{CrockPot} Chicken Fajitas

We are in NYC and if you haven't heard, we have been hit by some snow recently.  Brendan works the snow shift and I have been really trying to dedicate myself to the gym after work, so literally we only see each other about 2 hours in the morning (if we're lucky- usually he is asleep when I wake up for work).  Anyway, since that has been happening and we have more snow on the way, I still wanted him to eat good even when I wasn't home to make him a normal meal.  I turned to my trusty crockpot.  It is way easier for me to prep at night and then just pop in the base and turn on in the morning, but do what suits you.

I have tried sweet and sour chicken, chicken fajitas and tonight is sausage in sauce with pasta.  I need to go food shopping asap, so not sure what the rest of the week will bring!

Ingredients

• about 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts (I think I had a bit less than 2 lbs)
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 peppers, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 chipolte pepper in adobe, minced
• 1/2 cup of chicken stock
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• spices: 2 tbsp cumin, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp oregano, a pinch cayenne

Directions

• Add the onions, peppers and garlic to the bottom of the pot.
• Add the chicken and the chicken stock.
• Add the rest of the ingredients. (When you add the spices try and sprinkle evenly over the chicken)
• Set on low for 5 hours (or anywhere between 4-8 hours.  I try and not over do it with boneless chicken breasts because they tend to dry out a tad).
• When done, shred the chicken and mix in the juices.  Serve on a tortilla and with any toppings you prefer! (I went with avocado, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes and cilantro)

Not only is this healthy, but super simple. I just gave my little sister a crockpot for her new home- so here's another recipe for ya Cait! :)

Spicy Mexican Stir Fry (Fajitas)

This recipe is basically a fajita recipe without the tortillas.  Fajitas are traditionally served with a tortilla so that's why I named it a stir fry instead of a fajita recipe.  I love spicy food. I even got to use my homemade pickled jalapenos to top it all off.  This recipe could seriously feed about 6 people.  If you are making for a lot of people I would probably just double the rice recipe. This is why I call it budget friendly, because with just a few ingredients and big bold flavor you can feed a bunch of people some delicious stuff.  Honestly, this is one of my go-to cheap, fast and easy recipes.  It really isn't original, but its damn tasty.  Even my boyfriend walked into the kitchen and said "FAJITAS!?" LoL.  This recipe is also wonderful because you can tweak it to your preference and you subsitute any meat (I used chicken in this one). You could add beans and/or corn to the rice to push more flavor and texture.  I actually prefer the fajita way (wrapped in a tortilla)- because it's just more fun to eat :)

Sazón: This is why the rice is orange.  It is a Latin seasoning that I used sometimes to incorporate flavor into, well really anything.  The box says you can add it to meat as a rub, or soup, or stews, or veggies- it's an all purpose seasoning.  There are different brands and blends but it usually has a bit of cilantro, paprika, saffron, garlic powder, ground cumin and salt.

Chipolte in Adobo: This little secret is just one of my favorite cooking ingredients.  They are smoked jalapenos in a sauce that is made up of tomatoes, salt, vinegar, and other spices.  I did say I liked spicy foods.  You can find these in a small little can- might have to look in the Mexican/International food aisle.  These can get spicy so start small and work your way up.  Besides the spice, you get this awesome smokey flavor. So good.

Vegetable Oil: I used vegetable oil, which is a switch-up from my usual extra virgin, but veggie oil has a higher smoke point- which means it can get way hotter then EVOO- which makes for quick cooking and brown food. Whenever making a stir-fry (Mexican or Asian influence) always use a high smoke point oil.  How do I know the smoke point? A good rule of thumb is that the lighter the color of the oil- the higher the smoke point.

Ingredients

(Tbsp= Tablespoon)
For the Stir-Fry/Fajitas Mixture:

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 red bell peppers, sliced into strips
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small can of tomato sauce (8oz)
• 1 chicken bullion cube
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp of coriander
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 chipolte in adobo, chopped
• salt, pepper, vegetable oil

For the Rice:

• 1 cup of rice (I used Jasmine rice)
• 2 cups of water
• salt, pepper
• 1 packet of sazon

Directions

1. For the rice: put all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about anywhere from 10-20 mins.  You could wait for the water to boil, then add the rice, but I was just being lazy, and it still turns out the same.
2. Slice the chicken into strips and prepare all your veggies.
3. Using the biggest skillet you have- put it over high heat and add the oil. Make sure the oil is super hot and throw the chicken in and season will all the spices (including the bullion cube).
4. When the chicken is almost completely done cooking throw in your veggies and garlic. Keep stirring to incorporate the spices- Using tongs helps here.
5. At the very end add the tomato sauce and chipolte in adobo.  Taste it and make sure its good and you're ready to serve along side or on top of the rice.
6. My favor garnish is pickled jalapenos and sour cream- as you can tell from the pictures.