I decided to make one of my favorite Mexican dishes for Cinco de Mayo, fajitas. I love fajitas because they are basically a DIY dish. In a restaurant, they arrive at the table on a sizzling platter with warm tortillas, and you decide how to load them and roll them up. At home, fajitas can be one of the easiest recipes to make. However, if you want to make everything yourself, like myself, i.e.: salsa, guacamole, it can be more difícil. To go the easy route, buy premade ingredients, then it is super-simple and fun. Fajitas are a do-it-yourself burrito; on this day, I made steak and chicken fajitas with all the fixin’s. Note: You will need lots of bowls — and napkins.
Chicken and Steak Fajitas
1 steak (Use a finer cut of meat so your fajita isn’t too chewy. I used a ribeye.)
2 chicken breasts (I like thighs, but on this day I used chicken breasts.)
1 Sazón seasoning packet (I used the seasoning packet from Goya.)
3 bell peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 package tortillas (corn or flour)
hummus (optional)
sour cream
guacamole (store-bought, or make your own)
salsa (store-bought, or make your own)
1 cup rice
1 can beans (red or black)
cheese, grated (I use a three-cheese Mexican mix.)
I grill both the chicken and steak. I season them with salt and pepper, and finish them off with a Sazón seasoning pack for authentic Mexican flavor. While they’re grilling, I sauté my peppers and onions. My wife helps out and sets the table, which includes the “bowling” of all the optional ingredients.
Once the meats are grilled, slice them up into bite-size pieces and “bowl” them. Warm up the tortillas, and you are ready to roll. I use almost all the ingredients in my fajita. I start with an equal spread of hummus, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. I then add rice, beans, pepper and onions, and the meat. I top it off with cheese. With all the above included, the fajita gets quite thick, juicy, and deliciosa! Have a bounty of napkins at the ready.
