Grilled Chicken Fajitas Recipe

Grilling Updates a Mexican Favorite Starring Low-Fat Chicken Breasts

Jul 21, 2008
Norman Kolpas

Grilled chicken fajitas ready to eat. - (cc) MontageMan/Joe Foodie at Flickr

In this low-fat recipe, a mixture of citrus juices adds zesty flavor to popular Mexican fajitas cooked on an outdoor grill or indoor grill.

Latino cooks know well the lively flavors that result from marinating chicken in a mixture of citrus juices before grilling. This recipe transforms low-fat boneless skinless chicken breasts and accompanying vegetables into the popular Mexican main course known as fajitas, to be wrapped and eaten in warm tortillas.

Grilled Citrus-Marinated Chicken Breast Fajitas

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 red bell pepper, quartered, stemmed, seeded, and deveined
1 green bell pepper, quartered, stemmed, seeded, and deveined
1 sweet yellow or red onion, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 4 slices
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lime or lemon, cut into wedges
12 corn tortillas
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Preheat the grill.
Meanwhile, prepare the chicken and vegetables. Trim the chicken breasts of any fat or connective tissue. One at a time, place them between two sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and pound them with a meat pounder or rolling pin to flatten them to a uniform thickness of about 1/2 inch.
In a mixing bowl or large shallow dish, stir together the citrus juices and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Press the garlic clove through a garlic press and stir to combine. Add the chicken breasts and turn them in the mixture to coat them evenly.
Put the red and green bell peppers on a plate. Secure the rings of each onion slice by pushing two or three wooden toothpicks through the slice from its side. Add the onions to the peppers, then rub the vegetables evenly with the remaining olive oil.
Carefully oil the grill rack. Lightly season the onions and pepper pieces with salt and pepper and put them on the grill. About 2 minutes later, remove the chicken from the marinade, shake off any excess liquid, season with salt and pepper to taste, and put them on the grill. Grill the chicken and vegetables about 8 minutes more, turning them once, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are golden brown.
Remove the chicken breasts from the grill to a clean heatproof serving dish and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Distribute the tortillas on the grill and cook until heated and tender, about 1 minute per side. Stack and wrap them in foil.
To serve the fajitas, quickly but carefully cut the chicken and peppers crosswise into strips 1/2 inch wide. Remove the toothpicks from the onion slices and cut the onions in quarters. Return the chicken and vegetables to the serving dish and toss together. Pass the tortillas and the dish of fajitas for guests to assemble their own soft tacos. Also pass the cilantro and lemon or lime wedges in separate bowls for everyone to garnish their fajitas to taste.

Tips and Variations

Make this on an indoor grill. If you use a two-sided grill like the George Foreman Grill, cut the cooking time in half.
Replace the chicken breasts with packaged chicken tenders, which need no flattening.
Offer guacamole or sliced avocado to add to the tacos.
Pass your favorite hot pepper sauce.
Add 2 firm ripe Roma tomatoes to the vegetable mixture, cutting them lengthwise in halves, rubbing them with some olive oil, and sprinkling with salt and pepper before grilling along with the peppers and onions. Cut each grilled half in 4 to 6 chunks after grilling.
If you like, substitute 8 large flour tortillas for the corn tortillas so guests can make their own grilled chicken burritos.
Offer beans and rice as accompaniments to the fajitas.

With this easy backyard barbecue recipe, you’ll discover how simple it is to be creative with your outdoor cooking!

Looking for other great grilled chicken recipes? Check out Grilled Chicken Breasts Napolitano, Buttermilk Grilled Chicken Breasts, and Mexican Grilled Chicken Burgers!