New Recipe

I tried a new Rachael Ray recipe last night and it was good. Normally her recipes frustrate me, but this one was easy and everyone loved it! She made it on her daytime show last week. I immediately printed it out!

Fajita Chilaquiles Casserole

8 flour tortillas, cut into thin strips
Cooking spray
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground oregano
Salt and ground black pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sirloin steak or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 Tbsp. oil, divided
1 bottle beer
2 red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 red onions, thinly sliced
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
2 limes, zest of 1 and juice of 2 divided
1/4 cup chopped cilnatro or flat-leaf parsley
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Sour cream and salsa to garnish

Preheat oven to 400.

On a baking sheet, toss tortilla strips with some cooking spray and bake in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Toss halfway through the cooking time so they get brown on all sides.

In a small bowl, combine the onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss your meat of choice with the spice mixture and set aside.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan or oil, about 2 Tbsp. Add the meat to the pan and sear until golden brown and cooked through, 5-8 minutes. Add the bottle of beer to the pan and cook to reduce, 3-4 minutes.

While the meat is cooking, place a second large skillet over high heat with 2 Tbsp oil. Add the peppers, onions and garlic to the pan, and cook until brown around the edges and tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the zest and juice of 1 lime, chopped herbs, salt and pepper to the pan, toss to combine and set aside.

When everything is ready, toss the meat, pepper and onions, and toasted tortilla strips together into a casserole dish. Top with the cheese and melt under the broiler. Garnish with juice of remaining lime, sour cream and salsa.

I didn't use the beer. We have learned that has too much sodium for Brian. I used chicken broth instead. I also didn't use the cilantro or pepper jack cheese. I used cheddar instead, it's what we like. I didn't want it to be too spicy and the kids not eat it. When I tossed the chicken with the spice mixture, I put it in a large ziploc bag and that seemed to work really well. I also only used 1 green bell pepper and half a red onion. It was easier than it looks to put together. And we all loved it!