Build-Your-Own Fajita Night
🌿🔥 Different Plates. Same Table.
🍗 Meat: Grilled fajita chicken
🥦 Vegetarian: Crispy fajita cauliflower
🌽 Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free: Warm gf tortillas with chicken and/or cauliflower, sautéed peppers and onions, avocado, and salsa
Some nights dinner needs to be fun. And nothing is more fun than everyone building their own plate exactly how they like it.
Fajita night in our house is one of those meals. The grill is going, the peppers and onions are caramelizing on the stove, the cauliflower is crisping in the air fryer and the guacamole is ready and waiting. Everything comes together at the same time and then it all goes on the table at once.
The secret to making this work for everyone is simple — one fajita seasoning, two proteins. Chicken thighs marinated in fajita seasoning and olive oil, grilled outside until perfectly charred and juicy. A whole head of cauliflower tossed in the exact same fajita seasoning and air fried until golden and crispy. I am not going to lie — that cauliflower is so good I could eat the whole thing myself. And sometimes I do!!
Tortillas warmed directly on the grill with a little olive oil and salt. They get just a little char, just a little crisp and they taste completely incredible.
Then everything goes on the table. Sliced chicken. Cauliflower. Peppers and onions. Fresh guacamole made with just avocado, lime and salt. Salsa. Shredded cheese. Warm tortillas. And everyone builds their own perfect fajita.
INGREDIENTS: SERVES 4
Protein:
8 chicken thighs
1 whole head cauliflower, cut into florets
Chicken Seasoning:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons store-bought fajita seasoning
Cauliflower Seasoning:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon store-bought fajita seasoning
Fajita Vegetables:
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Guacamole:
3 ripe avocados
Juice of 2 limes
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
For Serving:
8 tortillas
1 tablespoon olive oil or olive oil spray (for the tortillas)
Pinch of salt
1 jar of your favorite salsa
Shredded cheese (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Season the chicken
Coat the chicken thighs with olive oil and fajita seasoning - make sure every piece is well covered. Set aside to marinate while you prep everything else. The more time the better but even 15 minutes makes a difference.
Step 2: Start the grill
Next fire up the outdoor grill. You want it nice and hot before the chicken goes on.
Step 3: Grill the chicken:
Grill the chicken over medium-high heat until it reaches 165°F and develops beautiful char marks. Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Step 4: Air fry the cauliflower
Cut the who head of cauliflower into florets and toss with olive oil and the same fajita seasoning until every piece is evenly coated. Air fry at 400°F for 20 minutes shaking halfway through until golden, crispy and slightly charred at the edges.
Step 5: Sauté the peppers and onions:
Heat olive oil for peppers and onions in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and pepper and sauté for 15 minutes stirring occasionally until soft, caramelized and golden. Low and slow is the key here — don't rush it!! Season with a little salt.
Step 6: Make the guacamole
Mash the avocados n a bowl until roughly smooth — a few chunks are perfect. Add the lime juice, salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust — more lime, more salt, make it yours.
Step 7: Warm the tortillas
While the chicken is resting. Brush the tortillas lightly with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and place directly on the grill for about 30 seconds each side until warm, slightly charred and just starting to crisp up. Keep warm in a clean kitchen towel until ready to serve.
Step 8: Build your own fajitas
Sliced chicken on the cutting board, cauliflower in one bowl, peppers and onions in another, guacamole, salsa and cheese on the side. Warm tortillas in the middle. Everyone builds their own perfect fajita exactly how they like it!
This is the kind of dinner that perfectly captures what Thyme & Flame is all about. One meal, shared ingredients, and just enough flexibility for everyone to enjoy dinner their own way.
HELPFUL TIPS:
This recipe serves 3-4 but scales up easily — just multiply everything and the table grows with you!
Corn tortillas are naturally gluten free — perfect for everyone at the table!! Just make sure to check the packet!! I like almond flour tortillas. Also gluten free, so find out if one or both works for your family!
The cauliflower with fajita seasoning in the air fryer is so good you could eat the whole thing yourself — I definitely have!
Make the guacamole first so the flavours have time to develop while everything else cooks!!
Any color pepper works here — red, yellow or orange are sweeter, green is more savory!! And for a little extra heat, I love to add jarred jalapeno peppers on top of mine!
As you can probably tell by now, my outdoor grill is my best friend when it comes to chicken —or most meat! But however you like to cook your chicken works perfectly here. A hot oven, a griddle pan, even a regular skillet — as long as it comes out golden, juicy and delicious that is all that matters.