Caloriecounting

Caloriecounting

Caloriecounting

The beauty of a fajita is its versatility. It can be devilishly spicy or girlishly bland. It can be lean for the calorie-counter, or heavy-loaded for those who like the works.

The meat and cooking method can also be modified to create slightly different dishes. For example, replace the chicken with thin strips of beef steak or recreate a traditional Mexican burrito by using chilli con carne with beans and rice.

A very exciting variant is the enchilada- use corn tortillas and bake the wraps in an oven smothered in a spicy tomato sauce and cheese. A quesadilla is a Mexican cheese toastie. Heat some corn tortillas in a frying pan and add extra cheesy ingredients to create a sandwich with a kick. Alternatively, replace the wraps with nacho chips or rice. All meat can be replaced by mixed and re-fried beans for a vegetarian-friendly recipe.

Mexican Chicken Fajitas Recipe

Ingredients:

Each ingredient can be tailored to suit individual tastes, and measurements are given to please most people.

Serves 1

For the Mexican fajita marinade:

  • Dash of olive oil
  • Dash of barbeque sauce
  • Pinch of chilli powder
  • 1 garlic clove- crushed
  • Pinch of coriander
  • Pinch of cumin
  • Pinch of paprika
  • Pinch of rock salt and black pepper

For the Mexican fajita filling:

  • 1 skinless chicken breast- thinly sliced
  • 1/2 small red onion- sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves- crushed
  • 1/3 red pepper-sliced
  • 1/3 green pepper-sliced
  • 1/2 tomato- cubed
  • 1/2 small chilli-chopped
  • 1 spring onion-sliced
  • Pinch of coriander
  • Pinch of cumin
  • Pinch of paprika
  • Pinch of chilli powder
  • Dash of sweet chilli sauce

Extras:

  • 3 small, good-quality flour tortilla wraps
  • Shredded iceberg lettuce
  • Tomato sala
  • Sour cream
  • Guacamole
  • Grated mild cheese

Method:

  1. Place the chicken in a Tupperware case or a sandwich bag with all the marinade ingredients and shake vigorously. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
  2. Heat some olive oil in a heavy-set frying pan until slightly spitting. Reduce heat and add the marinated chicken. Quickly stir-fry until lightly cooked on all sides. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and reduce the heat once more. Once the vegetables have softened, add a splash of cold water and cover. Leave until the water has reduced and mixed with the other ingredients to create a thick sauce. Ensure the chicken is cooked all the way through before serving.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the tortilla wraps either for 30 seconds in a microwave or for 10 seconds on each side in a clean, dry frying pan.
  4. Swirl tomato salsa all over each tortilla. Sprinkle on lettuce and cheese before topping with the chicken mixture. Finally add the sour cream and guacamole. Wrap tightly and serve with a light Mexican or American beer.