One-Pan Fajita Lettuce Wraps
on the menu (vol. 1)
The chives I planted last year have blossomed into huge bushes, so I’ve been using big handfuls at every opportunity. Then the aphids came.
SO, I went to the farmer’s market at Union Square—my favorite place in New York—to get marigolds, rosemary, and sage, which Instagram told me will naturally rid my chives of pests. I left with two flats of plants, including dozens of herbs, sungolds, and rose tomatoes. If all goes according to plan, you’ll see my homegrown bounty on the menu in a few months. Cross your fingers with me!
The warmer weather this week has me craving light meals packed with flavor that require minimal dishes. And that’s what I’m sharing with you! You can make these all on one night for a bigger group dinner, or whip one up on a weeknight when you just want to be outside (or, ahem, are busy planting your garden).
I hope you love these as much as I do! What recipes do you want to see on the menu next?
Here’s what’s on the menu this week! You can download a shopping list and recipe PDFs below.
One-Pan Fajita Lettuce Wraps
Avocado Salad
Baby Butter Salad with Crunchy Tortilla Strips
One-Pan Fajita Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. chicken breasts (about 4)
Juice of 1 lemon cheek (about 1 teaspoon)
1 packet taco seasoning (I like Garden of Eatin')
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
⅓ cup white rice
Baby butter lettuce, to serve
Sour cream (optional)
Chives
Directions
Heat the oil in a large, high-walled pan over medium heat and add the onions and bell pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, until aromatic.
While the veggies cook, finely chop the chicken so it’s almost the texture of ground chicken (you can also just use ground chicken if you prefer).
Squeeze the lemon cheek over the chicken and add the chicken to the pan. Stir in the taco seasoning.
Pour the broth into the pan, add the rice, and raise the heat to medium-high. Give everything a stir so it's well combined.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and cover. Cook for 20-30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the rice is fully cooked. Keep warm until you’re ready to serve.
Spoon the fajitas combo into baby butter leaves (or tortillas) and garnish with sour cream and chives to serve.
If you’re making the salad below, you’ll have tortillas in the house and can easily turn these into traditional fajitas. Serve with the avocado salad and lettuce, and sauté some extra red bell pepper and onion if you want.
I like the size of baby butter for serving, but little gem has the right shape if you want a smaller bite.
You can use avocado or another neutral oil in place of olive oil if you’re out.
Lemon juice can be swapped for lime juice. The acid helps tenderize the chicken.
Use brown rice instead of white for extra fiber.
Psst…this recipe also works with ground beef. That recipe can be found on page 160 of my book!
Avocado Salad
Ingredients
2 ripe avocados
1 mini cucumber
½ small red onion
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup finely chopped chives
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Directions
Halve and pit the avocado, then finely chop and add to a bowl.
Finely chop the cucumber and red onion and add to the bowl.
Stir in the lemon juice, chives, olive oil, salt, pepper, and white vinegar. Don’t over-mix and mush the avocado.
Serve on top of the Crunchy Tortilla Strip Salad or with the One-Pan Fajitas, add to a bowl, or eat with chips.
If you don’t have/like/find chives, you can swap any fresh herb you love. This would be great with cilantro and parsley, too.
As always, lime would be great here in place of lemon.
Baby Butter Salad with Crunchy Tortilla Strips
Ingredients
2 large eggs per person
2 8" flour tortillas, cut into small rectangles
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 5 oz. package baby butter lettuce (if you’re using baby butter to serve the Fajita Wraps, you can use less!)
1 radish, thinly sliced, then cut into matchsticks
2 mini cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
For the dressing
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon fresh, chopped dill
Directions
Boil a large pot of water over high heat. Once it comes to a rolling boil, add the eggs. While the eggs cook, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice.
Cook the eggs for 6-7 minutes (if you want runnier yolks, take them out earlier), then immediately transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking.
Cut the tortillas into thin, inch-long strips and heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the tortilla pieces and stir to get everything coated in oil. Season with salt and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tortillas are golden brown. When the tortilla strips are almost finished, add the garlic powder, give it a toss, and transfer to a small bowl to cool.
Add the baby butter, radishes, cucumber, and red onion to a large bowl.
To make the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, vinegar, garlic cloves, and dill. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to get everything evenly coated.
Carefully peel the eggs and slice them in half.
To serve, plate the salad and top with jammy eggs and the crunchy tortilla strips.
Jammy eggs are optional, but make it much more filling (leave them out to make it vegan). If you have any extra avocado salad, that would also be a great topping. The salad itself serves 2, add 1-2 more eggs per person. To make it heartier, add marinated chicken or grilled ribeye.
Little gem lettuce and romaine are great swaps for baby butter.
The tortilla strips for the salad are super easy to make; you could also use sourdough if you prefer regular croutons. To make it gluten-free, use corn tortillas instead of flour (just make sure they’re certified GF).
If you decide not to make the avocado salad, use a shallot for this recipe instead of a red onion so you don’t end up with a rogue onion half. If you prefer a more subdued onion taste, soak the onion/shallot in cold water for 5 minutes before adding to the salad.
