Kris
James never fails to bring up how fickle I used to be about food–as if his entrance into my life introduced me to a world of new, exciting flavors. I suppose he wouldn’t be far from the truth; it is very helpful to have a constant companion to push you out of your comfort zone despite your misgivings. Over the years, we’ve made a lot of progress with my palate: I can manage lamb, peppers, spicy foods, raw onions… even stinky tofu! (But only if I hold my nose while eating it.) I still refuse to eat raw celery and cilantro tastes more like soap than the “fragrant green” it is known to be in Mandarin… but hey, I’ll take it.
The most marked difference in my tastes is in regards to Mexican or Mexican-influenced food. The only exposure I had to Mexican food when I was growing up in Delaware was the occasional taco night (ground beef, hard taco shells, cheese & sour cream). When I went to college in Boulder, that limited vision widened to include 3AM Taco Bell and giant Colorado burritos. But the true Mexican Renaissance for my palate happened in the aftermath of our move to Los Angeles in 2011. How did no one tell me about al pastor tacos before? About the amazing mulitas and molés and what salsa roja really tasted like? And as I delved further into satiating my cravings, I fell in love with the cuisine and anything influenced by its combination of flavors.
Fajitas are not traditional or authentic Mexican food–they’re a Tex-Mex classic that came into prominence in the 1970’s. One only needs to look as far as their local chain restaurant Chili’s to see how popular this dish has become, and how ingrained the term itself is in the American lexicon. Even though the preparation itself is distinctly American, I enjoy using more traditional flavors and components–no bacon or Swiss cheese here, thank you. Wheat tortillas? Get out of here, only flour tortillas kneaded with lard have any place in this kitchen. Strong flavors, homemade components… one delicious dish.
We really enjoyed eating the fajitas with fresh pico de gallo and, as I mentioned before, homemade flour tortillas. I imagine that the marinade for the chicken would be even more delicious if using chicken thighs or dark meat instead of chicken breast–but for the health-conscious (or for those that want to stay true to the origins of fajitas) breast is best. Two important things to keep in mind for this recipe:
- Try to use a sandwich bag or gloves when de-seeding and chopping the jalapeno if you have a habit of rubbing at your eyes (or if you use contact lenses). The pepper residue, or capsaicin, is hard to wash off and tends to aggregate underneath your fingernails; this will cause your eyes to burn like crazy if you come into contact with them. Also, particularly strong peppers will cause your fingers to burn and be more sensitive to heat or rough cloth–so be careful!
- It’s okay if your chicken breast is a very light pink in the center when you remove it from the pan and check for doneness–just make sure to wrap the chicken breast pieces stacked together in aluminum foil while cooking everything else. The chicken continues to cook when off the pan, and wrapping the chicken pieces together in foil insulates the heat. Please be careful though; the center of the breast should no longer be dark pink or slimy and should have the same consistency as the cooked meat on the edges. After a few pieces, you’ll learn the timing required for the right doneness and you won’t need to check!
Okay, enough spiel from me. Widen your horizons and make these tasty fajitas for yourself!
Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes.
