There are times during your cleanse when grilled chicken breast again for lunch begins to lose its appeal. You begin to want, more so than ever, a taste of something NOT “clean”. You want to be a rebel and break some rules.
Before you jump off the deep end, take a step back and think about how far you’ve already come. Instead of working against the elimination diet, you can work with what you have. That’s how this recipe came about. The second week into my cleanse, I was trying to figure out how to get more flavors into my food.
I love foods that hit all the flavor profiles: savory, sweet, spicy and even a little tart. These Clean Chicken Fajitas fits the bill. The onions brings the sweetness while the cumin and cilantro brings a hint of spice. Top off with a squeeze of lime and you have yourself a lunch that may have you forgetting that you’re still on a cleanse. Just be sure to skip on the usual bell peppers that’s added here since peppers are a nightshade vegetable and should be avoided because of its inflammatory properties.
Once you realize you can have this tasty cleaner version of Mexican food, you can keep calm and cleanse on!
Clean Chicken Fajitas
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips
1 limes, juiced
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped cilantro, divided
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil
½ medium onion, cut lengthwiseOn the Side
1½ cups cooked quinoa w/ onions & cilantro
extra limes wedges
avocado1. Marinade chicken. Add everything except the 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and onion into a marinade for the chicken. Marinade for at least 20 minutes, up to 8 hours in the fridge.2. Cook chicken. In a large pan, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium high heat. Before the oil begins to smoke, add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken with marinade, and sear for about 2 minutes. Put a lid on it and cook for 5 more minutes on medium heat. Finally, lift lid, and if there’s liquid, cook until the liquid is evaporated and the chicken is cooked through.
3. Serve with other garnishes. Serve with quinoa on the side, if you like onions and cilantro, mix some in with lime juice. Also great with avocado on the side.
