How to Make the Best Fajitas

Fajitas are an easy weekday meal that will please the whole family. These chicken or beef fajitas are healthy, quick and satisfyingly good.

What is a Fajita?

A fajita (/fəˈhiːtə/; Spanish: [faˈxita] ( listen)), in Tex-Mex cuisine, is any stripped grilled meat with stripped peppers and onions usually served on a flour or corn tortilla. The term originally referred to skirt steak, the cut of beef first used in the dish.

History of Fajitas

Fajitas were initially created at the end of the 1930s and beginning of the 1940s by Mexican ranch workers that were located in Texas. There were instances where the workers were paid with meat, which consisted of the least wanted parts like the head, entrails together with skirt steak.

Best Types of Meat To Use For Fajitas

Skirt steak is the traditional cut used for fajitas. However, you can use other types of meat such as chicken or shrimp.

Low Calorie, No-Carb Fajitas

One of the best things about fajitas is that they can be a healthy, low-calorie meal. Leave the cheese off to make them dairy free. Leave the sugar out of the seasoning. You can even make them a low-carb meal.

Homemade Fajita Sauce Recipe

Homemade Fajita Sauce

You won’t be able to resist this homemade fajita sauce that works as a marinade for raw meat, AND a sauce to turn leftover cooked meat into instant fajitas.

Ingredients

1. 1 clove garlic, (minced)

2. 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

3. 1 tablespoon ground cumin

4. 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

5. 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

6. 2 Tablespoons avocado oil, or oil of your choice

7. 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh or bottled

8. 1/3 cup A.1. Original Sauce

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients, mixing well.

2. Marinade 1 1/2lbs raw meat for at least 2 hours.

3. Or mix with cooked meat and heat on the stove.

4. Cook marinated raw meat as desired on the grill or in a pan on the stove.

Homemade Tortilla Recipe

Homemade Tortilla

Ingredients

1. 3 cups AP flour

2. 1 teaspoon salt

3. 1 teaspoon baking powder

4. ⅓ cup vegetable oil

5. 1 cup hot water

Steps

1. Tip the flour, salt and baking powder into the bowl of your stand mixer: 3 cups AP flour,1 teaspoon salt ,1 teaspoon baking powder

2. Use the dough hook to give the dry ingredients a mix, then add in the oil and water .⅓ cup vegetable oil 1 cup hot water

3. Mix on a low speed (I use speed 1 on my kitchen aid), pushing down any flour, for 3 minutes until a firm smooth ball forms.

4. Flour you bench top and tip the dough out.

5. Cut it in half and in half again until you have cut 16 equal pieces (see note 4 if you want bigger or smaller tortillas)

6. Use the palm of your hand to flatten each of your balls as much as you can and then cover with a tea-towel.

7. Leave the dough to rise for 15-20minutes.

8. Place a heavy bottomed frying pan or skillet over a medium heat.

9. Lightly flour your bench top and then use a rolling pin to flatten a piece of dough until it is almost transparent.

10. Cook the tortilla for 1 minute then flip it ad cook it for a further 30 seconds.

11. It should have a few light brown patches on it. If you find it is going too brown then lower the heat.

12. Transfer the finsihed tortilla to a clean tea-towel and keep wrapped until ready to serve.

13. Repeat with each ball of dough.

14. Serve immediatly or store for later

Other Ingredients You’ll Need

1. Cooking oil – For sautéing the protein and veggies. Use something with a neutral flavor so that it doesn’t overpower the food.

2. Chicken or beef– Whichever protein you use will need to be cut into strips.

3. Bell peppers – We always use a combinations of red, yellow, and green. Cut into strips

4. Onion – Yellow onion works best. It adds some sweetness. You can use white onion as well.

5. Flour tortillas

6. Garnish – Cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, and hot sauce.

7. PREP 30mins

8. COOK 35mins

9. TOTAL 1hr 5mins

Fajitas cook quickly, so taking a bit of time to season steak, chicken, or shrimp with our simple fajita seasoning is a good idea. Use our recipe as a guide; you can make all three proteins or choose one. Use 2 ½ pounds of protein for six people. Even though it is only the two of us, we still make the whole batch. The leftovers are fabulous.

Serves 6 when served with sides

Chicken or Beef Fajitas

Chicken Fajitas

Fajitas, with homemade fajita seasoning, are a fast and simple dinner that can be made as healthy as you want it to be.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Beef, Chicken

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 8 fajitas

Calories: 176kcal

Ingredients

For the fajitas

1. 1 tablespoon cooking oil

2. 1 pound chicken or beef cut into strips

3. 1 each green red, orange bell peppers, cut into strips

4. 1 large yellow onion

5. 8 small flour tortillas

6. 1 small bunch cilantro chopped

7. Shredded cheese sour cream, hot sauce for topping (optional)

Instructions

For the Fajitas

1. Season the vegetables and meat strips, separately, with salt and pepper.

2. Add half the cooking oil to a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the meat and cook for 5-8 minutes. When it’s almost cooked through, add 2 teaspoons of the seasoning. Mix well. Once the meat is cooked through, remove it from the pan.

3. Add the remaining cooking oil to the skillet. Add the vegetables and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so the vegetables don’t burn. Add the remaining seasoning to the vegetables and mix together well.

4. Add the meat back to the skillet and mix it all together. Remove the pan from the heat.

5. Serve the fajita filling on flour tortillas. Top with your choice of condiments (cheese, hot sauce, cilantro, sour cream).