This marinade is so easy that once you make it once, you won’t quite look at supermarket fajita kits the same way again. While these kits aren’t half bad, the flavours get a little same-y, and they can be pricey too, which means less cash to spend on the sometimes forgotten about fajita fundamentals – sour cream, guacamole and handfuls of grated cheese.
The ingredients are quite potent, so it doesn’t take long for them to work their magic. I made this marinade fumbling around a few years ago when a fajita kit seasoning was noticeably absent. I used whatever I could around the kitchen, so chances are you already have the necessary amenities at home. You can make this marinade an hour before you use it, the night before, or do it in the morning which will take no longer than two minutes and you can leave the meat to marinade in the fridge until fajita o’ clock. Whatever works for your schedule!
Ingredients:
2-4 chicken breasts chopped into chunks. For beef fajitas, skirt or flank steak.
The juice of one lime. Include some of the pulp.
2 tablespoons of olive oil
4-6 Tablespoons of soy sauce (depending on amount of meat)
Two cloves of garlic, crushed, minced or chopped finely
Black pepper
A small glass of red wine (about 150ml)
The red wine is only required if you are making steak fajitas.
Chillies (optional)
If you prefer mild fajitas, omit these of course. You can also use jalapeños from a jar.
These will be added at the end.
Start bu chopping your meat into chunks, piercing each one and place into a large bowl. Cover the meat with the garlic, then lime juice and pulp, lots of black pepper (no need for salt with the soy sauce), soy sauce wine (if required) and olive oil. Stir the meat to ensure it’s entirely covered. Be prepared for a lot of squelching sounds! Cover the bowl with a plate and leave in the fridge for an hour/overnight/all day.
Heat a medium pan but don’t add oil – pour in everything from the bowl, including the marinade, which will have evaporated by the end. Cook until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and brown.
Time to add the chillies, if you’re using them. Leave in the seeds for extra spice – it will be spicy, but not overwhelming. When you add the chopped chillies to the pan, stir to distribute but then open a window, turn on the fan and cover the pan with a lid – frying chillies can burn your eyes or catch your throat.
Let the chillies cook with the chicken/steak for a further 2-3 minutes and you’re done! You’ll be left with tangy, fresh, flavoursome and gently spiced chicken. I’m going to start experimenting with more marinade recipes but this is a fool-proof favourite.
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