Last week the temperatures soared and the endless summer showed its balmy side when you just wish to be outside and enjoy the glorious flowery gardens and sip bottomless margaritas. It is the ideal weather to Fire up the BBQ for some outdoor grilling. Not that you can’t grill all year around in Santa Barbara, since the temperatures hardly dip below 60 degrees in this endless summer land known as the American Riviera, but blame it on the month of July that everyone talks about grilling and entertaining outdoors.
To take full advantage of this spectacular summer day, we decided to make Margarita Fajitas with Chicken and refreshing Citrus Margaritas. All we needed to get for the recipes were some fresh fruits and vegetables. We put the chicken into the marinade that morning then headed to the market to pick up a cornucopia of bell peppers and citrus fruits. While preparing the marinade, the aroma of the tequila was quite strong and it immediately gave us some further thoughts to try this marinade with a citrus tequila ceviche in the future…hmm that would be good.
You can thank Corina for her enthusiasm for peppers to end up with such a variety of bell peppers because she kept finding more different colors. In the market it seemed like everybody could only talk about mouthwatering grilled foods and cooling drinks so we hurried back and it was lovely outside that it would have been sinful to stay inside even for a moment so we started chopping the vegetables out in the garden. It took much longer than usual because we kept stopping to admire the flowers. It turned out so fabulous that we will have to make a garden party with this menu soon.
There is nothing like fajitas cooked in hot cast iron skillet to give you that extra delicious layer of flavor. We like to sear the chicken first and add the veggies later so they remain a little crisper and it gives a nice firm bite to your fajita. We love our cast iron pan, even though it seems to weigh a ton, but it is worth the exercise in lifting it to get such fabulous tasting foods. The cast iron skillet is rather inexpensive and you can cook with it on the stove top, oven, on the grill, or on a camp fire, just make sure you have someone to carry it around for you.
To really take advantage of all this margarita goodness we made a fresh Citrus Margarita to serve along with the Margarita Fajitas. You don’t have to wait for a holiday to celebrate this Margarita Madness. It takes no time at all to make this entire meal and you can prepare a few things ahead like the marinade and the citrus juice. It also makes a splendid mid-week meal if you time it right. Now we are ready to enjoy it in the garden on this lovely afternoon. We could sit here all day with a margarita if there wasn’t so much to do…
Margarita Fajitas & Citrus Margaritas
Ingredients
For the Margarita Fajitas
- 4 Chicken Breast skinless & boneless – cut in thin stripes
- Citrus Marinade – recipe below
- 1 Tbsp Grape Seed Oil
- 1 Red Onion - thinly sliced
- 3 Bell Peppers – Green Red and 1/2 each of Yellow and Orange Bell Peppers – all thinly sliced
- Fresh Cilantro - roughly chopped
- 1 Lime – cut into 8 wedges
- 8 Flour Tortillas 8 inches - warmed
For the Marinade
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- Juice of 1 Lime
- 3 Tbsp Tequilla
- Mexican Spice Mix of ¼ tsp each of cumin garlic powder, dried oregano, chili powder, red pepper flakes and freshly ground Pepper.
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp Grape Seed Oil
- Fresh Cilantro - finely chopped
Instructions
- Slice chicken breast evenly into 1-inch strips
- In a glass bowl or plastic bag combine citrus juice, Tequilla, spice mix, salt, grape seed oil, and cilantro. Add chicken strips and make sure it is well coated. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours
- Heat a large cast iron skillet on Grill or stove top over high heat and when hot coat pan with 1 tablespoon of grape seed oil. Remove meat strips from marinade and place in the skillet. Sauté meat for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the onions and bell peppers. Continue to cook by stirring frequently for 5 to 7 minutes longer or until chicken is browned and the vegetables tender. Add the lime wedges
- Serve fajita mixture in warm tortillas. Garnish with lime juice, cilantro and sour cream.
- Enjoy with a Citrus Margarita and make it a happy day.
Notes
Lime wedges,
Avocado slices,
Yoghurt or Sour Cream
Nutrition
Have a wonderful month of July enjoying the outdoors and hope you can have a margarita day too!
