Everybody I know wants to know how to make fajitas. Why? For one thing, they're delicious. And for another thing, fajitas are endlessly adaptable. If you don't like bell peppers, just leave them out. Not into steak? Use chicken. Not into flour tortillas? Use corn.
Fajitas are best served on a big platter surrounded by tortillas and sides like salsa, guacamole, and fresh cilantro—additions that let people create a fajita that's as spicy and creamy and herby as they like. But the best part of fajitas isn't their customizability—it's the fact that they come together in about 30 minutes, and you don't need a recipe.
Here's how to make fajitas easily (and quickly!) at home:
1. Marinate your meat (or chicken)
Fajitas start with the meat: You'll need 1/4 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast, chicken cutlets or skirt steak for each person. If you're using chicken breasts, pound them until they're about 1/2 inch thick; if you're using skirt steak, cut each steak in half so that it fits easily in your skillet. Lay the steak or chicken in a baking dish and sprinkle liberally with chili powder. Add some finely chopped garlic if you like, then squeeze the juice of a lime or two on top and drizzle with a little bit of neutral oil. Marinate your choice of meat for however much time you have: overnight, a few hours, or just for 10 minutes while you chop your veggies and prep your accompaniments. (If you're going to marinate for more than 30 minutes, cover with plastic and store in the refrigerator.)
2. Chop the Onions and Peppers
Choose a yellow, red, or white onion and slice it in half lengthwise, then slice each half into strips lengthwise. (You can use as much or as little onion as you like, but generally one onion is right for four people.) Choose any color bell pepper you like—aim for about two peppers for four people—and slice them into long strips. Set the vegetables aside.
3. Sear your meat
Pat the meat dry and season it all over with salt. Swirl a bit of neutral oil such as canola, vegetable, sunflower, or grapeseed in a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) and heat over high heat until it's just barely smoking. Lay your meat into the skillet (work in batches if you have to) and sear it's nicely browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. (Note: Things are going to get a little smoky at this point—you may want to open the windows.) Remove the meat to a cutting board to rest while you cook the veggies.
4. Cook The Veggies
As soon as you pull the meat out of the skillet, throw the sliced veggies in—there's no need to add more oil or adjust the heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until they're a bit charred and starting to soften. Turn off the heat and sprinkle the veggies with a little salt. Let sit in the hot pan while you slice the meat.
5. Slice and Serve
If you're using skirt steak, slice it against the grain at a 45-degree angle so you get thin, wide, juicy slices. If you're using chicken, slice it in the same way (though there's no grain to worry about here). Pile the sliced meat on a serving platter (warm that platter for extra credit!) along with the peppers and onions and serve with warm flour or corn tortillas, hot sauce, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, queso fresco—or nothing at all. These fajitas are good enough to stand on their own.
