viva, mexico!

Next stop...Mexico!

Okay, so for tonight's theme, I decided to make it easy for myself and do a no-brainer. Chicken fajitas is one of our favorite things to make. We have it about every two weeks or so, so it's fairly common 'round these parts. Heck, even the hubby's made them before (btw, it's rare to see him in the kitchen nowadays...he cooked a lot more when we were just dating, lol).

For these fajitas, I found a recipe online that had some ideal ingredients that I was looking for. But being the gal that I am (and being from California to boot!), I decided to change the ingredients list...namely reducing the Italian dressing and adding more "authentic" Mexican flavors in the mix. It's a lot of things going on in the marinade, but this works for me and the hubbs. Usually, since it's just me and him, I halve the recipe so that we won't have too much leftovers. Oh, and did I forget to mention that this goes great with a couple of cervezas? Olé!

Chicken Fajitas
(adapted from Plain Chicken)

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp bottled Italian dressing
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ancho chile powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cornstarch
2 large bay leaves
4 to 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips (about 4 lb.)

1 large onion, sliced
1 medium green pepper, sliced
1 medium red pepper, sliced
salt and pepper
olive oil

flour or corn tortillas, taco or fajita size
mexican four cheese blend
light sour cream

Whisk together first 12 ingredients. Pour into a large zip-top plastic freezer bag then add the chicken and bay leaves. Seal and give the bag a few shakes to evenly coat the chicken. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours up to overnight.

When ready to cook, remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to use. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high then add peppers and onions. Let sear for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken with the marinade and reduce heat to medium. Cook until chicken is no longer pink and sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

To serve, top warm tortilla with chicken mixture, some cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. I take mine with added cilantro, jalapenos, and hot sauce!