It’s a flavor explosion in these authentic street like tacos! You won’t be able to pass up one, two, or maybe three of these Gluten Free Chicken Fajita Tacos.
Hey look at that! It’s Tuesday and I’m actually posting a “Taco Tuesday” recipe. Not that any of this was done on purpose. That would imply that I am the least bit organized when it comes to the baking/blogging portion of my life. Not so, not so.
Well, the kiddos are officially school bound. Can you even believe it???! Now I don’t obtain an excuse to be disorganized anymore. I’ve told myself for years that once Emry goes off to kindergarten, I would finally boost my blog into a business. I’ve quickly realized that having Emry home may have just been a convenient excuse for avoiding creating a successful blog.
Don’t get me wrong. My blog is successful. Successful in the fact that I am proud of my recipes, the hard work and time that I have invested in it, and the fact that it has become a regular journal documenting our everyday lives…along with what we eat. Haha. To me, that is success.
However, actually making money and having others view you as “accomplished” is very different than just a personal sense of success. The world’s view of success, now that’s next level.
So what did I do my very first day of freedom, after escorting my kids to the bus stop and waving and kissing goodbyes as they pulled away??? I BLOGGED!!!
Okay, that’s a complete lie. I didn’t even touch the computer yesterday. I’ve been waiting for this day for years, and I didn’t even lift a finger to blog, or take any photographs, or research business strategies, or learn more about my camera, or peruse YouTube to figure out how to make recipe videos. Nope, I did NOTHING of the sorts.
I ran errands.
So then today, as soon as I returned home from the bus stop this morning, you know what I finally did??? I BLOGGED!!!
Okay, that’s also a complete lie. Instead, I took out the trash, I swept, I mopped, I vacuumed, I filled out back to school forms, I cut up a cantaloupe for after school snacking, I talked to a friend on the phone, and I cleaned bathrooms.
And then it hit me: I’m scared. For almost two full days I’ve avoided doing anything blog related because I’m afraid of failure. What if I give it my all and it just isn’t good enough? I don’t want to be a failure.
So now here I am…sitting at the computer, blogging away, being all emotional about my mid-life crisis. But at least I’m doing it. And I know that it will take endless hours, hard work, simple and substantial sacrifices, but I’m finally committing that today is the day that my journey begins. Wish me luck!
With that all on the table, what should I post for my very first recipe marking this sudden change in my life? How about tacos? Yep, a taco recipe sounds good to me. And this is where I try to tie in tacos with my insecurities about my life and the future. Here is goes:
Tacos are made up of so many different flavors. No one taco is just like the other. Every taco has it’s own unique style whether that be in the types of toppings, the choice of tortilla, the selection of protein, etc. You can make tacos for days and days and never duplicate your own recipe. Some people may love your flavor combos, others may hate them.
Some days your tacos are thrown together with any and all the leftover ingredients you can find in the fridge and other days you plan to a tee what tacos you will create.
Some days your tacos are full of fire and flare with all the array of spices, and some days all you want is a tortilla filled with simple ingredients. Some days you let others aid in your taco making by embracing pre-made salsas and seasonings, yet other days you take pride in creating something from scratch, start to finish.
You get where I’m going here??? Tacos are the perfect analogy for my life from here on out, and you know what??? Bring it on! I’m ready for a little sizzle and a lot of adventure. And if you’re ready for a little sizzle in your life, too, you can start with these Gluten Free Chicken Fajita Tacos. They are a simple way to add some spice to your day.
It’s been years since I’ve bought taco seasoning. Not necessarily because I think it’s bad, but more so because I feel it limits creativity. Who wants their tacos to taste the same all the time??? I love mixing and pairing different spices to create new flavor blends. It keeps mealtime interesting…in a good way…most of the time.
Since we recently moved, I haven’t quite stocked up on all my staple seasonings. So when I wanted to make tacos the other night, I was forced to be creative. After eyeing a big bottle of Tajin seasoning in the pantry, I thought it was about time I experimented cooking with it instead of just sprinkling it on pineapples and mangoes.
I loved the spicy tang that this seasoning added to the chicken. Pairing the chicken with vegetables sauteed in lime juice was the perfect choice. My girls gobbled up the veggies, no questions asked. And no complaints for that matter.
A quick tip I have for fajitas is to cook the chicken breasts whole (or if they are large, cut them in half) and then slice them into strips for the fajitas. This ensures that the chicken stays extra moist and it’s more likely to create an outer crust on the chicken as it’s cooking in the pan. Just make sure your chicken rests for 5 minutes before cutting so that all those yummy juices don’t run out. That would be sad.
Also, feel free to add whichever veggies you and your family prefers. I always just use whatever we have on hand. The night I cooked these tacos we just so happened to have onions, bell peppers, and corn, so that’s what accompanied our meal. You can also use mushrooms, any type of pepper, any type of potatoes (need longer to cook), or spinach to name a few.
And as far as toppings??? The world is your oyster! Go simple or get all crazy. I’m always a fan of sliced avocados and we threw on some of this stellar Cucumber Mango Salsa from a few posts back. This salsa will change your life. Mmmm! Not really though. That’s a real cliche saying. I mean, it’s DA BOMB, but it probably won’t change your life. You’ll need more than a yummy salsa to do that. Just saying.
So there you have it. A little meltdown followed by a classic recipe. Who could ask for more??? On a side note: I hope all of your kiddos are having a fabulous school year thus far, and good luck to those kiddos who have yet to start. Let’s make this year a great one!
What are your goals for the year and are you scared of accomplishing them?
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb. chicken breasts (4 small or two large cut in half)
- ¾ teaspoon Tajin seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 small onion, cut into ¼" thick strips
- 1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into ¼" thick strips
- 1 ear of corn, shucked and kernals cut off
- 1½ teaspoons lime juice (about ½ a lime)
- 8 corn tortillas
- toppings such as: avocado slices, salsa, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, sour cream, lime wedges, lettuce, etc.
- In a small bowl, combine Tajin seasoning, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground mustard. Mix to combine and set aside.
- Prepare chicken by trimming fat and cutting chicken breasts in half if they are larger. Each breast should be about 4 oz. for optimal stove top cooking. Set aside.
- Prepare veggies by slicing onion and bell peppers and cutting corn, keeping corn separate. Set aside.
- In a large skillet or cast iron pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. While oil is heating, generously season both sides of the chicken with about ⅔ of the seasoning mix. Toss onion and bell pepper in remaining seasoning.
- Once pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles, place chicken breasts in pan. Reduce heat just below medium. Add onion and bell pepper to pot surrounding the chicken breasts. Cook chicken for 8 minutes on one side, turn over, and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove chicken from pan and transfer to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.
- Add lime juice and corn to the pan and cook veggies until all liquid has reduced. Remove from heat and keep warm in pan. Slice the chicken against the grain into strips and arrange on a plate. Add warm veggies to the plate for serving.
- While chicken was cooking, prepare toppings for tacos. Warm tortillas on a skillet just before serving.
- Serve tacos with desired toppings and extra lime wedges.
Oh Miss Breezy! First of all, I’m looking forward to trying this recipe – it looks delish!
As a blogger that’s gone from 3 years of blogging as more of a”hobby/ministry” to “got to pay the bills and build this as a business” in just the last year, I totally understand where you’re coming from.
Yes, you can do this! Feel free to reach out to me if you need some help or just an ear to bend. 🙂 I know a great Pinterest course if you’re looking to boost your reach that way.
Thanks for the motivation Cyndee! It’s great as a hobby, but there is definitely some validation in getting compensated for something you feel you’re good at. Time to work! =)