Chicken and Steak Fajitas

What Is a Fajita?

Let’s start with the basics: what exactly IS a fajita?

It may surprise you to know that the word “fajita” according to dictionary.com simply means “a thin strip of marinated and grilled meat”. So, the dish we refer to here as “fajitas” uses this kind of meat in a warm tortilla with various Tex Mex toppings like sautéed onions and peppers, salsa, and more.

When served on warm tortillas, these chicken and steak fajitas taste like restaurant quality…especially if you squeeze some lime and add a little chopped cilantro over the top! 

Ingredients

Ok, I know this may look like a lot of ingredients, but a) it’s WORTH IT, and b) I bet you have a lot of them in your pantry already. You are going to be SO proud of this meal when you’re done!

You’ll find all these ingredients at your local Hy-Vee (Columbia).

For the Fajita Marinade:

• Avocado oil or olive oil
• Lime zest of 2 limes (save the limes for juicing later)
• Cumin
• Chili powder
• Oregano
• Salt and pepper
• Garlic powder (sub: minced garlic)
• Red pepper flakes

Other Fajita Ingredients:

• Steak (recommended: ribeye, sirloin, culotte) (sub: chicken breasts)
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sub: steak)
• Bell peppers (your choice of colors)
• Yellow or red onion
• Sugar (secret ingredient!)
• Fajita-size flour tortillas (GF option: corn tortillas or gluten-free tortillas)
• Optional Toppings: lime wedges, chopped cilantro, salsa, guacamole or avocado chunks, sour cream (DF option: omit sour cream)

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How to Make Chicken and Steak Fajitas

I’ll give you a bird’s eye view of how this recipe is going to go down, but you can find the exact measurements in the printable recipe card below.

Step 1: Make the Marinade

Slice your meat thinly. Tip: To make this task easier, place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes first so it is firm.

Then, add all the marinade ingredients to two gallon-sized storage bags. Use your hands to massage the bags from the bottom and combine the marinade. Then, add the steak to one bag and the chicken to the other, seal, and toss until the meat is evenly coated.

Step 2: Marinate the Chicken and Steak

Place the steak and chicken bags in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours, turning and/or massaging occasionally.

Step 4: Saute the Chicken and Steak

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Once it’s shimmery, saute the steak in one batch until brown on all sides, about 3 minutes.

Then, saute the chicken in second batch, about 4-5 minutes (make sure there’s no more pink on any of the chicken!). Remove to the serving platter with the veggies.

Step 5: Serve and enjoy!

Squeeze half a lime over all the meat and veggies. Top with chopped cilantro, if desired. Warm the tortillas according to package directions. Serve the meat and veggies on the tortillas with lime wedges and your favorite Tex-Mex toppings.

Tips for Making Restaurant Quality Fajitas

While developing and researching this recipe, I learned several tips to pass along for making outstanding fajitas.

Tip 1: How to Cut Fajita Onions

To cut an onion for fajitas, slice off the top and bottom of the onion and then cut it in half lengthwise. Remove the papery skin and lay each half flat. Then, slice very thinly across the grain. Pull apart the pieces.

Tip 2: How to Cut Fajita Peppers

Stand the pepper on end. Slice around the core from the top to the bottom in about 3 or 4 pieces. Lay those pieces inside up and slice into ¼ inch slices.

Tip 3: What Kind of Steak to Use for Fajitas

While developing this recipe, I picked the brain of Jeff, the long-time head butcher at my local Hy-Vee grocery store. He told me that for pre-sliced, marinated steak fajitas, the best beef is a tender steak that has marbling in it. He recommended rib eye, sirloin, and culotte cuts and said to absolutely ask your local butcher to slice them fajita thin for you! 

Jeff mentioned that a tougher cut of meat like flank, skirt, or flat iron steak will work if you marinate it for a while and then grill or pan-sear it whole, slicing it against the grain only after it’s cooked and rested. Try using this cooking method if you decided to use one of those steaks, instead of slicing it before cooking.

Tip 4: Add Sugar to the Veggies

I was shocked at how much this made a difference in the flavor of this recipe. Just a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, in addition a little salt and pepper, helped the sauteed bell peppers and onions caramelize and accentuated their natural sweetness. Delicious!

Tip 5: Use a Cast Iron Pan

If you have one, I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet like this one for this recipe. It maintains even heat and helps to char the meat and veggies as they quickly saute in a little oil.

How to Serve Chicken and Steak Fajitas

Add the cooked meat and veggies to a serving platter and top with a good squeeze of lime juice and chopped fresh cilantro. Warm flour or corn tortillas according to the package directions and set them out on a plate wrapped in a tea towel to keep them warm. Place various Tex-Mex toppings (see below for ideas) in individual bowls.

To build the perfect fajita, add some warm steak or chicken and veggies to a flour or corn tortilla and top with your favorite Tex-Mex toppings. Eat right away and keep a napkin handy!

Fajita Toppings

One of the best parts of fajitas is the wide array of topping options. Everyone can truly customize their own fajitas using these ideas. Try some of this ideas for your Tex-Mex feast:

• Lime wedges
• Chopped cilantro (or fresh parsley)
• Sour cream
• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Queso fresco – A soft, moist, crumbly Mexican cheese like feta.
• Cotija cheese – A harder Mexican cheese that’s similar to Parmesan.
• Shredded lettuce – A crisp variety like iceburg is best.
• Chopped tomatoes or pico de gallo

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