Fajitas (Tex-Mex Sizzling Steak & Peppers)

About This Recipe

Fajitas are the definitive sizzling dish of Tex-Mex cuisine — strips of marinated skirt steak (or chicken) cooked over high heat alongside bright bell peppers and onions, brought to the table still crackling and fragrant on a cast-iron skillet. The dish traces its roots to the rancheros of the Rio Grande Valley in the 1930s and 1940s, when Mexican ranch hands working Texas cattle drives received the least-prized cuts — the skirt steak — as part of their wages. They discovered that a bold marinade of lime juice, garlic, cumin and chile, followed by fast searing over open fire, transformed this tough, fibrous cut into something spectacular. The marinade is everything in fajitas. Lime juice tenderizes the muscle fibers, cumin and chili powder add earthiness, and a touch of soy sauce (a Tex-Mex addition, not traditional Mexican) deepens the umami. Skirt steak must be cut against the grain — the fibers run perpendicular to the length of the steak, so a cut along the grain produces chewy, stringy results. Cut across those fibers and each piece is tender, juicy and full of that distinctive grilled-beef flavor. Served with warm flour tortillas, a dollop of guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream and shredded cheese, fajitas became a restaurant phenomenon in the 1970s when restaurateur Ninfa Rodriguez Laurenzo began serving them at her Houston restaurant Ninfa's, popularizing the dish nationwide.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 700 gskirt steak or chicken thighs(or a mix of both)
• 3 tbspfresh lime juice(about 2 limes)
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 2 tbspneutral oil(plus more for cooking)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1.5 tspground cumin
• 1 tspchili powder
• 0.5 tspsmoked paprika
• 0.5 tspdried oregano
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 0.5 tspsalt
• 2bell peppers(mixed colors, sliced into strips)
• 1 largewhite onion(sliced into half-moons)
• 8flour tortillas(warmed)
• 1avocado(sliced or mashed, for serving)
• 1 cuppico de gallo(for serving)
• 0.5 cupsour cream(for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the marinade

   Whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt and black pepper in a bowl.

   Soy sauce is the Tex-Mex secret — it adds umami and color without tasting Asian when combined with the other spices.

2. 2

   Marinate the meat

   Place steak or chicken in a zip-lock bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade over, turning to coat. Marinate at room temperature 30 minutes, or refrigerated up to 4 hours. Do not marinate skirt steak more than 4 hours as the lime juice will start to 'cook' the surface.

   Score chicken thighs with a knife so the marinade penetrates the meat.

3. 3

   Prep the vegetables

   Slice bell peppers into 1 cm strips, discarding seeds and membrane. Slice onion into half-moon shapes about 8 mm thick. Set aside.

4. 4

   Sear the meat

   Remove meat from marinade and pat dry with paper towels (moisture is the enemy of a good sear). Heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy pan over high heat until smoking. Add a thin film of oil. Sear steak 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare (57°C internal temp), or chicken thighs 5–6 minutes per side until cooked through (74°C).

5. 5

   Rest and slice

   Transfer meat to a cutting board. Rest 5 minutes. For skirt steak, identify the direction of the muscle fibers (they run lengthwise along the steak) and cut perpendicular to them at a 45-degree angle into 1 cm strips. Slice chicken similarly.

6. 6

   Cook the vegetables

   In the same pan over high heat, add a splash of oil. Add onions first, cook 2 minutes. Add bell peppers. Toss and cook 3–4 minutes until charred in spots but still with a little bite. Season with salt and a squeeze of lime.

7. 7

   Serve sizzling

   Return the sliced meat to the pan with the vegetables and toss briefly to combine and heat through. Bring the skillet straight to the table. Serve with warm flour tortillas, avocado, pico de gallo and sour cream.

Variations

• •

  Chicken fajitas: swap skirt steak for boneless chicken thighs — they stay juicier than chicken breast under high heat.

• •

  Shrimp fajitas: marinate large prawns 15 minutes, cook 2 minutes per side. Add at end as prawns overcook easily.

• •

  Vegetarian fajitas: substitute portobello mushrooms and zucchini; use the same marinade and cook on high heat.

Storage

Store cooked fajita filling (meat and vegetables separately from tortillas) in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot dry skillet to restore the char; microwave turns the vegetables soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions