Hi friends! How is your weekend going? I don’t usually post on Sunday but it’s a Recipe Redux day! Here is the theme:
Two for One
We’re all about cooking once and eating twice. In short, double dinners are better. Show us how you take a favorite recipe already on your blog – and ReDux the leftovers into a new dish. Or, whip up a new healthy recipe and give suggestions on how to make it a second meal. For example, slow cooker pot roast could become shredded beef tacos; or grilled chicken breasts might morph into chicken salad.
When I really like a meal I could eat it for days in a row without problem. But not everybody is like that.
One of my favorite meals EVER is chicken fajitas. Growing up in Texas, we ate a lot of Mexican food and I actually used to buy pre-marinated meat from the store. Oh the shame! That was a long time ago and now I make my own marinade which is always going to be the healthier choice.
I like to make a double batch so that we have plenty to enjoy as leftovers and let me tell you…chicken fajitas make awesome leftovers.
But after two nights of tacos you might want to change it up and that is where this fajita bowl fits in. I take the leftover fajita meat, peppers and onions and chop it up into a smaller bite size piece. Cook some fresh rice and hopefully you’ll have some leftover beans from your original chicken fajita dinner.
Sometimes all you need to do to make your food more appetizing the next day is turn it into a different meal. So you’re utilizing those leftovers but making it feel new.
You just layer the rice, the black beans, the diced chicken and peppers. Then load on those toppings….guacamole, lettuce, sour cream, cheese and salsa. Pretend you’re at Chipotle!
You could even turn it into a third meal by making a chicken fajita salad…using all the same ingredients but layering on top of a bed of lettuce (romaine, spinach, baby greens). Then use lime juice and salsa as your dressing! I love doing that too.
You could also do the same thing with my shredded pork recipe– that one is done in the crock pot and is perfect for burritos bowls the next day.
This is my kind of food. Enjoy those leftovers!
[Tweet “Two-In-One Meals! Chicken Fajita Bowls via @nutritiouseats #reciperedux #glutenfree”]
- [url href=”http://www.nutritiouseats.com/a-taste-of-tex-mex-chicken-fajitas/” target=”_blank”]Chicken Fajita Recipe with Peppers and Onions[/url]
- 2-3 cups cooked brown rice
- 2 cups cooked black beans
- guacamole
- salsa
- fresh chopped cilantro
- Sour cream, shredded cheese, lettuce (optional)
- For the Beans:
- 1 lb dry black beans, soaked in water the night before, rinsed, damaged ones removed
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Double the recipe for chicken fajitas, with peppers and onions. Make stove tops black beans (recipe to follow). Layer 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup brown rice in a bowl. Top with 1/2 cup black beans, a scoop of reheated fajita chicken with peppers and onions. Top with salsa, guacamole, chopped cilantro, sour cream, cheese, lettuce (all optional).
- Fill a large pot with water about 1 to 1 1/2 inches above the beans. Turn the beans on high and bring to boil. Add chopped onion, reduce heat to low and simmer with the lid half on until tender (about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, give or take). 30 minutes before they are done (set the timer) add the seasoning: coriander, garlic and onion powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
I can’t wait to see what everyone else did with their leftovers!
Roasted Tomato Salsa
Easy Vegetable Soup
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet
Baked Chicken Tacos
This looks delicious! I love fajitas and haven’t had them in ages. Might have to do this instead of taco night this week!
You should! Thanks Christine!
HA! I was literally JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW I WANT SOME CHICKEN FAJITAS!
Well it’s a sign! Make them!
OH
this really is such a fantastic idea as I always skip right to the salad 🙂
Ha, the salad is usually on night 3 for us. I do love all versions though.
This looks insanely good (per usual for you!). And no fajita is complete without guac. Yum!
Aww, thanks friend!
these look perfect! i always forget to add sauteed peppers and onions to my burrito bowls – usually just go with raw but this would be a nice way to change it up!
Thanks Lindsay! The sautéed pepper and onions are great leftovers too!
Yum! I love chicken fajitas, and I also love repurposing one meal into another. I’ll definitely pinning this for later. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Abby, I appreciate it!
I’d eat this….everyday…for real!
Me too! Thanks Rebecca!
this is dish that my husband would KILL for. Ahh you make it so easy for me, yay! THanks!
Any time friend!
This looks fantastic! A perfect weeknight meal!