Fajita Chicken Packets

Amarante

Fri, Mar 10 2017, 3:01 pm

This was a good and easy dish for a Mexican themed dinner. Easily scaled up for more servings. A natural with tortillas, salsa and guacamole

Fajita Chicken Packets

Excerpt From: Wallace, Lorraine. “Mr. Sunday's Saturday Night Chicken.”

BONELESS, SKINLESS • QUICK • SERVES 4

Looking for an alternative to a taco dinner? Try these individual Mexican packets that have all the flavors of a traditional fajita dinner. If you don’t have parchment paper, just use aluminum foil to make the packets. Serve with your favorite salsa, guacamole, and chips.

1⁄2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 small limes)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1⁄4 teaspoon coarse salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced into 1⁄4-inch-thick half-moons (about 2 cups)
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1⁄4-inch strips (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon chopped canned green chilies
One 15-ounce can corn kernels, drained
One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
Salsa, guacamole, and chips, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process the cilantro, lime juice, garlic, oregano, and 11⁄2 teaspoons of the olive oil by pulsing for 2 minutes until it forms a paste.

Rinse the chicken breasts with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Place each chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound each evenly to create thin cutlets, each about 1⁄4 inch thick. Rub each cutlet with the cilantro-lime paste, coating evenly on top.

In a large skillet over high heat, warm 1 teaspoon of the oil and swirl in the skillet to coat it evenly. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly soft and the onions are golden, 3 minutes. Set aside.

Cut out four 12 × 17-inch pieces of parchment paper, fold each in half crosswise to form a crease, then open each up. I used foil.

Divide the onions and peppers roughly into fourths in the skillet. Place one-fourth of the onion and pepper mixture on the bottom of each piece of parchment paper, then add 1⁄4 teaspoon of the chopped chilies, one-fourth of the corn kernels (about 1⁄3 cup), and one-fourth of the beans.

Put the chicken breast on top of the beans and drizzle with the remaining oil. Fold the parchment paper over the ingredients, make overlapping pleats around the outside edge to seal, then tuck the ends under.

Arrange the packets on a large baking sheet, making sure not to crowd the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink. Serve the packets on warm individual plates along with salsa, guacamole, and chips.