This post is sponsored by J.L. Hufford and ICON Cookware. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Maria Makes!
Oh man, I love fajitas. Is there anything better than going to a restaurant, and everyone’s heads turning to watch as the server makes the slow walk across the entire restaurant with your own personal little skillet of fajitas loudly popping sizzling its little heart out? Oh wait, yeah there is something better. Making fajitas in the privacy of your own home and enjoying the sizzling goodness alllll to yourself.
The secret to super flavorful chicken fajitas is marinating the meat, then searing in a SUPER hot skillet (like my new ICON skillet from J.L. Hufford) to get some nice char action. Personally, I can do without the mini fajita skillets. If you have been following me for any amount of time, you know I like to cook things in BIG batches. It might just be me and ZB over here, but we looove leftovers and I looove to make extras to freeze for another time.
Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe, or read on for some more deets (and a discount!) on this ICON skillet.
ENTER this giant 14” skillet from ICON… LARGE and IN CHARGE and big enough to make fajitas for the whole family. The ICON line is kind of like cast iron’s cooler, more modern, cousin. I had been holding off on getting a cast iron skillet because I have a glass top stove and I worried about scratching it. But that’s not a concern with the ICON line:
It’s safe for use on all stove tops (including glass and induction).
It has great heat retention for that amazing sear but is 30% lighter than traditional cast iron.
It doesn’t have any chemical coatings, so you can use metal utensils without worrying!
It’s super easy to clean, won’t rust, and has at 25-year warranty for home use.
It’s oven-safe up to 800 degrees and goes from stove to oven with no problem.
Finally, it’s made in the U. S. of A. (in Terre Haute, Indiana).
I have actually already ditched my 14” non-stick skillet because after cooking in this skillet about 5 times, I know it will be my new go-to for large batch cooking. A few tips/notes for you if you decide to get one of your own:
If you have a glass-top stove like me, and your burner size is significantly smaller than the base of the skillet, you may notice some warping when you’re cooking at high temps. This caused the skillet to rock on my stovetop a bit as I was cooking, but it didn’t affect the sear or the outcome of my recipe!
Though it’s 30% lighter than cast iron, it’s still quite heavy (especially the 14” version I got!). It’s definitely a two-hand skillet, especially when loaded up with fajitas. This thing is solid.
The surface is NOT a coating so you don’t have to worry about any chemicals getting into your food. I love that you can use metal utensils for cooking and scraping.
If you give it a solid scrub, and as you use it over time, you may notice changes in the looks/color of the skillet. I had some burnt-on fajita bits so I scrubbed it with salt and a sponge. Some of the “seasoning” layer wore off, but it’s already building back up as I use it more and it has not affected the quality at all.
Never fill a super hot pan with cold water to cool it down; that can cause warping and will void your 25-year warranty.
Be sure to check out the ICON line from J.L. Hufford Online, and use the promo code 20OFFICONMMS for 20% off. You can also find ICON cookware on Amazon.
Skillet Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients:
Protein & Veggies:
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 green bell peppers, cut into strips
2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
3 roma tomatoes, cut into 1” chunks
1 large onion, halved and sliced
Marinade:
1/4 cup avocado oil or canola oil (something that can withstand some heat)
1/3 cup lime juice
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce or coconut aminos
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
To Serve:
lime wedges, cilantro, sour cream, pico de gallo and/or salsa, guacamole, cheese
Instructions:
In a large bowl combine all marinade ingredients. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade for cooking the veggies.
Cut up chicken and add to the marinade. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours if you have time (or 20 minutes if you don’t!)
While the chicken marinates, cut up your peppers, onions, and tomatoes.
TIP: Try to keep the pepper strips and onions strips about the same size. Not too thin, not too thick.Heat a large heavy skillet (like my 14” ICON) over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp oil.
Add 1/2 of the veggies to the skillet and don’t touch them for a full minute! Let them get a nice sear before mixing them around and adding 2 Tbsp of the reserved marinade. Let cook for another minute, then stir, another minute, then stir, until veggies are crisp tender — about 5 minutes.
Remove veggies to a separate bowl then repeat the cooking process from step 5 with the second half of the veggies.
Remove the remaining veggies and prepare to cook the chicken.
TIP: It’s likely there will be a layer of burnt-on veggie leftovers in the skillet. If so, add a little water while the skillet is still over heat, scrape with a spatula, and carefully wipe it out with a paper towel before cooking the chicken.Heat 1 Tbsp oil in the skillet again. Let the skillet get nice and hot. Drain the marinade from the chicken and get the meat as dry as possible. Add the chicken to the hot skillet and again, don’t touch it! Let it get a nice sear on one side (2 min or so) before stirring it around to fully cook.
TIP: If you’re using a huge skillet like me, you can cook all of the chicken at once. If not, I’d suggest splitting it into two batches.Once the chicken is about 3/4 of the way there, add the veggies back into the skillet to let everything get all happy together.
Serve with flour tortillas and all of your favorite fajita toppings, or make them into fajita bowls or salads!
PIN IT FOR LATER!
Skillet Chicken Fajitas – Maria Makes: Perfectly seasoned, make ‘em at home, Mexican takeout chicken fajitas. Serve with tortillas or as fajita bowls!