Healthy Chicken Fajitas - Two for one - Part 2

Here the continuation of my "two for one" cooking deal. The huge two pound pieces of chicken got trimmed and cut into 1 inch strips.One half I used for the most delicious almond crusted chicken fingers, the others I prepared my chicken fajita meat with while waiting that the chicken fingers get done in the oven. I had to stay around in the kitchen anyway. I prepared the meat with the marinade as well as cut up some peppers and onion and fridgerate it. This way the next day I only had to heat up the pans and dinner was done in less than 15 minutes.
I love this recipe as I can control all the spices, especially the salt. It also is fairly low on the calorie side - provided you are not loading it up with lots a cheese and sour cream. Small wheat tortillas are another way to cut some calories.

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken Fajitas
adapted from Taste of Home
serves 4

  

Chicken Fajitas-preparation:
1-2 pieces of chicken, trimmed of fat and cut in strips
1/4 of an onion chopped
1 clove of garlic minced
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of lime juice (juice of one lime)
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar (or regular white vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Veggie Prep:
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 medium yellow onion

 

To serve Fajitas:
Whole wheat tortillas
Fat free sour cream
Cheddar cheese
Salsa or Black Bean Salsa

1. Cut the chicken in small 1/2 inch strips after removing all the fatty pieces. Chop up onion, press out a lemon, mince some garlic. Add the chicken in a ziploc bag and add oil, onion,garlic, vinegar, worcestersauce and the spices and mix it all up. Refridgerate.

2. Can be done ahead a time as well.: Chop the onion and the pepper in strips ready to go for the next day.Refridgerate.

3. Preheat  the grillpan as well as a skillet pan side by side. Add the chicken pieces to the grillpan. Discard the marinade.Grill the chicken to get it nicely brown . 5-6 minutes. Next to it in the skillet pan you can add some olive oil and the pepper and onion strips and start browning them. Spice up with some cumin.

 

Then add the chicken to the veggies and stir. Use a small amount of water to keep it moist .

4. Transfer to a bowl. Serve with wheat tortilla ,sour cream, cheese and salsa. Just enjoy this healthy meal.

When it has to be fast... Roasted BBQ Chicken and Pesto Tortellini

I am sure everyone knows the feeling. It's already late and I am hungry, husband is not around tonight and the easiest would be just to stop and grab some fast food somewhere. I stopped on the way home at the supermarket and grabbed a roasted chicken for five bucks and a package of my favorite wheat tortellini. I knew I had still some pesto at home.

Now, one would say the roasted chicken is not the greatest health food  if you think about all the fat. As tempting and delicous as the nice roasted skin looks like  it's a big no no.... I mainly just use the white meat for my dishes - more so because I am not a fan of the dark meat (but my husband uses it for lunch meat so it works). I use the roasted BBQ chicken quite often if I am in a time crunch or just don't feel like spending to much time in the kitchen. So there will be a few more recipes.


Same could be said about the pesto- there are quite a few calories if you use lots of it. But a spoonful isn't gonna hurt. Anyway, going back to me being hungry. In less than 15 minutes I had my dinner ready. And here is how I did it:

Roasted BBQ Chicken and Pesto Tortellini

Roasted BBQ chicken (flavor does not matter)
Pesto
1 cup Wheat tortellini (per person)
Some parmesan cheese





 
1.Start boiling the water for the tortellini. While waiting for the water to start boiling peel of some pieces of chicken.

2. Heat a small coated pan and add some cooking spray. Add the pieces of chicken. Sprinkle with a little bit of lemon pepper if you like it like me. The meat usually has enough flavor. Add the tortellini to the water- about a cup full per person. Boil 6-8 minutes.

3. Turn the chicken occasionally - just want to get it a bit crunchy, gold brown. Remove from stove. Drain the tortellini, then add a tablespoon of pesto and mix it.

4. Serve tortellini and chicken. Sprinkle some parmesan over it.



You certainly can add any kind of veggies or a salad.. I was just too hungry this time. The leftover BBQ chicken I am gonna use for BBQ chicken pizza and some lunch meat.The rest of the tortellini I keep in the fridge or freezer for another quick meal soon.