Chicken Fajita’s with Homemade Spice Mix

Many years ago when my husband Howard and I worked in London we would need quick and easy dinners. Fajita’s are one of those dishes that can be made with minimum effort. The meal is fast to prepare and simple cook. I hate to admit it but all those years ago I did use a spice mix we brought from a local wholesalers. Which I have since learned did have sugar in it. I don’t understand why you need to add sugar to a spice mix.

Nowadays I don’t tend to buy any spice mixes as I love to make my own. I use spices in my cooking a lot so I don’t feel that buying individual spices is a waste. They always get used up in a variety of dishes that we all enjoy. Therefore making my own spice mix for this dinner was a fairly simple task. I already had an idea of what goes into a fajita mix. I just had to put my brain into gear and start mixing. The results were amazing and one we will be eating again very soon.

Equipment

• Sharp knife
• Chopping board
• Frying pan
• Plastic brush
• Stirring spoon
• Teaspoon
• Small mixing bowl

Ingredients

• Onions x 1
• Chicken x 500g
• Red peppers x 2 large
• Mild, medium or hot chilli powder x 1 tsp
• Smoked paprika x 1 tsp
• Onion powder x 1 tsp
• Garlic granules x 1 tsp
• Cayenne pepper x 1/4 – 1 tsp (depending on how spicy you like it).
• Ground cinnamon x 1 tsp
• Salt and pepper x 1/4 – 1/2 tsp
• Sour cream x 1 small tub or soured cashew nut cream cheese x 1 recipe
• Lime x 1
• Guacamole x 1 recipe
• Wraps x 8
• Salad of your choice
• Oil for the pan

Method

• Make the cashew nut cream cheese and add the juice of 1 lime to it.
• Make the guacamole as per the recipe.
• Mix the mild, medium or hot chilli powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, ground cinnamon and salt and pepper in the small mixing bowl.
• Peel and slice the onions.
• Cut the tops from the pepper and remove the seed and green stalk.
• Now slice the flesh of the pepper.
• Next cut the chicken breasts into 2 inch pieces.
• Put the frying pan on to a high heat on the hob and add oil to the base.
• Spread the oil around the pan with the plastic brush.
• When the pan is hot add in the onions and fry until they start to soften.
• Next add in the peppers and fry for a further few minutes.
• Then add in the chicken and fry it until it turn golden brown.
• If the ingredients start to stick to the pan add a little bit of water and continue to fry.
• Sprinkle over one to two tablespoons of the spice mixture and any leftovers put in the cupboard for another occasion.
• Fry all these ingredients for a further few minutes.
• Remove from the heat and serve with the guacamole, sour cream or soured cashew nut cream cheese, wraps and salad.
• Then enjoy.

Chicken Fajita’s with Homemade Spice Mix were a massive hit in this house. My son Ted, who is 7 nearly 8 can be very disapproving of my cooking. It’s hard to know what to cook that Ted will actually eat. The fajita’s were one meal that he devoured in an instant. He said they were lovely and he asked when could we eat them again. It was very well received by my family. The best part about this meal is you could make it in advance and freeze it. Then all you have to do is defrost it and heat it up. It makes a brilliant packed lunch the next day too. However you decide to eat this dish, as always, please enjoy. Thank you xxx