Linda's Easy Fajita Recipe

Last night I found another great way to use Chef Tim Creehan's Grill Plus in one of my "gotta get dinner on the table quick" fall-back recipes. In our family & work dynamic, as an artist, Michael focuses most of his time on the creative process. Every painting is a challenge he puts onto himself. He pushes himself creatively, starting with a vision and finding a way to push past the obstacles and make the painting come to life. And the results are stunning, like his latest piece "Blast By The Past." That leaves mundane tasks like chauffeuring our kids to and from all their activities, as well as preparing all our meals, to me.

"Blast By The Past" - Camaro SS 396 car art painting by Michael Irvine.

So, when I come up with, or come across, a meal that works nutritionally, fits the budget, meets our tight schedule and is loved by the family, it becomes a staple in our diets! I've been making fajitas for years — not authentic, by any means, but a family favorite none-the-less.

Last night, I thought I'd try using Grill Plus ... but I wanted to maintain the flavors our family has become accustom to — I don't know about you, but teenagers can be finicky — which meant still using the Bull's Eye Barbecue Sauce that gives the meal a pretty distinctive flavor. It was a raving success. So good, in fact, I thought I'd share my recipe with you.

Easy Fajitas

• 3-4 chicken breast
• 10" tortilla shells (your choice)
• 1 large red pepper
• 1 medium Vivaldi onion
• 1/4 cup Bull's Eye Barbecue Sauce (or your favorite)
• 1/8 cup Grill Plus (approx)
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro
• Condiments: grated cheddar cheese, guacamole,
  sour cream, taco sauce, salsa, hot sauce

Heat bbq to medium high. Brush one side of each breast with Grill Plus. I squirt a dollop on one breast then, using a silicone brush, brush over all 4. Place chicken on grill, Grill Plus side down. Close the lid. Mix barbecue sauce with approx. 2 tbsp of Grill Plus, brush other side of the chicken (while it's on the grill). Turn chicken, set bbq to medium, close lid. Cook for about 10 minutes (check to make sure it doesn't burn. It can be slightly underdone (pink in the middle). Because you've added Grill Plus, it WILL NOT stick ... awesome!

Remove chicken from grill. Set aside. Cut pepper and onion into strips. Heat a large skillet (I use an electric wok) on high. One at the time, heat the tortilla shells, turning when steam bubble appear. Do not over cook, you want them soft NOT crunchy. Once done, set aside on a covered plate.

Add peppers and onions to skillet, cut bbq'd chicken into strips. I stand the breast on it's side and halve it lengthwise, then cut into strips. Add chicken to the skillet. Sprinkle with ground pepper, chili powder and fresh cilantro. Toss mixture. Cook until chicken is all the way done through. I like the veggies to still have a bit of a crispness to them. That's it, your part is done.

Leave mixture in the skillet. Let everyone "fix their own" fajita. So easy and so good!  — ¡Buen apetito!, Linda