Chicken fajitas with epic Mexican salsa
I think Mexican cuisine should be a fiesta of vibrant flavours and colours assaulting your senses at the table. I love it! These chicken fajitas are healthy and delicious – nothing like greasy old tex-mex. Say goodbye to buying pre-made flavour sachets as well, because my homemade salsa kicks major butt and it’s easy. Possibly the best part of this recipe is that makes for a very sociable communal dinner with everyone assembling their wraps at the table and making a huge mess – because after all, I reckon that’s what dinner time should be about!
Serves 4 adults or 2 adults and a couple of littlies.
Ingredients
3 chicken breasts (I use skin-on)
1 onion, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp dried oregano (or 2 tbsp fresh)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
pinch chilli flakes (optional)
2 tsp brown sugar
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 cup salt-reduced chicken stock
1-2 roasted marinated capsicums, sliced
1-2 cobs sweetcorn, kernels sliced off (or use 1 drained can)
Tortillas
Fillings (choose some or all)
1 red onion, thinly sliced, plus juice of 1 lemon or lime
Sour cream
Avocado slices or guacamole
Chopped lettuce or baby spinach
Green capsicum, thinly sliced
Fresh coriander
Jalapenos
Method
Combine the onion slices in a bowl with the lemon juice and a big pinch of salt. Leave for 15-20 minutes, rinse and place in a serving bowl.
Heat a little oil in a medium frying pan over a high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then add to the pan and cook for a few minutes or until one side is lovely and browned. Turn over and cook the other side to brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium.
Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan and cook the onion and garlic for about 7-10 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally. Add the oregano, cumin, coriander, paprika and chilli, and cook for another few minutes. Add the tomato paste, tinned tomatoes, stock, capsicum and corn kernels (if using). Stir to combine and add the chicken back in and nestle down to cover it as much as possible with liquid.
Simmer very gently for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid has reduced to a thick salsa sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If you like, add some lime or lemon juice to taste as well, and more chilli if you’re that way inclined!
Using tongs, place the chicken on a clean chopping board to cool for 5 minutes or so, then slice thinly. Add back to the salsa sauce, or serve separately. I like serving the whole pan on the table for people to help themselves out of, usually.
To serve, spoon some of the salsa and chicken on a warmed tortilla and top the rest of the fillings. Finish with a squeeze of lime, wrap it up and chow down!
I made this tonight & it was lovely, definitely will be saving it & making it again & again
Great! x
Is this is any of your books? I just went through them all but can’t find it! PS I totally need a master index of all the books!
Master index is coming out soon! x
What a wonderful treat… I agree with Hayley’s comment above regarding never needing Fajita’s made out of a box! I forgot to buy the seasoning mix and found your recipe Chelsea. All the ingredients were in my pantry. The end result was flavoursome and we are still talking about how delicious it was. In fact it will be on the menu again very soon – thanks Chelsea you are a gem!!!!
WOW! I made these for our dinner tonight, and they were amazing! I am never making Mexican out of a box again. This was so much nicer! Thanks Chelsea :)
Hey Chelsea
Huge fan!
I was just wondering what quantity of lemon juice the onions should soak in and at what point to throw the brown sugar in. I didn’t bother with the lemon juice (hope I didn’t miss out), but threw the sugar in with the tomatoes etc. Sure smells tasty…
Many thanks for all of these amazing recipes, you are a genius!
About the juice of 1 lemon.
Hi Chelsea,
Do you have favourite tortillas? I’ve been looking around any so many are full of sulphites and other nasty sounding things. Thought I might have to try making them, but just wonder if you’ve come across any good ones?
Hi Chelsea, I was just wondering if this recipe would work with fish instead of chicken? Thanks
Indeed it would – just quickly pan fry the fish quickly.
Hi Chelsea, Wanted to give this a go but just wonder with your capsicum what do you do to it get the marinated capsicum? thanks
Yes you can just buy it at the supermarket from the pickles section!