Chicken Fajitas with Walnut and Cilantro Pesto

We have been enjoying leftovers the past few days so I’m sorry I have not posted in a few days. Today we are going to enjoy a tried and true health favorite--boneless, skinless chicken breast. Chicken is so versatile and it’s great to keep a few frozen chicken breasts in the freezer (for no more than 4 weeks of course!). If you can try and always get free range chicken without the hormones--organic chicken is best but these can be hard to come by and sometimes get pricey. I personally love chicken because there are so many options--chicken is a like a blank canvas and you can make it into just about any type of dish you are craving.
Tonight, we’ll Tex-Mex with fajitas. I am using an indoor grill so I can also grill the veggies at the same place as the chicken. If using an outdoor grill, you can fry the veggies in a bit of olive oil inside or pack them in a foil packet with a touch of olive oil and place over grill. The pesto recipe that follows is not essential for the dish but it really gives the fajitas an extra pop!

Chicken Fajitas

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
2-3 bell peppers (red, yellow and green, pref.), sliced in ribbons
1 onion (Videlia is sweeter for kids), sliced in ribbons
1 zucchini, sliced in ribbons
3 large carrots, sliced in ribbons
3 large Portabella mushrooms, sliced lengthwise
6 whole wheat tortillas
Walnut and Cilantro Pesto (recipe follows)

Heat grill. Rub spices and salt and pepper into chicken breast; if breast is organic/free range, rub a bit of olive oil in the breast as well (this types of chicken tends to be a bit more tougher because the muscles are more developed).
Place on hot grill until cooked through--juices will run clear; this is approximately five minutes per side but may vary based on how thick the meat is. You can use a meat thermometer; it will register at 165 degrees.
Place meat on plate and cover with aluminum foil to rest.
Grill veggies until you get nice char marks and everything is ‘soft’.
Slice the chicken in thin diagonal strips.
Heat the tortillas.
Slather pesto on tortilla and fill with desired amount of toppings.


Walnut and Cilantro Pesto

1/2 c packed cilantro
1/2 c basil leaves
1/2 walnuts (lightly toasted in oven at 350 for 5 minutes)
1/2 c Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 clove of garlic (minced)
1 tsp Thai chili paste
drizzle of honey
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Combine all ingredients in food processor until smooth. If not smooth enough, add more olive oil. Taste and adjust spices based on your preference. Store in airtight container.