These chicken pineapple fajitas are packed with delicious flavors that will make your taste buds sing with joy. A tasty meal that you will want to make again and again.
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Hello, my friends.
I’m excited to share this recipe with you today. It was inspired by a dish that we love from a local Mexican restaurant. While not exactly a copycat of their dish, it’s close enough to satisfy my cravings. And it’s great to have a home-cooked, family-size version we can all enjoy. The combo of flavors is so delicious. It’s a recipe we will definitely be making often.
How to make these chicken pineapple fajitas
First marinate the chicken. You will need to plan for 2 to 6 hours for the chicken to marinate. Be sure to not forget to reserve some of the marinade for later.
After the chicken has marinated it gets a quick sear in a hot skillet until browned. It’s best to add the chicken in batches as overcrowding causes too much steam and the chicken will not brown nicely.
Once the chicken is brown (it won’t be fully cooked yet), remove it from the skillet.
Now it’s time to prep the pineapple. I like to serve these fajitas in a hollowed out pineapple shell. It’s not required, but that’s the way the restaurant does it and it makes it festive. If you decide to do it that way, then cut the pineapple in half through the entire core (including the crown). Scoop out the pineapple flesh, leaving two pineapple boats for serving.
Chop up some of the pineapple flesh and brown it for just a couple of minutes in the same skillet you used for the chicken. Once it’s caramelized remove it from the skillet.
Then sauté the veggies until they are tender (yes in the same skillet–hurray for fewer dishes).
Now it’s time to add back in the browned chicken and pineapple and reserved marinade (mixed with a bit of cornstarch) and cook together until the chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender. I mix in a little cheese at the end. Because yum.
It’s broiling time. I broil the empty pineapple boats for just a couple of minutes to give them some color and caramelize the pineapple. Then divide the filling between the two boats, add more cheese on top, and broil again until everything is hot and bubbly.
What to serve with these chicken pineapple fajitas
I like to serve these chicken pineapple fajitas with warmed up corn or flour tortillas.
We serve them family-style and everyone scoops out the fajita mixture from the pineapple boats on to the tortillas on their plates.
My favorite toppings are sour cream, guacamole (or sliced avocado) salsa, fresh lime slices, and cilantro sprigs.
Chips and salsa on the side, of course. And sticking with the tropical theme, this coconut lime rice is perfect.
Time to dig in
So much to enjoy right here.
Chicken Pineapple Fajitas
These chicken pineapple fajitas are packed with delicious flavors that will make your taste buds sing with joy. A tasty meal that you will want to make again and again.
Ingredients
Marinade:
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup neutral flavored oil avocado or canola
- 2 large cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar I use Bragg's
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- 2 teaspoons granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon chicken bouillon see note
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Fajitas
- 1 to 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken cut into 1 to 2-inch strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small fresh pineapple
- ½ white or yellow onion cut into 1-inch thin strips
- ½ green bell pepper cut into 1-inch thin strips
- ½ red bell pepper cut into 1-inch thin strips
- 4 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 cups grated Monterey jack cheese divided
- corn or flour tortillas, avocado, sour cream, lime wedges, cilantro sprigs for serving
Instructions
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In a small bowl whisk together marinade ingredients: lime juice, oil, minced garlic, salt, vinegar, chili powder, cayenne pepper, liquid smoke, black pepper, onion powder, oregano, white sugar, chicken bouillon, and cumin. Reserve ¼ cup of marinade for later.
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Add chicken strips to a gallon-size freezer bag and pour remaining marinade over chicken. Seal the bag and let marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 6 hours.
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After marinating, take chicken out of the bag and discard the marinade. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in lage skillet over medium high heat. Put ½ the chicken in the skillet and brown on all sides. Remove and repeat with remaining chicken, adding more oil if needed to keep chicken from sticking to bottom of the pan. It's okay if the chicken isn't cooked through completely at this step. Just get it a nice brown.
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Cut pineapple lengthwise through the entire pineapple, including the crown. Scoop out flesh, leaving a pineapple boat for serving, if desired. Discard core. Chop pineapple into ½-inch pieces. When chicken is done, remove from skillet and add 2 cups of chopped pineapple and cook for just a few minutes to lightly caramelize. Remove from skillet and set aside.
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Add an additional tablespoon of oil, if needed. Sauté onion strips, bell pepper strips and sliced mushrooms for about 5 minutes or until starting to soften. Then add browned chicken and pineapple. Whisk together the reserved ¼ cup of marinade with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and add that to the skillet. Cook until chicken is cooked through and veggies are soft. Add 1 cup of shredded cheese to the skillet and stir until melted.
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Preheat broiler. Place empty pineapple boats on a baking sheet and place a few inches from the broiler. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes until starting to darken. Remove from oven and divide fajita mixture evenly between pineapple shells. Add 1 cup shredded cheese on top. Place a few inches under broiler and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly and starting to brown.
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Serve fajitas in warm flour or corn tortillas with your choice of toppings: sour cream, guacamole, salsa, lime wedges, cilantro springs, etc.
Recipe Notes
1. For the chicken bouillon I use this homemade chicken bouillon substitute.
Recipe Source: Heather @ The Cook’s Treat, inspired by a dish at a local restaurant we love
All images and text ©The Cook’s Treat
Disclaimer: post contains affiliate links for items on Amazon.
