Active Time

　　45 minutes

　　Total Time

　　1 hour 10 minutes, plus marinating

　　Because I’m one of the cookingest guys in my friend group, people always ask me about my favorite meal to cook. My answer: chicken fajitas. While I was studying abroad in Tokyo, I wanted to share a little part of my food culture with my fellow study abroad students and new Japanese friends. So I’d host fajita parties at my tiny apartment, scouring the local international food markets for tortillas, the closest thing I could find to Oaxaca cheese, and spices like cumin, coriander, and ground chiles.

　　On the day of the event, I’d spend hours meticulously dicing tomatoes and mincing onions and chiles for pico de gallo, marinating chicken in citrus and spices, shredding cheese—the only thing I could never find was dried pinto beans for making refried beans. My recipe for chicken fajitas hasn’t evolved a lot since those days—the foundation is very much the same—and it remains one of my back-pocket meals whether entertaining a group or for just a quick and easy weeknight dinner. The marinade packs a big citrusy punch, which means you don’t have to let the chicken marinate for very long—a minimum of 20 minutes if you’re in a rush, or up to four hours if you’ve got the time. I usually get the chicken marinating before making a batch of pico de gallo, grating the cheese, and slicing the onions and peppers, and by the time I’m done, the chicken is ready to go. Personally, I prefer chicken thighs because they’re much more flavorful and, more importantly, less prone to drying out if you accidentally overcook them, but breasts also work well.

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What you’ll need

　　Chevron

　　Chevron

　　Large Cast-Iron Skillet

　　$25 At Amazon

　　Ancho Chile Powder

　　$8 At Amazon

　　Mexican Oregano

　　$10 At Amazon

　　Ground Cumin

　　$7 At Amazon

　　

Ingredients

6 servings

　　3 large onions, divided

　　1 bunch cilantro, plus sprigs for serving

　　Zest and juice of 2 oranges

　　Zest and juice of 3 limes

　　6 garlic cloves, peeled

　　6 Tbsp. (or more) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

　　2 Tbsp. ancho chile powder

　　1 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2 tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more

　　2 tsp. ground cumin

　　1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano

　　1¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided, plus more

　　1 tsp. ground coriander

　　1 tsp. smoked paprika

　　3 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts

　　4 medium red, yellow, orange, and/or green bell peppers, ribs and stems removed, cut into ½"-thick strips

　　Warm corn tortillas, sliced avocado, sour cream, coarsely grated Monterey Jack, pico de gallo, and lime wedges (for serving)

　　

Step 1

Peel and quarter 1 large onion and transfer to a blender. Add 1 bunch cilantro, zest and juice of 2 oranges, zest and juice of 3 limes, 6 garlic cloves, peeled, 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tbsp. ancho chile powder, 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 2 tsp. ground cumin, 1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano, 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, 1 tsp. ground coriander, and 1 tsp. smoked paprika and blend marinade until smooth.

　　

Step 2

Place 3 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts in a medium bowl. Pour marinade over and toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes or cover and chill up to 4 hours. If chilling, let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.

　　

Step 3

Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip back into bowl, and place on a large plate; discard marinade. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, then season with a big pinch of salt. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Working in batches and adding more oil between batches if pan looks dry, cook chicken in a single layer, undisturbed, until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn over and cook, on other side until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165° (or 160° if using chicken breasts), 5–7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Wipe out skillet and reserve.

　　

Step 4

Halve remaining 2 large onions through root end. Peel and slice ½" thick. Add more oil to reserved skillet if needed and cook onions and 4 medium red, yellow, orange, and/or green bell peppers, ribs and stems removed, cut into ½"-thick strips, undisturbed, 2 minutes. Sprinkle in ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper and stir to combine. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally and adding 1 Tbsp. water at a time if vegetables are beginning to stick to bottom of pan to loosen brown bits (let water absorb completely before adding more), until vegetables are browned around the edges and softened, 8–12 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Taste onion mixture and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

　　

Step 5

Remove foil from chicken and slice into ½"-thick strips. Return to skillet; toss to combine. Serve with warm corn tortillas, sliced avocado, sour cream, coarsely grated Monterey Jack, pico de gallo, cilantro sprigs, and lime wedges for making fajitas.