Baja Chicken Fajitas & Frijoles Rancheros

I found this recipe in a supermarket magazine and decided to give it a try.

Not because it calls for some exotic ingredient, or it promises to cook itself while you're vacationing on Bora Bora, but because, and only because the pictures were pretty.

I'm a simple gal.

Please don't judge this dish as I did however. My pictures are amature at best.

At their worst, it looks like my beagle, Maisie, took them.

I'm glad that the pictures were enough to lure me in, because this dish was a hit.

First, I have to show you what I found. I'm sure that these have been around for awhile but because of my simpleness, I had never seen them before.

I wish I would've invented these. Not only are they very effective for keeping the tears from streaming down my face, they are very fashionable too.

Just ask my 4 year old niece, Anna, who kept telling me that I was "so cute". (Remember, she's 4. And she may need glasses. )

Baja Chicken Fajitas

After donning the nifty glasses, thinly slice up one large onion.

In the bottom of the crock pot, lay 12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, adding the onions on top.

Add 1 cup of low-sodium chicken broth.

Zest 3 limes, then add the zest to the top. (Save the limes.)

Place lid on crock pot and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Roast 3 peppers in a cast iron pan by slicing the peppers in half and broiling until the skin blisters.

Some people put olive oil on them first, but it's not necessary. (You can also use the roasted, canned kind, but ewwww...)

When cool to the touch, rinse under cold water and peel the skin off.

Slice thin and set aside.

When chicken is done, remove from crock pot and cool until easy to handle. Shred the meat with a fork. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the onions too.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup tequila, juice of 2 limes, 3 Tb. chopped fresh cilantro, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 t. honey and 1 t. sea salt. (If you don't want to use tequila, use some some of the broth or extra lime juice.)

Add to the chicken and stir.

Combine 1 cup of sour cream, juice from 1 lime and season with a little salt.

Optional condiments: diced avocados, scallions, fresh cilantro

Heat tortillas.

To serve, arrange chicken, sour cream, peppers, avocados, scallions, cilantro on tortilla.

Wrap the tortillas by folding the bottom over and rolling from one end.

Frijoles Rancheros

3 strips of bacon, fried crispy

1 cup chopped onion

1 poblano chili pepper, seeded and diced

1 Tb EVOO (I used the remaining bacon grease)

1 can each pinto beans and black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tb. chili powder

Sea salt and fresh cilantro leaves

Cook bacon in a saute pan until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Saute onion and poblano in oil or grease until onion softens, about 5 minutes.

In a sauce pan, add beans, bacon, broth, onions, garlic, chili powder; cover pan. Reduce heat; simmer beans for 5 minutes.

Uncover; simmer beans until most of the liquid evaporates. Season with salt; top with cilantro.

Then sit back and be prepared to receive the adoration of your family.