Sizzling Fajita Cooking Sauce - Dinner in 20 Minutes!

I occasionally get to shop at a warehouse-like store that sells expired and overstocked items, some at ridiculously high discounts.  I only get to go occasionally because it's an hour's drive away.  Going there is fun because you never know what they'll have, and you have to scour their packed shelves for the best deals--it's like a treasure hunt (kinda intoxicating for a bargain hunter like me).  On my last trip I ran across a product by Kraft called "Sizzling Salads" which provides an easy way to make those yummy entrée salads (grilled chicken on a bed of salad greens in flavor themes such as Asian or Tex-Mex -- they are one of the fastest growing categories on restaurant menus).  Sizzling Salads is a kit consisting of one 6 ounce bottle of "cooking sauce" for the grilled chicken, and another 6 ounce bottle of dressing for the salad.  There are different 4 flavor combinations (Asian, Greek, Caesar, and Southwest).  

I normally would have walked right by and not given these a second thought (processed foods tend to be too high in fat, sodium, artificial colors, and preservatives), but I'm a sucker for a good deal and these things were on clearance for 25 cents each!  They are normally $3.89.  I couldn't resist trying them out just for the experience--worst case I'd end up throwing it away and be out a quarter.  Kraft boasts that with this kit you can have a nice hot dinner on the table in 20 minutes.  That turned out to be true, and the resulting fajita-flavored chicken on the barbecue-ranch salad was yummy.  Naturally my mind was working on how to make it myself.  After all, I won't be able to get that deal in the future and, in any case, DIY is healthier and cheaper than buying the processed food.  I started with their ingredient list and reverse-engineered their recipe and called mine "Sizzling Fajita Cooking Sauce".  It turned out to be a good match except without all the artificial stuff.  My recipe makes 12 ounces of sauce which I'm keeping in the fridge.  It's delicious and it's ready for me to use whenever we have a crazy day and need to put on a speedy dinner.

In addition to using it for an entrée salad my goal was to have have a sauce that would enable anyone to put delicious sizzling hot restaurant-style fajitas on the table in 20 minutes.  I got to test that goal last night when I found out that my daughter needed to leave in 30 minutes and I hadn't yet started dinner.  I raced to the kitchen and we ate delicious fajitas 20 minutes later...they were scrumptious!

Here is how to make Sizzling Fajita Cooking Sauce:

• 1/2 cup Vinegar
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1/8 cup Brown Sugar (can substitute with Agave if preferred)
• 2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Lime Juice
• 1 Tbsp Onion Powder
• 1 Tbsp Cilantro - chopped
• 1 Tbsp Corn Starch
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika (SO much better than regular paprika - if you haven't discovered this spice yet go out and buy some!)
• 1 tsp Annatto Oil (optional - this is a natural yellow color)
• 1/2 tsp Chili Powder

Put all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.  Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.  

Use the sauce to make Sizzling Fajitas in 20 minutes:

• 8 ounces Boneless Chicken Breast (4 ounces per person) - Sliced in thin strips
• 1 Sweet Pepper - sliced
• 1 Small Onion - sliced
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 ounces of Sizzling Fajita Cooking Sauce (see recipe above)

While you're slicing everything up heat a skillet, then add the chicken, peppers, onion, and oil.  Sauté on medium-high until thoroughly cooked.  Add the Sizzling Fajita Cooking Sauce, stir, and simmer until the sauce is thick and brown.  Serve with tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, and kefir cheese (or sour cream if you must).  We had ours with a kefir smoothie too and the meal was perfect.

Make up some of this great sauce today (it's fast and easy) and then enjoy quick, delicious dinners whenever you want!