Chile Lime Chicken Fajita Bowls, For Two!
This recipe is the epitome of effortless cooking.
30 minutes, one sheet pan, <10 ingredients, and SO crazy healthy.
It’s exactly what 2018 demands, and precisely what your body needs.
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January is a shitty month for a whole host of reasons, the biggest being the end of all your naughty, holiday season behavior. Drinks on a Monday? Goodbye. Candy for Breakfast? Adios! Spending more time inhaling cheese than actually exercising? AU REVOIR. The holidays are freakin’ over, and being depressed about it isn’t an excuse to go back to December you. So I figured if we had to suffer through this “new year, new me” nonsense together, we might as well eat… well. And that’s where this recipe begins.
On face value, chicken fajitas are actually a pretty healthy meal. If you avoid the tortillas (I don’t), go sparingly on the sour cream (lol), and avoid cheese (say what?), you’re basically eating well seasoned chicken and veggies. So I took this bare-bones fajita and turned it into a bowl. You start by slicing a trio of bell peppers + 1 red onion, then creating a rub of chile powder, garlic powder, and salt & pepper. Rub this seasoning all over thin-sliced chicken breasts, then arrange in the center of a lightly-greased baking sheet. Surround with the sliced veggies, then drizzle with a combination of lime juice + EVOO. Bake on your oven middle rack for 20 – 25 minutes, flip the chicken mid-way, and that’s it!
Simple, satisfying, perfect.
While the fajita components cook, I like to prepare “lime rice”, which is literally cooked white rice mixed with lime juice. I like a ratio of 1 juiced lime per cup of cooked rice, as a reference. And if you care to make this bowl even leaner (good for you), you can skip the rice OR make lime quinoa!
As you’ve come to expect from me, this is an easily customizable dish.
When you’re ready, compose two bowls with lime rice, chicken, veggies, sliced jalapeño, queso fresco (a little chee won’t kill ya) and cilantro. To heighten the tang factor I like to squeeze another lime atop my bowl before eating, so definitely do this. And if you want some sriracha on the side, why not?! Spicy mayo tastes great too, but alas, it ain’t healthy.
In the end this is a fresh, fast, filling bowl of fajita fabulousness that you can easily make whenever! Tonight being as good a time as ever. xo
Chile Lime Chicken Fajita Bowls
Ingredients:
- 2 tsps chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- several dashes salt & pepper
- 1 lime, juiced (plus more for serving)
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 3 bell peppers, sliced (any colors!)
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1/2 lb thin-cut chicken breasts
- lime rice to serve (see notes!)
- sliced jalapeños + queso fresco to top
- fresh cilantro to garnish
- cooking spray to grease
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a large-rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a small mixing bowl toss the chili powder, garlic powder, and salt & pepper until combined. In another small mixing bowl combine the lime juice and extra virgin olive oil, gently whisking until smooth.
- On a cutting board rub the chicken breasts with the chili garlic seasoning on all sides until generously coated, then arrange in the center of your baking sheet. Surround the chicken with the sliced bell peppers and red onion on either side, then toss the veggies with the lime oil mixture, drizzling the last few drops over the chicken. Bake on oven middle rack for 20 – 25 minutes until the vegetables are gently roasted and the chicken is cooked through, turning the chicken mid-way through cooking.
- Meanwhile, prepare the lime rice. (see notes!)
- When ready, build your bowls with lime rice, chicken, vegetables, sliced jalapeños, a sprinkling of queso fresco, and cilantro, then serve! I like to drizzle my bowl with an extra lime before eating for an even tangier finish.
>> to make lime rice, simply cook white rice as directed, then toss with lime juice once cooked! I like to use 1 juiced lime per cup of cooked rice.
