Recipe – Jalepeno Chicken Fajitas

(as always, click the pictures for a better image)

This is my world famous recipe for chicken fajitas. Now chicken fajitas are nothing special, and in fact the fajitas here are nothing special, the special part is the chicken. As with any grilling, the key to great meat is marination. One must first think of what a marinade is. First, it’s some sort of oil or fat, usually vegetable or olive oil. The oil is meant to make the flavor “taste” moist. The next part to the marinade is an acid; usually either vinegar or a citrus juice. This helps the meat stay soft and helps to tenderize it. The next part is simply flavoring.

The secret here is in the marinade, everything else is obvious. So, I first take the chicken, throw it in whatever, and pour a little bit of good extra virgin olive oil. If you’re a poker, poke the chicken here (I’m a poker myself). Add salt and pepper. The next step is pickled jalepeno juice.

Add the juice from a jar of jalepenos. Think of what this stuff is. It’s basically vinegar that has been flavored by the jalepenos. It with the oil will work perfectly as a marinade. I then add the spices. The important ones are Paprika, Chili Powder, Cumin, and Cayenne Pepper, in about a 5:2:1:1 ratio until you have something that looks like this. For this batch (4 breasts), I used about 2 tablespoons of paprika I think.

Let this sit overnight if possible, although I’ve made it work on as little as 4 hours. Then grill as you normally would. I won’t give a grilling lesson here, but just take note that the meat will look underdone. This is just because it’s so juicy. Use a thermometer if you’re unsure. Trust me. Get some nice grill marks, and pull off.

Let the meat rest for a few minutes while you grill the tortillas. Yes, grill the tortillas, it makes them that much better. Then, only cut what you need. Once you cut the meat, it will start to dry out, so if you’re not going to use it, don’t cut it. Cut and serve with the traditional fajita fixins. Enjoy