Dinner Tonight: Quick-Fix Fajitas Recipe

By
Nick Kindelsperger
Nick Kindelsperger is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Nick Kindelsperger
Nick Kindelsperger is a food critic at the Chicago Tribune.  His food writing appears in The Washington Post, Newsweek, Epicurious, Baltimore Sun, Serious Eats, Grub Street, New York Magazine, and Tasting Table, among others.
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Updated October 02, 2018

Though four hours would be considered ideal, I managed to dunk this skirt steak for just 40 minutes in a marinade I found on Recipe Gullet, and it still came away with incredible flavor. The dueling citrus flavors of lime and orange balance nicely with a slight tinge of heat and the earthy spices. A simple squeeze of lime might be considered all that's necessary for fajitas, but sometimes that's just a little too tart. It was nice to have a gorgeous balance that didn't take an eternity.

Everything else about fajitas is quick. Perhaps more important than the marinade is the cooking method. I've been guilty of producing limp, oily vegetables in more than a few fajita dinners. The way to beat that: high heat. Every vegetable has access to a mighty hot pan and is cooked until it just starts to blacken but still has a little crunch.

The best part is, you can forget the rest of toppings. You'll need no salsa, sour cream, or cheese here. Just a pinch of salt and a little lime juice. The flavor is good enough to stand on its own.

Recipe Details

Dinner Tonight: Quick-Fix Fajitas Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 20 mins
Marinating Time 45 mins
Total 70 mins
Serves 3 to 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

  • Zest and juice of 1 orange

  • Zest and juice of 2 limes

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 jalapeño, minced

  • 1/2 bunch cilantro

  • Pinch salt and pepper

  • 1 teaspoon cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

For the Fajitas:

  • 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak

  • 1 onion, sliced thinly

  • 2 bell peppers, assorted colors, thinly sliced

  • 12 tortilla corn tortillas

  • Canola oil spray

  • Salt

  • 2 limes, quartered

Directions

  1. Whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl. Add the steak and toss until coated. Set aside for 40 minutes, or longer if you have the time.

  2. Heat a grill, grill pan, or iron skillet over high heat. Remove the meat from the marinade and wipe off excess liquid. Spray the cooking surface with a little bit of oil. Set in the meat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the steak. It should be medium-rare but have a good sear on it. Remove the steak and let rest for a few minutes.

  3. Spray the pan with a little more oil and then the vegetables. Add them in batches if they can't all fit in one layer. Cook for a minute or two per side, or until they have little blotches of black but are still crisp. Set aside.

  4. Thinly slice the meat across the grain. Toss it into a bowl with the peppers. Serve with warmed corn tortillas, lime wedges, and salt to taste.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
554 Calories
22g Fat
54g Carbs
38g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 554
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 76mg 25%
Sodium 609mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 54g 20%
Dietary Fiber 7g 27%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 123mg 617%
Calcium 126mg 10%
Iron 6mg 32%
Potassium 905mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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