Chicken Fajitas
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2x1/2-inch strips 1/4 cup cooking oil 1/4 cup lime juice 1/4 cup tequila or water 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/8 teaspoon salt Pepper Eight 7-inch flour tortillas 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced 1 medium green, red, or yellow sweet pepper, cut into thin strips 1/2 cup chopped fresh or canned tomatillos, or chopped tomatoes Guacamole (optional) Dairy sour cream (optional) Salsa (optional) Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (optional)Cutting or chopping boards
Place chicken strips in a plastic bag set in a deep bowl. In another bowl stir together 1/4 cup oil, lime juice, tequila or water, 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, the garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour over chicken. Seal bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 4-24 hours, turning occasionally. Drain chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Set chicken aside.
Wrap tortillas in foil. Heat in a 350° oven for 10 minutes to warm. Meanwhile, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon oil. Cook and stir onion in hot oil for 1 1/2 minutes. Add sweet pepper strips; cook and stir about 1 1/2 minutes more, or till vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from skillet.
Add chicken strips to hot skillet. (Add more oil, if necessary.) Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes, or till tender and no pink remains. Return all vegetables to skillet. Add tomatillos or tomatoes. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes, or till heated through. Stir in remaining cilantro. To serve, fill tortillas with chicken-vegetable mixture. If desired, top with guacamole, sour cream, salsa, and/or cheese.
Fajitas with Roquefort
8 6-inch flour or corn tortillas 3 tablespoons cooking oil 2 onions, cut into thin slices 2 green bell peppers, cut into thin strips 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 pounds skirt steak, cut into 2 pieces 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper 1/4 pound Roquefort cheese or other blue cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)Heat the oven to 350°. Stack the tortillas and wrap them in aluminum foil. Warm in the oven for about 15 minutes.
In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat. Add the onions, peppers, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
Light the grill or heat the broiler. Coat the steaks with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Grill or broil the steaks for 3 minutes. Turn the meat and cook to your taste, 2 to 3 minutes longer for medium rare. Let rest in a warm spot for 5 minutes. Cut the steaks diagonally across the grain into thin slices.
Roll the steak slices, onions and peppers, and Roquefort in the warm tortillas.
Sizzlin' Fajitas
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves 4 tablespoons light olive oil or canola oil 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 8 large flour tortillas 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch strips 1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch strips 1 Anaheim chile, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch strips 1 small yellow onion, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into thin strips 1 medium Haas avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into thin slices 1 cup good-quality bottled salsaPlace the steak in a glass or ceramic baking dish. In a food processor or blender, purée the green onions, jalapeño, cilantro, 3 tablespoons of the oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture over the steak and turn to coat both sides evenly. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, turning at least once.
Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm in the oven at 150°F while you cook the steak and vegetables.
Preheat a grill pan over medium heat until very hot. Brush the peppers and onions with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the vegetables to the grill pan and cook, turning often with tongs until softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a glass or nonreactive metal bowl and cover to keep warm. Drain the marinade from the steak, place the steak in the hot grill pan, and grill for 4 minutes. Turn and cook until seared and nicely browned. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes, and then carve the meat across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices. Cut these slices lengthwise in thirds and season with salt. Arrange the meat on a platter with the peppers and onions. Serve with the avocado, salsa, and the warmed tortillas, wrapping a few pieces of meat and some vegetables inside each one.