Make Ahead Chicken Fajitas Food

MAKE-AHEAD CHICKEN FAJITA BOWLS

Steps:

• Place a large rimmed baking sheet in oven. Preheat oven to 450°F (leave pan in oven as it preheats).
• Place chicken in a medium bowl. Drizzle with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, and sprinkle with cumin, garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss well to coat.
• Place sweet potato in another medium bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well to coat.
• Cut onion in half vertically; cut each half into 6 wedges.
• Carefully remove hot baking sheet from oven. Coat pan with cooking spray. Arrange chicken mixture on one side of pan, then onion wedges in the middle, and sweet potato mixture on the other side of pan. Bake at 450°F for 12 minutes.
• Place bell peppers and zucchini in bowl used for sweet potatoes. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine. Remove pan from oven. Stir sweet potatoes and chicken; push to outer edges of pan. Add bell peppers and zucchini to onion wedges in middle of pan. Bake at 450°F for 12 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.
• Increase heat to high broil (do not remove pan from oven). Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned.
• Divide chicken, sweet potatoes, and bell pepper mixture evenly among 4 portable, microwave-safe containers. Spoon 2 tablespoons pico de gallo into small sauce containers, and place one in each container.

FREEZER BAG CHICKEN FAJITA STIR-FRY

Steps:

• Whisk together the oil, chili powder, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds black pepper in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add the garlic, peppers and onion and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and let cool completely.
• Transfer the vegetables with the marinade to a large resealable plastic bag and add the chicken. Squeeze out most of the air and seal, then toss gently to coat the chicken with the marinade. Freeze until ready to use. Let thaw in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before cooking.
• Pour the chicken, vegetables and marinade into a large skillet and heat over high heat. Cook, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide the chicken and vegetables among 4 plates. Serve with 3 tortillas each and the guacamole, salsa, sour cream and lime wedges on the side.

CHICKEN FAJITA RECIPE

Steps:

• Butterfly the chicken breasts then slice into 1/2 inch strips.
• Season chicken well with fajita seasoning and 1 tsp. of salt.
• Set chicken aside while cutting the onion and bell peppers.
• Slice the onion into very thin strips.
• Remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers then slice into 1/4" wide strips.
• Heat a heavy bottom pan to medium hot then add the seasoned chicken. Cook for about 3 minutes.
• Turn the chicken and cook for another 3 minutes.
• Add all of the bell peppers and mix well.
• Cook for 5 to 7 minutes more turning regularly until the chicken is fully cooked and the peppers are cooked but still have just a bit of a crunch to them.
• Warm the tortillas while the fajitas are cooking.
• Place 2 or 3 warm tortillas on each plate. Fill each tortilla with a portion of the fajitas then top with Mexican cream, a good salsa, and a squirt of lime juice if you'd like.

MAKE AHEAD CHICKEN FAJITAS FOR A CROWD

Steps:

• Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in your largest, heaviest skillet, cast iron is best, over medium high heat. Saute onions and peppers, together or separately depending on the size of your skillet, until they are softened and just beginning to caramelize. Remove to a large pan or pyrex dish and let cool while you cook the chicken.
• Add a bit more oil to the pan and cook the chicken in batches, until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through. I like to use an instant read meat thermometer to eliminate the guess work and I pull them off the heat between 150 and 160 degrees. Pile the chicken breasts, as they are cooked, on top of the vegetables and when they are all finished, let cool then cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Early on the day you plan to serve the fajitas, slice the chicken into pieces, 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick then return them to the vegetables and toss to combine all, making sure to coat the chicken with the wonderful juices that will have settled to the bottom of the vegetables overnight. Cover tightly with foil and return to the refrigerator until you are about an hour away from service. It will take 45 minutes to an hour to warm the chicken mixture slowly, and tightly covered, in a 325 degree oven.
• Serve with warm flour tortillas, sour cream, salsa, lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, avocados and any other condiments you might like to add.

OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN FAJITAS

Steps:

• Place chicken, onions and bell peppers into gallon-size freezer bag.
• Add remaining ingredients to bag.
• Remove as much air as possible from bag and seal tightly. Knead bag to mix ingredients. Label and then lay flat in freezer to freeze.
• Remove bag from freezer and that overnight in refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Pour contents of bag into a 9x13 baking dish.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and peppers are soft.
• Serve with warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.

MAKE-AHEAD CHICKEN FAJITAS

Steps:

• Stir together all filling ingredients in slow cooker.
• Cover; cook on low heat setting for 6-8 hours, or high heat setting for 3-4 hours. Drain off liquid.
• Cut or shred meat, if desired.
• To serve, place meat mixture on warm tortillas.
• Top with desired toppings.
• Note: To warm tortillas, heat oven to 275°F.
• Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil.
• Warm in oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve in foil to keep warm.

HOMEMADE CHICKEN FAJITAS

Steps:

• Whisk chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder for fajita seasoning together in a small bowl.
• Trim chicken of any excess fat and place in a large, lidded bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with about 3/4 of the fajita seasoning. Toss, adding more oil if necessary, until coated. Poke chicken with a knife to allow penetration of seasoning and oil. Place the lid on the bowl and shake until chicken is thoroughly coated. Marinate in the refrigerator, shaking every couple of hours, for 4 to 6 hours.
• Remove the marinating bowl from the refrigerator and let sit on the counter until chicken is room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Make 2 stacks of 4 tortillas, and wrap each one in aluminum foil.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add peppers and onion. Stir in remaining fajita seasoning and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
• While vegetables are cooking, place tortillas in the oven to warm. At the same time, grill chicken, turning halfway through, until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• To assemble fajitas, fill warmed tortillas with chicken, peppers, and onions.

MAKE AHEAD MARINATED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Mix together buttermilk with mustard, honey and seasonings.
• Place chicken breasts in a freezer bag.
• Pour marinade over chicken breasts.
• Freeze.
• On serving day thaw chicken, discarding marinade.
• Grill over medium heat until chicken is tender and juices run clear.