Barrister Bites

BARRISTER BITES By: Angelia Morie Nystrom, JD, LLM

UT Foundation – Institute of Agriculture

OVEN-BAKED FAJITAS FROM MY CASA TO YOURS

For a number of years, Hugh called Casa Don Gallo in Rocky Hill “our kitchen.” It was close and convenient. The owners and staff were like family, and the food was always good. Three to four nights a week, you could find the Nystrom family chowing down on chips and salsa and all the other great food on the Casa menu. Quesadilla malinche, pork belly tacos, fried plantains… you name it, we ate it.

In recent years, a number of things have converged to make us rethink the placement of “our kitchen.” First, we were stuck in the middle of a world-wide pandemic that left us shut in our homes for months on end. I learned how to be a little more resourceful, and “our kitchen” was suddenly in our house out of sheer necessity. Second, my son decided to take his swim training very seriously, substituting fat and carbs for lean meats and vegetables. He started giving us the macro breakdown of all of our food, as well as describing the effects of the chemicals in processed food. For a kid that professes to hate all things math and science, he was quite proficient in giving us science lessons. Finally, my love of good Mexican food was causing my waistline to expand past the limits of my wardrobe, which meant that I was faced with a dilemma: either buy all new clothes or lose weight. Hugh was firmly in the “lose weight” category, as he couldn’t stand the thought of paying for a new wardrobe.

Over the last couple of years, we have adjusted our eating so that we eat at home more often and so that our meals are much more healthful than those we consumed during Trace’s younger years. I’ve scoured both my collection of cookbooks and the hundreds of resources available on the internet to find quick – yet healthy and satisfying—meals for our family. While I have been fairly successful in this venture, we have missed one thing: really great Mexican food.

Over the last couple of years, I have tried to make a number of Mexican and Southwestern dishes but have never been able to replicate the Casa dishes that hold such fond memories for us. Recently, however, my friend Melissa gave me a recipe for Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas. She said that her family (with three children close to the age of my own) loved them and that they rivaled the fajitas at a Mexican restaurant.

I was skeptical. Very skeptical. I’ve tried fajitas multiple times but have never been able to replicate the flavor of really good restaurant fajitas. After reading the recipe, I was even more skeptical. It just sounded odd.

A couple of weeks ago, though, I was at a loss for a meal and needed something quick and easy. I recalled that Melissa said this was her “go-to” when her kids had ballgames and that it could be prepared in a matter of minutes. I decided to give it a try.

Suffice it to say, it was a hit…. And the fajitas were truly restaurantquality. Since that time, I have made this meal two more times. It is quick (10 minutes preparation); it is easy (simple ingredients found at any grocery store… and some that can be found pre-prepared); and it has never failed.

To make Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas, preheat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, combine the following: 4 TBS olive oil, 1 TBS chili powder, 1TBS cumin seed, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, and ½ tsp salt. Put 2 lbs chicken breast strips in a large mixing bowl and drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken. Stir to coat. Add 2 cans of Rotel with green chiles to chicken and spice mixture. Set aside. (NOTE: I will usually add an extra can of green chiles… my preference is the “hot” version since I love spicy food.)

Thinly slice 1 large white onion and 2 large bell peppers. (I always purchase the Southwest kit at Fresh Market. The peppers and onion are sliced and ready to go.) Spray a 13x9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the dish with the bell peppers and onion. Pour the chicken mixture over the peppers and onions. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

The recipe says to serve on tortillas with desired fajita toppings. We have tried this, and the fajitas are really good. However, Hugh and Trace prefer to line a bowl with Xochitl No-Salt corn chips, top with the chicken and vegetables, and then add melted Mexican blend cheese to the top. They also like to load the dish up with guacamole and sour cream.

I tend to try to go a little healthier with my meal. Playing on their chip idea, I will generally purchase an extra Southwest kit. In a separate baking dish, I spray the onions and peppers with olive oil and then add a dash of each of the spices. While the chicken mixture is baking, I also bake the vegetables until they are slightly burned. They give me the crunch of chips without the fat and calories. It is a phenomenal meal.

I have now made this recipe three times: twice with chicken breast strips and once with a skirt steak cut into strips. It is great both ways.

While we still occasionally head to Casa Don Gallo for dinner, we are more often found eating at our house. Although the experience is a little different, these oven baked fajitas are a great substitute for restaurant-quality Mexican food. Enjoy, from my casa to yours!