Chicken Fajitas (Jamie Oliver style)

I cannot believe I have never blogged this recipe before. These fajitas from Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food book are something that I must have cooked dozens of times.  They are quite simply delicious and everybody I know who has made them has loved them. I really need never try a different fajita recipe again.

The photo above is last night's dinner. Okay, I know it's not a picture of an actual fajita but I am probably the worlds messiest fajita-maker and you know what, you just don't need to see that. 

Rather disappointingly my fajita experience last night did not include guacamole. I know. I like the full compliment of accompaniments with my fajitas - soured cream, salsa, grated cheese AND guacamole. Clearly, the people of Rugby do not eat guacamole and the Sainsburys Local near my office does not stock it.  I stopped at a local Co-op on the way home and yes, no guacamole there either. What is wrong with people? If it hadn't have been a work night then I may have attempted a bit of a wrestle with an avocado or two and made my own but as it was, I was too tired and hungry and therefore had my fajitas had to remain guacamole-less. 

As with most of Mr Oliver's recipes, this just works. It's so incredibly quick and simple to put together that I don't know why anyone would reach for a fajita kit. Granted, I don't always make the salsa - it depends how much time I have, I mean, chopping up tiny cherry tomatoes can become a bit tedious... but let me tell you, the salsa is worth making, it's yum.

So here it is, fajitas a la Jamie Oliver. I've switched the recipe around to suit the order I do things, Jamie doesn't seem to work in the same way as I do. The recipe serves 2 but you can easily double it.  Enjoy.

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients

1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly chopped

1 medium red onion, finely sliced

2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into long strips

1 tsp smoked paprika

small pinch of ground cumin

2 limes

olive oil

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

4 tortillas 

tub of soured cream

tub of guacamole

100g grated cheddar cheese

For the salsa;

1/2-1 (depending on your taste) fresh red chilli, finely chopped 

15 ripe cherry tomatoes

small bunch fresh coriander

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 lime 

extra virgin olive oil

Method

Pop the chopped peppers, onion and chicken pieces into a bowl along with the paprika and cumin. Squeeze over the juice of half a lime and a good glug of olive oil. Season with a good pinch of sea salt & freshly ground black pepper and stir to mix well. Leave to marinade whilst you prepare the salsa.

To make the salsa, roughly chop your cherry tomatoes and the coriander (including the stalks). Put the tomatoes into a bowl with the chopped chilli and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper before adding the juice of 1 lime. Add a good glug of extra virgin olive oil and then stir in the chopped coriander.

Heat up a griddle pan over a high heat. Put the pepper, onion and chicken into the preheated pan and cook for around 8 minutes until the chicken is golden and cooked through.  Keep turning the pieces of chicken and vegetables so that they don't burn but become lightly chargrilled.

Warm up your tortillas (microwave, pan or I pop them in foil for the oven for a few minutes) and divide your warmed tortillas between your serving plates.  Halve your remaining lime and squeeze the juices over the sizzling pan. Serve with pots of soured cream and guacamole alongside your grated cheese and the fresh salsa.

Jamie suggests serving the chicken straight from the pan by putting it on the table however, with children present I never think this is a good idea so I always transfer it to a warm serving dish.

The recipe calls for 4 tortillas as it serves 2 people, but Mr M and I easily squeeze 3 each out of the mixture - probably because I don't like fat fajitas so I don't overstuff them!

love & kisses

Mrs M x