Sm Chicken Fajitas

These aren’t traditional fajitas served sizzling on an iron skillet. They’re pressed fajita pockets made in a sandwich maker, with the filling sealed inside two crisped tortillas so they eat like hand pies.

The marinade is where the flavor lives. Soy sauce, orange juice, ginger, and garlic is a Latin-Asian fusion rather than classic Tex-Mex, but the long overnight rest pulls all that into every strip of chicken breast so the finished fajita tastes bright and layered.

Cutting the chicken into thin ¼ inch strips is critical. Thicker pieces stay raw inside the pressed tortilla pocket while the outside browns, and thin strips also pick up more marinade surface area.

Trim the tortillas to square before pressing. Round tortillas don’t seal the pocket corners, and the filling leaks out during pressing. Five or six inch squares fit most sandwich makers cleanly.

Oiling the outside of each tortilla is what gives these their golden, shatteringly crisp shell. Skip it and you get a pale, steamed tortilla that tastes rubbery.

Serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream for dipping, like any good fajita.

Kitchen Tips

• Drain the marinated chicken thoroughly before stir-frying. Wet chicken steams instead of browns and kills the char you want.
• Use flour tortillas, not corn. Corn tortillas crack and split under pressing.
• Trim the tortillas fresh, not ahead. Cut squares dry out and lose pliability within 30 minutes.
• Don’t overfill. Two or three tablespoons of filling per pocket is the right amount; more guarantees leakage.

Variations

• Swap chicken for strips of flank steak, shrimp, or tofu for vegetarian pockets.
• Add a tablespoon of chipotle in adobo to the marinade for smoky heat.
• Press a slice of pepper jack or Monterey Jack into each pocket with the filling for melty cheesy pockets.