This recipe will both teach and illustrate the steps for making delicious fajitas, not from a package, but from scratch! This is an easy recipe for both beginning cooks, and for those adults that just want something to spice up your lunches and dinners. It will take about an hour, to make this dish, including 30 minutes of marinating time. These are delicious fajitas that are sure to impress any date, friend, family member, and yourself!

Step 1: Gather Ingredients and Supplies

First, gather the materials and ingredients needed for the dish.

The needed ingredients are the following:

• 1 ½ pounds of meat- this can be either steak or chicken depending on your preference
• 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh orange juice- typically one large orange
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice- typically two limes
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
• ¾ teaspoon cumin
• ¾ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• ½ teaspoon dried cilantro leaves
• ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 1 medium green, red, or orange bell pepper- this also is by preference.
• 1 medium onion
• Flour tortillas
• Topping ingredients, which are optional depending on desires
o Cheese
o Sour cream
o Lettuce
o Tomatoes
o Guacamole

The needed supplies are the following:

• Knives
o One to cut the meat and one for the vegetables
• Cutting Board
• Large Frying Pan
• Large Bowl
• Hand Juicer (Optional)
• Spoon to Mix Marinade
• Spoon or Spatula to mix and stir meat and vegetables
• Measuring Cups
• Small Container to Keep Marinade

Step 2: Juice Orange and Lime

squeeze 1/4 cup of juice from both the orange and the lime. To do this, first roll them on the counter, a cutting board, or other hard surface. This is to get the juices to the middle of the fruit. Cut the orange and the lime in half, long ways. If there is a hand juicer available then press down and twist the fruit in the middle of spike. Watch the juices flow into the cup until you have the needed amount.

If you do not have a hand juicer then after cutting the fruit remove all seeds from the fruit, then place the open side down over the bowl. Squeeze the fruit with your hand as the fruit comes out. This may take more time and more fruit then a juicer but that is alright, you are still getting the needed juice!

**Tip: Remember to wash hands and supplies throughly before starting to cook, in order to avoid illness.

Step 3: Cut the Meat

Cut the beef, or chicken into small strips. If you are using chicken breast you will need to flatten it until it is 1/2 inch think.

If using chicken, be sure to wash chicken off with water before use. Also, clean any utensils that come in contact with chicken or beef.

**Warning: When handling a knife be careful, they are sharp and can cut you. Children should not use knives unless under adult supervision.

**Tip: You may use a mixture of both beef and chicken for added flavor and variety!

Step 4: Make Marinade

Combine the following ingredients into the large bowl. This will be both the marinade for the meat and the mixture that the vegetables will be cooked in.

1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
All spices, including the salt and pepper.

Mix these ingredients well and place 1/4 of the mixture into a small container for the vegetables.

Step 5: Marinade the Meat

Place the chicken, beef or mixture of both into the large bowl with the marinade. Stir the meat until all the meat has marinade covering it. Then place the bowl in the refrigerator to marinade. It is recommended that the meat is marinated for 30 minutes, but it can be marinated longer.

**Tip: In general the longer meat is marinaded the better. Try placing the marinating meat in the refrigerator in the morning before work or school and leaving it there until you are ready to cook it at dinner time.

Step 6: Cook the Meat

Place a large skillet on the stove. Turn the temperature to medium-high, or 7 or 8 depending on your stove. Let the pan warm up, and then add the meat to the pan. You will want to cook the meat until it it no longer pink when you cut it in half. It will take beef roughly 20 minutes and for chicken it will take around 15 minutes.

The meat is finished cooking once there is no pink in the middle when cut open. This is true for both beef and chicken.

**Note: You do not need to spray the pan down with cooking sprays or add oil. The marinade will keep the meat from sticking to the pan due to the olive oil.

**Warning: Consumption of undercooked meat or poultry can lead to severe illness. Make sure it is cooked thoroughly to prevent such illnesses.

Step 7: Cook the Vegetables

After the meat is cooked throughly then add the strips of peppers, onions, and other desired vegetables, as well as the rest of the marinade mixture. Stir these with the meat until they are mixed well. Cover the pan and let cook until all vegetables are cooked to your desired tenderness. For vegetables that are only slightly crunchy it will take roughly 6-8 minutes.

**Tip: When you have the skillet covered leave a small opening to allow some of the steam to escape.

Step 8: Create and Enjoy Your Fajita!

Once the meat and vegetables are cooked it is time to put all the ingredients together! Place the meat and vegetables and any other desired toppings on your tortilla.

When you have the desired toppings on your fajita, sit down and enjoy them with your friends and family!

**Tip: If you would like your tortilla to be warm then warm it up in the microwave for between 10-20 seconds depending on the wattage of your microwave.