Summer is coming, bringing two things to this region: a bounty of farm fresh produce and heat. Lots of both. This Chicken Fajitas with Mexican Ranchero Sauce dish takes advantage of seasonal bell peppers and the active cooking time is fast, so there’s not a lot of cooking over a hot stove. Did I mention heat? When it gets really hot, no one feels like eating a big dinner, so Chicken Fajitas with Mexican Ranchero Sauce is the perfect answer because it’s filling, but light.
The first part of making this recipe is marinating the chicken in spices for about an hour, and more if possible.
The Not-So-Secret Sauce
One of the things that makes the Chicken Fajitas complete is the Mexican Ranchero Sauce. This recipe makes enough for the fajitas plus some leftover, which I’m recommending you enjoy later with some tortilla chips, or as a dip for fresh veggies.
Basic Ingredients
- Bell peppers
- Limes
- Onion
- Garlic
- Cilantro
Chicken Fajitas with Mexican Ranchero Sauce packs a lot of veggies in this dish. Before making the chicken, I precut everything so that when I start skillet frying, the cook time goes quickly.
When ready to cook, the first step is grilling the chicken in a skillet with a little oil. You want it to be browned on both sides. This part take about 8 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the chicken breasts. I usually like to measure the temperature of the chicken to be on the safe side to make sure it’s fully cooked at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. When the chicken is done, set it aside, slice it into strips, and start skillet frying the veggies.
Like I said, this isn’t a vegetarian dish, but boy, it sure feels like it. Look at all the veggies.
When all the veggies are cooked, add the chicken strips back into the skillet and toss around for a bit more to heat everything together.
When ready to serve, squirt a little lime juice over the top, and sprinkle with cilantro, both of which add a touch of fresh zing to the dish.
Don’t forget to add the Mexican Ranchero Sauce!
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Chicken Fajitas with Mexican Ranchero Sauce
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
Mexican Ranchero Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 1/2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix spice packet about half of the packet
- 2 cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
Fajita Marinade
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional
- kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon for skillet
Fajitas
- 2 pounds chicken breasts (about three large breasts)
- 3 bell peppers combo of red, green, and orange or yellow, seeded and sliced into thin strips
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into strips
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, diced for garnish
- 2 limes, sliced for garnish
- 12 tortillas either corn or flour, for serving
Instructions
Marinade Chicken
- In a small bowl, mix together lime juice, taco seasonings, red chili flakes, and olive oil.
- Place chicken breasts in a small baking dish or freezer bag and add the marinade. Mix, cover or seal and set it fridge to marinade for at least an hour.
Make Ranchero Sauce
- In a mixing bowl, combine all the Mexican Ranchero sauce ingredients together, cover and set in fridge to let the flavors meld together at least an hour.
Make the Fajitas
- When ready to cook, drizzle about 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet, heated over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook until golden brown. Remove to a cutting board. When cool to touch, slice into strips.
- In the same skillet, cook the onion and bell peppers until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add a bit of olive oil if needed.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes more.
- When ready to serve, add the chicken back to the skillet and mix together.
- Garnish with cilantro and limes.
- Warm up the tortillas, then fill with the fajita filling.
- Add toppings of your choice, and the Mexican Ranchero Sauce. Serve immediately.
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