Grilled Chicken Fajitas

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: We wanted to create a simple fajita recipe with the perfect combination of smoky grilled vegetables and tender chicken. To boost the flavor of the chicken, we made a brightly flavored marinade and added a surprising ingredient—Worcestershire sauce—which lent a subtle but complex savory note. To prepare the vegetables for grilling, we quartered the bell peppers so they’d lie flat on the grill, and cut the onion into thick rounds that would hold together during cooking. A two-level fire enabled us to grill the chicken and vegetables at the same time, the latter on the cooler part so they wouldn’t burn. We reserved some of the marinade to toss with everything at the end for a bright burst of flavor. You can use red, yellow, orange, or green bell peppers in this recipe. Serve with your favorite fajita toppings, including guacamole, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, lime wedges, and Spicy pickled radishes.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ⅓ cup lime juice (3 limes)
• 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 1½ tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1½ teaspoons packed brown sugar
• Salt and pepper
• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded to ½-inch thickness
• 2 large bell peppers, quartered, stemmed, and seeded
• 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick rounds (do not separate rings)
• 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Whisk ¼ cup oil, lime juice, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, Worcestershire, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¾ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Measure out and reserve ¼ cup marinade separately for serving. Whisk 1 teaspoon salt into remaining marinade and transfer to 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Add chicken to bag and toss to coat. Press out as much air as possible, seal bag, and refrigerate for 15 minutes, flipping bag occasionally.
2. Brush bell peppers and onion with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Remove chicken from marinade, let excess marinade drip off, and transfer to plate.
3. (A) FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour coals over two-thirds of grill, leaving remaining one-third empty. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
   (B) FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn other burner(s) to medium.
4. Clean and oil cooking grate. Place chicken on hotter side of grill and vegetables on cooler side of grill. Cook (covered if using gas), turning chicken and vegetables as needed, until chicken is well browned and registers 160 degrees and vegetables are tender and slightly charred, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer chicken and vegetables to cutting board and tent with aluminum foil.
5. Working in batches, grill tortillas, turning as needed, until warm and lightly browned, about 40 seconds; transfer to plate and cover with foil.
6. Slice bell peppers into ¼-inch strips, separate onion into rings, and toss together with 2 tablespoons reserved marinade. Slice chicken on bias into ¼- inch-thick slices and toss with remaining 2 tablespoons marinade in separate bowl. Transfer chicken and vegetables to platter and serve with warmed tortillas.