Tex-Mex at it’s finest.
Birthday Fajitas
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 1 Tbs paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- cooking liquid
- tortillas, toppings
- Thinly slice veggies and chicken.
- Add to skillet with cooking liquid and spices.
- Cook, stirring often, until veggies are soft and chicken is cooked through.
- Serve on tortillas with desired toppings.
Tip: If you have leftovers, save them for chicken quesadillas!
Hispanic-style dishes are our favorite by far. In fact, we typically we eat these fajitas once a week. Some people might call that being “stuck in a rut”…but we call it “knowing a good thing when we taste it.”
At this point, you may then be wondering, “Why isn’t this recipe called ‘Weeknight Fajitas’ then?” (Which is a very good question.) The reason we call this recipe “Birthday Fajitas” is: I have matured.
When I was growing up, we had a special tradition where Mom would make us ANYTHING we wanted for dinner on our birthdays. I took this opportunity to enjoy things that we often didn’t get to eat: steak, ribs, shrimp, etc. My sister, on the other hand, wanted what she wanted, no matter how frequently we ate it.
One year, she picked MEATLOAF. Something we had EVERY WEEK because it was cheap, quick, and filling. UGH. As the “older” and “wiser” sister that I was, I immediately instructed her on the myriad of reasons why her choice was dumb. Much to my surprise, instead of agreeing with me and brainstorming better ideas…she burst into tears, and I got in trouble.
As I grew up, I realized the error of my ways, and I’ve apologized again to my sister every time this story is re-told. (Literally texting her right now.)
Because Ryan’s family had the same birthday tradition (but without the negative memories), it was a no-brainer that we would maintain it when we became our own family. Since having kids, I’ve made it a point to offer them ANYTHING they want for their birthday dinners. While there have been times where a request has taken me by surprise, and I’ve double checked, “are you SURE you don’t want this-other-thing-that-you-love-and-we-don’t-eat-often,” I gladly make what they want (and defend their choices to their siblings as needed).
And to that end: every other year (at least), kid #2 asks for fajitas on her birthday. She just loves them that much, and she hopes you do too.
This recipe is extremely quick and easy, but I will share a few additional comments on preparation:
- We enjoy this recipe with chicken breasts; although, chicken thighs would work nicely too.
- For the “cooking liquid” I typically use 1 cup of tomato juice* or water. Sometimes, if I want a little crispy char, I’ll use a couple tablespoons of oil instead.
- Ryan prefers crispy peppers to soggy ones, so I usually leave the sliced peppers on my cutting board until everything else is cooked. Then I’ll add them to the skillet for a minute or two until they’re just warmed through.
- Unless they’re freshly made, we prefer flour tortillas to corn. We feel like they hold up better to the sturdy fajita filling.
- Toppings, toppings, toppings…
- We always have sour cream and homemade salsa (this recipe, adapted *and reserving the tomato juice for my cooking liquid).
- Other things we’ve had in the past include: pickled or fresh jalapeños; fresh cilantro; cotija, cheddar, or Monterey Jack cheese; and sliced avocado or guacamole.
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