mexican food

FAN FAVORITES!

It’s time to make crowd pleasers like chicken fajitas, pico de gallo, and cilantro lime shrimp. Learn how to make tangy pickled jalapeños and carrots, which make a great accompaniment to any Mexican dish.

Chicken Fajitas

prep time serves 2

From In Minutes by Clodagh McKenna ($24.99, Kyle Books, 2022)

For the chicken

2 skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 1 tsp smoked paprika 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp ground cumin Pinch of mild chili powder Zest and juice of K lime 1 Tbsp olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salsa

1 large tomato, chopped K small red onion, finely chopped K small red chili, deseeded and finely chopped 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped Juice of 1 lime

To serve

4 small or 2 large flour tortillas 4 oz (K c) sour cream 1O oz Cheddar cheese, grated 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced 1 lime, cut into wedges

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for chicken, season well, and toss until everything is well mixed and chicken is coated in spices. Set aside to marinate for 10–15 minutes while you make salsa. 2. For salsa, place tomato, onion, and chili in a bowl. Season to taste. Add cilantro and lime juice and mix well. Set aside.

3. Heat a griddle pan over a medium heat until hot. Place chicken, bell pepper, and onion on griddle and cook for 6–8 minutes, or until everything is nicely charred and chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a warm serving bowl. 4. Briefly place tortillas on griddle pan to warm. Serve with chicken and separate bowls of sour cream, grated Cheddar, sliced avocado, and lime wedges for people to assemble their own fajitas. Kitchen Note: A fantastic, vibrant lift to the midweek supper! These fajitas are so fun and easy to pull together. You can put all the fillings in bowls on the table and let everyone help themselves to assembling their own. If you have leftover roast chicken, lamb, beef, or pork it will work brilliantly for this recipe. If you’re looking for a vegetarian or vegan alternative, you could use pan-fried halloumi or tofu.

Per serving: 793 Calories, 35 g Protein, 60 g Carbohydrates, 11 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 14 g Fiber, 50 g Total fat (16 g sat), 1,213 mg Sodium, HHHHH Vitamin B3 (niacin), B6, C, Folate, Phosphorus, HHHH Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), E, Calcium, HHH Vitamin A, K, HH Vitamin B12, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc

Taqueria-Style Pickled Jalapeños and Carrots

20 min

prep time + 2 hrs pickling time makes 2 cups

From The Mexican Keto Cookbook by Torie Borrelli ($24.99, Ten Speed Press, 2019)

4 to 6 jalapeños, sliced in ¼-inch rounds (remove seeds for less heat) 2 large carrots, sliced on diagonal in ¼-inch rounds 1 white onion, sliced thin 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

2 c filtered water 1 c white wine vinegar 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 1K tsp kosher salt 2 to 3 Tbsp monk fruit sugar or xylitol sugar K tsp dried Mexican oregano 1 bay leaf (optional)

1. Place jalapeños, carrots, onion, and garlic into two 12-ounce mason jars. 2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water, both vinegars, salt, monk fruit sugar, oregano, and bay leaf (if using) to a boil, and then remove from heat. Pour vinegar mixture evenly over veggies in jars. 3. Let mixture cool to room temperature. Seal it with a tight-fitting lid and carefully turn it upside down to get mixture to evenly distribute. Pickles will be ready to eat in 2 hours, but if you wait until the next day the flavors will be more infused. These pickles will last for up to 1 month in the fridge.

Per serving (K cup): 63 Calories, 1 g Protein, 14 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 2 g Fiber, 0 g Total fat (0 g sat), 369 mg Sodium, HHH Vitamin A, C, H Vitamin B6

Pico de Gallo

From Provecho: 100 Vegan Mexican Recipes to Celebrate Culture and Community by Edgar Castrejón ($32.50, Ten Speed Press, 2021) prep time serves 8

Avocado oil for frying 4 garlic cloves 2 jalapeño chilis K red onion, cut into ¼-inch dice 5 Roma tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch dice 3 Persian cucumbers, cut into ¼-inch dice 1 c finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems ¼ c fresh lime juice 1 tsp fine sea salt 1. Set a small cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add a drizzle of avocado oil and the garlic and jalapeños and fry, turning occasionally, until charred all over, about 6 minutes. 2. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Finely chop or mince garlic and transfer to a large bowl. Stem and halve jalapeños lengthwise (remove seeds for less heat, if desired). Chop into ¼-inch dice. Transfer to bowl. 4. Add onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Mix well. 5. Store pico de gallo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Per serving: 36 Calories, 1 g Protein, 6 g Carbohydrates, 3 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 1 g Fiber, 1 g Total fat (0 g sat), 239 mg Sodium, HH Vitamin K, H Vitamin C

Kitchen Note: If you’ve had Mexican food, you’ve almost certainly tried or, at least, seen pico de gallo. It’s a fresh tomato salsa that’s a must-have condiment at any Mexican table. A dish without pico de gallo would be like fries without ketchup. You can serve pico with tortilla chips, on tacos or tostadas, or on anything, really. Pico de gallo typically contains only raw ingredients, but the garlic and jalapeños are cooked here, which adds an extra boost of flavor.

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

From Nachos for Dinner: Surprising Sheet Pan Meals the Whole Family Will Love by Dan Whalen ($22.95, Workman Publishing, 2022)

15 min

prep time serves 2

1 lb shrimp, cleaned, peeled, and tails removed 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced 1 tsp chili powder Juice of 2 limes ¼ c chopped fresh cilantro 1. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. 2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp to pan and cook until they start to curl and become opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip shrimp with a spatula and cook until fully opaque, 1 more minute.

3. Add garlic and chili powder and cook, tossing shrimp in pan to coat, until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. 4. Add lime juice to shrimp in bowl and toss to coat. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Add cilantro and stir to combine.

5. Serve warm, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Kitchen Note: This is a bright and citrusy shrimp dish that can be served over nachos, if desired.

Per serving: 251 Calories, 32 g Protein, 11 g Carbohydrates, 1 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 3 g Fiber, 9 g Total fat (2 g sat), 1,325 mg Sodium, HHHHH Vitamin B12, Phosphorus, HHH Vitamin B6, E, HH Vitamin B3 (niacin), C, Zinc, H Vitamin A, K, Calcium, Folate, Magnesium