High-Heat Skillet Chicken Thigh Fajitas

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Boneless chicken thighs marinated in lime, garlic and toasted chile, then seared hard in a dry cast-iron skillet until the edges blacken. The peppers and onions get their own pass in the same pan so they char instead of steaming into a soggy pile — the single biggest difference between restaurant fajitas and the sad version most people make at home.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus 1 lime for serving
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, such as canola or avocado
• 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 tbsp ancho chile powder
• 1 tsp chipotle chile powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp packed brown sugar

• 2 tbsp neutral oil, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 12 corn or flour tortillas, 6-inch
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 avocado, sliced (optional)
• 1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema (optional)
• Cooked rice and pinto or black beans, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and trim any large pockets of fat. Leave them whole — they will be sliced after cooking, which keeps them juicier than pre-cut strips.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, 2 tablespoons oil, grated garlic, ancho powder, chipotle powder, cumin, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt and brown sugar. Add the chicken and turn to coat every surface. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, or refrigerate up to 8 hours (bring back to room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking).
3. While the chicken marinates, cut the onion and all the peppers into even 1/2-inch strips and wedges. Keep them in a separate bowl and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
4. Wrap the tortillas in a damp kitchen towel and then in foil. Warm in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes while you cook, or heat them directly over a gas burner for 20 seconds per side just before serving.
5. Set a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat and let it preheat for 4 to 5 minutes, until a drop of water skitters and evaporates instantly. Turn on your exhaust fan — this will smoke.
6. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, then the peppers and onions in a single layer. Cook without stirring for 2 minutes to blister the undersides, then toss and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, stirring only every 45 seconds, until charred in spots but still crisp at the center. Scrape into a bowl and cover loosely with foil.
7. Return the skillet to high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Lift the chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and lay the thighs flat in the pan without crowding — work in two batches if needed. Do not move them for 4 minutes, until the undersides are deeply browned and blackened at the edges.
8. Flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until the thickest part registers 175°F on an instant-read thermometer. Thighs are forgiving; 175°F is where the connective tissue softens without drying out. Transfer to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes.
9. Slice the chicken across the grain into 1/2-inch strips. Return the peppers and onions to the hot skillet along with the sliced chicken and any board juices, toss for 30 seconds just to reheat, and squeeze half the remaining lime over the top.
10. Scatter with cilantro and bring the skillet straight to the table with the warm tortillas, remaining lime wedges, avocado, crema, and rice and beans if you're serving them.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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