Just posted this link to Twitter in honor of Margarita Day! Thanks for the delicious suggestion. (I could eat the pictures.) Maybe I’ll trade you Max’s moho marinade that’s pretty awesome on chicken, fish or pork, if I do say so myself.
Just love the beautiful garden setting and the table framed by flowers! Can I come for dinner? There can’t be enough Margaritas with both Margarita Fajitas and Citrus Margaritas! So delish.
wow, what a delightful blog! this is a fabulous post, from the choice of cuisine to the gorgeous imagery. colors make me happy! 🙂
What a glorious spread!
Gorgeous summer flavours! Your Margarita Fajitas with chicken looks utterly delicious!
I think you’ve just know how to enjoy the summer….
i think i’m not adding cointreau to the margaritas, it’s a orange overload for me…..hehehe
glorious citrus!
Thank you Marcie! And lets not forget the vitamins in the Margarita 🙂
Have a nice summer!
J+C
Thank you Denise for your nice comment and pinning! We just adore eating outside on warm days. Hope you are enjoying summer and a nice margarita this weekend!
Cheers,
J+C
What a wonderful fiesta! I love the sound of everything here…fresh and flavorful!
Hi, Judith and Corina!!! What gorgeous outdoors…The citrus margaritas look very refreshing — a real summer must-have! I love especially the margarita chicken fajitas. It is so creative and mouthwatering!!! I am pinning them.
Hi Bee, Hope you are having a good week and there is a Margarita waiting for you.
Cheers,
J+C
Thank you so much for your kind words Amelia, We had a difficult time taking photos because we just wanted to eat those fajitas. Hope you are enjoying summer with lots of good food and perhaps a Margarita too!
Cheers,
J+C
And we really enjoyed them Kiersten! Hope you get to try them this summer.
Cheers,
J+C
Hi Judit & Corina, OMG…. it’s like having a luscious meal in a 5 stars resort. EXCELLENT photography and nice set up. Love the beautiful garden, off course your Margaritas look very tempting. Thanks for sharing.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Margarita fajitas?! These are ingenious!
I just love Margaritas! Wow do these look really good and I need one cause it’s Monday.
Hope you have a wonderful summer Nami! It would be so much fun to have you as the hungry guests 🙂
Cheers,
J+C
Thank you so much Anne for your kind words! There is nothing more enjoyable in the summery than fajitas and margaritas in the garden with friends. Hope your summer is filled with lots of delicious garden dinners.
Cheers,
J+C
Gorgeous outdoor patio with the grill! It’s a perfect entertainment setup and all you need is hungry guests like us! 😀 Your margaritas and fajitas look so inviting and delicious!
Wow…such a beautiful setting for a gorgeous meal. Fajitas and margaritas…..life just doesn’t get any better than that! : )
Thank you Rosa, and it would be a lot fun to have a nice meal together!
Cheers,
J+C
Thank you Angie for your kind comment, and we are fortunate to live in a beautiful costal area.
Cheers,
J+C
Gorgeous food and drinks! I wish I could sit at your table to enjoy such a wonderful meal. Your garden is so beautiful!
Cheers,
Rosa
You live in a paradise! Gosh, how I love your garden!
Your margarita fajitas look absolutely delish.
Hi VinoDiva, Yes you can make these Margarita Fajitas on the stove top in a pan and they taste even better with a Margarita. Enjoy!
Cheers,
J+C
Thanks Elise, We did enjoy the warm day in the garden and hope you can enjoy some fun outdoor cooking in the summer too.
Hi Beverly, we are glad you liked the combo and wish you a great summer week!
Cheers,
J+C
Thank you Mr. & Mrs. P for your kind comment. The day was just too lovely to cook indoors. Have a wonderful summer!
Cheers,
J+C
What a nice table setting and everything looks so good! I wish I had a grill right now…but at least I can make it in the oven. The Citrus Margarita looks so refreshing!
Summer fun for sure! I want to join you in the garden for fajitas and margaritas. Looks fun!XO
This looks just so delcious and I have to try the margaritas too. Perfect combination.
Lovely set up!! Adore that tabletop!!! Its just so pretty!!! Thanks for sharing!!!