Chicken Fajita Mix
Strips of chicken with peppers, onions, smoked paprika, cumin and lime in a light, smoky sauce. Just add tortillas.
makes 21 blocks, about 40p each
- Time
- 40 min15 min prep · 25 min cook
- Makes
- 21 blocks
- Cost per blockPer block
- 40p
- Calories per blockCalories
- 64 kcal
- Spice
- 2 of 5
You’ll need
- 700gchicken breast, thin strips
- 3 (480g)mixed peppers, sliced short
- 2 (300g)onions, sliced
- 200gpassata
- 3 cloves (15g)garlic
- 30ml (1 lime)lime juice
- 14gsmoked paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder
- 2gchilli powder
- 10gfresh coriander
- 20mlrapeseed oil
- 1 cubechicken stock cube
- 100mlwater, to make up the stock
Allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the ingredients as listed. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.
Serve it
Warm tortillas with soured cream and guacamole · A rice bowl with sweetcorn and black beans · Quesadillas with grated cheese
Method
- Step 1: Toss the chicken with half the spices. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat and sear the chicken in two batches until golden; lift out. (8 min)
- Step 2: Add the rest of the oil and fry the peppers and onions over a medium-high heat until soft and catching at the edges. (10 min)
- Step 3: Add the garlic and the rest of the spices for 1 minute, then the passata and stock.
- Step 4: Return the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes until cooked through and the sauce clings.
- Step 5: Off the heat, add the lime juice and coriander and season. Cool quickly and freeze in 70g blocks.
Hotter: add a chopped jalapeño with the peppers and ½ tsp cayenne.
| kcal | protein | carbs | fat | fibre | salt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per block | 64 | 8.7g | 3.8g | 1.6g | 1g | 0.27g |
| Per 3 blocks | 192 | 26.1g | 11.4g | 4.8g | 3g | 0.81g |
Cook’s notes
- Cut the peppers into short strips so they portion evenly into blocks.
- Get the pan really hot so the chicken and peppers char rather than stew.
- Smoked paprika does most of the work, so use a fresh jar.
Serve it
Warm tortillas with soured cream and guacamole · A rice bowl with sweetcorn and black beans · Quesadillas with grated cheese.
Freeze, reheat and serve
- Freeze
- Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
- Reheat
- Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
- A portion
- 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 192 kcal and 26.1g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.
Chicken Fajita Mix questions
Can I use chicken thighs?
Boneless thighs work and stay juicier. Cut them into strips the same way and give them a minute or two longer when searing.
Why sear the chicken in two batches?
Crowding the pan drops the heat, so the chicken steams and turns grey instead of browning.
Can I use a fajita seasoning kit?
A packet of fajita seasoning can replace the spice mix. Many contain salt, so taste before you season.
Sauces that go with it
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Updated . Nutrition, costs and yields are estimates. Gluten-free assumes gluten-free stock cubes.