This idea may be one of my most creative recipes yet.  These Inside Out Chicken Fajitas were awesome.  We were having friends over where the wife is an amazing cook.  I had to do something interesting and tasty.  They are Israeli so I had thought about Chicken Shawarma which I love and love to make.  I thought of falafel too.  But decided there is no way I could make it as well as the memory she would have of her mom making these recipes. 

Inside Out Chicken Fajitas

So I wanted to come up with something spicy.  They definitely like spicy food.  You all know I love my Mexican food and have a cabinet full of Mexican ground chili spices.  I need to go rogue with my fajitas and throw on a number of spices.  Normally, I find them a little bland.  Whenever I am out at a restaurant, I like but do not love chicken fajitas.  I never order them.  I like there texture but how can I kick up the flavors.  So what can i create to make these interesting visually and taste wise?

How about I put all the fillings inside the chicken?  This was such a good idea.  This idea of Inside Out Chicken Fajitas enabled me to spice up the onions and peppers with great spices and fill the stuffed chicken with plenty of cheese.  The other thing it also allowed me to do was spice the exterior of the chicken roulade with my current favorite Mexican coffee rub.  The chicken was cooked in the oven to ensure it was cooked all the way through. But I finished it in the cast iron skillet with some stock which created a broth, a sauce to top the chicken with upon serving.

The vegetable cast of characters followed by sautéeing and spicing.

Creating the stuffing layers of the chicken from pounding the chicken, adding the vegetables and the cheese.

The chicken tied up and placed in the skillet.

The Inside Out Chicken Fajitas plated.

The Recipe

Inside Out Chicken Fajitas

Print Pin

Turning a the chicken fajita inside out with this recipe.

Prep15 minutes mins

Cook20 minutes mins

Total35 minutes mins

Servings6

Scale

1x2x3x

Ingredients 

• ▢ 3 chicken breasts, cut horizontally
• ▢ 12 slices pepperjack cheese
• ▢ 6 slices smoked gouda
• ▢ 3 green bell peppers, sliced
• ▢ 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• ▢ 1 yellow onion, sliced
• ▢ 1 Spanish onion, sliced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon canola oil
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Adobo seasoning
• ▢ 2 tablespoons salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons New Mexico ground chili powder
• ▢ 1 – 2 tablespoons Sunny Oaxaca, ancho coffee rub
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 1 cup chicken stock

Instructions 

• Heat a skillet on medium heat and add the oil.
• Add in the peppers and onions and half the spices and saute until soft – approximately 5 minutes.
• Slice the chicken horizontally and pound it to about 1/4″ of thickness.
• Spice both sides with the Adobo seasoning, salt and chili powder.
• Begin adding the stuffing with the first slices of pepperjack and the smoked gouda.
• Next, top with the sauteed vegetables.
• Finish with the last of the pepperjack cheese.
• Either tie or using toothpicks close the chicken breasts sealing in the cheese and vegetables.
• Add the Sunny Oaxaca all over the stuff chicken breasts.
• Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a cast iron skillet and heat on medium high heat.
• Add in the stuffed chicken breasts and sear on both sides.
• Add in the chicken stock and place in a 325 degree oven for 12 – 15 minutes.
• Let rest for a couple minutes before serving.
• Cut the string off and remove any toothpicks.
• Serve and enjoy!