Here I come again on the Mexican train 🙂
I just. can't. stop.
This time, it's chicken fajitas. But smothered in delicious verde-ness.
"What?," you say? Another verde post??
Hehe, you caught me. I had extra tomatillos left over from my pork chile verde, and decided to take them in a whole 'nother verde direction.
I roasted them this time, adding a smoky dimension to the salsa verde.
Instead of just using it as a topping for the fajitas, I wanted that delicious tangy tomatillo flavor to be infused into each bite. So, I threw a cup of the salsa into the pan with the chicken & allowed the liquid to cook off, creating a yummy coating for each piece of chicken. Flavor heaven!
Of course, I also sauteed a bunch of classic fajita veggies (namely, bell pepper & onion), and laid out a multitude of delicious toppings. Sour cream, extra salsa, fresh radish, juicy lime, and a splash of hot sauce.
Love dinners like these because they make great lunch leftovers or even a repeat dinner the next night (a win for busy weeknights). Stay tuned for a delicious Mexican rice recipe that goes great with these puppies!
Recipe
Ingredients
For the salsa:
- 1 ¼ lb fresh tomatillos, husks removed & discarded, fruit rinsed of sticky residue
- 1-2 jalapeños, halved & deseeded (optional. Use none for mild salsa, 1 for medium, and 2 for hot)
- Drizzle of oil, grapeseed or refined olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled, halved, & roughly chopped
- 1 small bunch cilantro
- Juice of 1 lime
For the fajitas:
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored, halved, and sliced into ¼ inch strips
- 1 large green bell pepper, cored, halved, and sliced into ¼ inch strips
- 1 large red onion, peeled, halved, and sliced into ½ inch strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt & ground black pepper, for seasoning
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¼-inch by 2-inch strips.
- Sour cream, for topping
- 4 limes, quartered
- 1 cup thinly sliced radishes
- Hot sauce (like Tapatio or Cholula)
- 1 dozen thick flour tortillas
Instructions
- First, make the salsa verde. Preheat the broiler on high. Place the tomatillos and jalapeños (if using) on a rimmed baking sheet or broiler tray. Drizzle with olive oil, rub to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Place in the broiler and let roast for about 10-15 minutes, turning with tongs halfway, until blackened in spots. The longer you let them roast, the smokier your salsa will be.
- When the tomatillos and jalapeños are done roasting, place them in a blender. Add the yellow onion and cilantro, and blend until the salsa is smooth (you don’t want large chunks of onion or strings of cilantro). Season with a generous sprinkle of salt and stir in the juice of 1 lime. Set aside for now.
- Next, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large nonstick skillet and warm over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the bell pepper slices & red onion, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and blackened a bit, about 10-15 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon or so of oil to the pan. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper, and add to the skillet. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
- When the chicken is browned, add 1 cup of salsa verde to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until the salsa has turned a darker green color and most of the liquid has evaporated, creating a nice coating on the chicken.
- When you’re ready to eat, take a flour tortilla, fill it with chicken strips, sauteed veggies, sour cream, fresh lime juice, sliced radishes, and salsa verde. Add a dash of hot sauce if you like things spicy. Fold up and enjoy.
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