle with dressing.

Serves 4.

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10 Fabulous Fajita Recipes

partysugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:15:54 -0700

This Cinco de Mayo, celebrate with a large plate of sizzling fajitas. Fajitas - in every shape and flavor - are great for feeding a crowd because people can assemble the fajita to their liking. To get you cooking, I've rounded up 10 fabulous fajita recipes. Check them out now and make one tonight! Just click the "Start" button to begin.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Beef Fajita Bowls

partysugar — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 08:58:31 -0700

Sometimes I think it's fun to take an ordinary dish and deconstruct it. Don't get overwhelmed, it's actually super easy. For example, instead of serving fajitas in a soft tortilla, serve them in a bowl over rice with crispy fried tortilla strips. Dinner comes together quickly in under a half an hour. By incorporating canned, frozen, and fresh ingredients, you create a meal that is layered with flavors and textures. Mash up a simple guacamole, chill the Pacifico and sit back - TGIF! Get this fast and easy recipe - read more

Beef Fajita Bowls
From Betty Crocker

1 cup uncooked regular long-grain rice
1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 flour tortilla for burritos (8 inch) (from 11.5-ounce package), cut into 4x1/2-inch strips
1 bag (1 pound) frozen stir-fry bell peppers and onions
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 cup thick & chunky salsa
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Cook rice as directed on package.
Meanwhile, cut beef with grain into 2-inch strips; cut strips across grain into 1/8-inch slices.
Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; rotate skillet to coat bottom. Cook tortilla strips in oil 1 to 2 minutes on each side, adding additional oil if necessary, until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towel.
Add beef to skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Remove from skillet.
Add bell pepper mixture and corn to skillet; cook and stir 1 minute. Cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring twice, until crisp-tender.
Stir in beef, salsa, lime juice, chili sauce and cumin. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot. Stir in cilantro.
Divide rice among bowls. Top with beef mixture and tortilla strips.

Serves 4.

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Come Party With Me: Cinco De Mayo - Menu (Main)

partysugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 11:13:25 -0700

Cinco de Mayo is this Saturday and I'm excitedly gearing up to celebrate in true style: with a huge barbeque for 300 of my sister's closest friends. I'm hosting this event for my sister and the lovely ladies of the UCSD chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. It's going to be a fabulous day-long fiesta that involves a charity soccer tournament and some delicious grilled Mexican food. Guests can munch on chips, guacamole, and salsa while they watch the games and wait for the main course. There are a lot of people coming, so food that can be prepped at least a day in advance is what will complete the menu. The invite displays a vibrant, colorful, Mexican fiesta theme that I hope to carry over into the menu. To see what delicious options (one meat and one veggie) I'll be masterfully grilling, read more

Beef Fajitas made from a cheaper cut of meat like flank steak can be topped with fresh peppers and onions. For the vegetarians in attendance, I'll grill up Grilled Monterey Jack & Corn Quesadillas. On the side? A huge batch of Mexican Red Tomato Rice that was designed to be prepared on an outdoor grill.

Fajitas
From Emeril Lagasse

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup tequila
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried crushed Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 pounds flank steak, fat trimmed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 large flour tortillas
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
grated cheddar or pepper jack cheese, optional for garnish
Lime wedges, accompaniment
Cold Mexican beer, or tequila shots

In a bowl, whisk together the lime juice, tequila, garlic, cilantro, 1 tablespoon of the oil, the Worcestershire sauce, oregano, pepper flakes, cumin and coriander. Pour into a large zip-lock bag, add the steak, and seal. Place in a baking dish and refrigerate for at least 12 and up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
Remove the meat from the bag and pat dry. Season on both sides with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper.
Preheat the grill to high, and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Wrap the tortillas in foil and place in the oven for 15 minutes to warm and soften. Remove from the oven and keep warm in the aluminum foil.
Cook the steak over the grill to preferred temperature, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onions, and cook, stirring, until soft and slightly caramelized, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic, remaining teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Thinly slice the steak against the grain. Divide among the warmed tortillas and top with the vegetables and cheese if desired. Squeeze with lime juice and serve immediately with cold beer or tequila shots.

Serves 6.

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Grilled Monterey Jack & Corn Quesadillas
From Gourmet magazine

4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Special equipment: a well-seasoned ridged grill pan

Stir together cheese, corn, mayonnaise, scallions, cilantro, and chiles in a small bowl.
Lightly brush 1 tortilla with some of oil. Turn tortilla over and spread 1/2 cup filling over half, then fold other half over to form a half-moon. Assemble 3 more quesadillas in same manner.
Heat lightly oiled grill pan over moderate heat until hot, then cook quesadillas, 2 at a time, turning over once, until cheese is melted, about 4 minutes total per batch. Transfer to a cutting board and cut in half.

Serves 2 to 4.

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Mexican Red Tomato Rice
From Rick Bayless

1 (15-oz.) can whole tomatoes, drained
1/2 small white onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, halved
1-3/4 cups chicken broth or water
Salt
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 whole tomatoes, unpeeled
1-1/2 cups rice (medium-grain)
2 carrots, scraped, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
3 serrano chilies or 2 jalapenos, slit lengthwise nearly end to end
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

In blender or food processor, combine canned tomatoes with onion and garlic. You may add tomato juices to the measure of chicken broth or water. Blend tomatoes smooth to equal a generous 1 cup.
Heat broth or water until steaming; season with salt. Lightly oil tomatoes. Grill the tomatoes to char their skins. When cool, remove most of the peel and roughly chop; set aside.
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add raw rice to hot oil and stir regularly during a cooking period of 5 minutes.
If some rice kernels start to brown, that's fine. Add tomato mixture and carrots.
Stir a couple times, then let cook until reduced and somewhat dry-looking, 3 minutes.
Add the warm broth or water, the chilies and parsley; stir thoroughly and scrape down any rice kernels clinging to the side of the pan. Cover pan with lid and place on a range burner, or if pan is appropriate, place on cooking grate of charcoal or gas grill (indirect, medium heat).
Cook for 15 minutes or until almost all liquid is absorbed. Add grilled tomatoes, stirring with a fork. Cover pan and cook 5 additional minutes.
Gently fluff the rice with a fork when done. Remove the chilies or pull out and use to decorate the top of the rice, and serve.

Serves 6.

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What will you be eating for Cinco de Mayo this weekend?

Readers' Recipes: Molten Mini Cupcakes, Creamy Dressing and Fajitas

YumSugar — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 02:58:17 -0700

There's been a lot of great recipes on TeamSugar lately, and just in case you haven't been paying attention, I thought I'd take a minute to talk about a few of them. First of all, the one that made me drool quite a bit was the recipe for Mini Molten Chocolate Cakes by haze1nut. So tasty and beautiful too!

The next recipe I want to point out is the Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Dressing. TeamSugar member calibabi puts this on a pork barbacoa salad with rice, beans and more. Mmmmm!

Finally, the last recipe I want to make sure you guys check out is ArmoAngel's Apple Marinade Steak Fajitas. Apples in fajitas? Sounds awesome!

Thanks to everyone for sharing their recipes, keep 'em coming! And be sure to check out the recipes often, there are definitely some fantastic recipes out there.

Stevie Nicks' Fajita Round-Up

GiggleSugar — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 03:00:00 -0800

Is there life beyond drugs and rock 'n roll? Apparently, there is. Just ask Stevie Nicks (or this flawless Lucy Lawless version of her on SNL), who has cleaned up and rediscovered herself in the Tex-Mex food biz. She's also added a bit of salsa to some of those old songs we know and love, and now they're muy caliente!