Tomatillo Chicken Fajitas

Last summer, I fell head over heals in love with salsa verde.  Like, so in love that tomato salsa could never again compare.  I was relatively new to using tomatillos and I was floored by how pan roasting them imparted such a smoky sweetness to the salsa.  Add some garlic and a big handful of cilantro…perfection.

So let’s just say that not eating all of this salsa with a bag of blue corn chips was nearly impossible when I made it for these tomatillo chicken fajitas.  And let’s also say that making chicken fajitas with salsa verde was close to genius.  You’ll brown up some onions and red peppers, sauté thinly sliced chicken with some of the salsa, and then use some extra salsa as part of the fajita fixins.  It’s an awesome 15 minute dinner and I strongly recommend taking a few extra minutes before making the fajitas (or even a day or two in advance) to make your own salsa verde – it totally makes this meal!

[print_this]

Tomatillo Chicken Fajitas
source: adapted from Sargento via Confections of a Foodie Bride

Ingredients:

• 3 tsp canola oil
• 1 small red bell pepper, sliced
• 3 sliced onion rounds (red or yellow), 1/4-inch thick
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 cup salsa verde (double recipe is recommended)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

• 6-inch flour tortillas
• Additional salsa verde
• Monterey jack cheese
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:

1. Heat 2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, flipping just as the vegetables begin to brown.
2. Remove the vegetables from the pan and keep warm on a plate.  Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil, add the chicken, garlic, and chili powder and sauté 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is browned and almost cooked through.  Stir in the salsa and cook for 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.   Serve in tortillas with toppings of your choice.

[/print_this]