Fajita Chicken for Trim Healthy Mama – THM S

One thing I have always loved is Mexican food. When I first started eating on the Trim Healthy Mama (THM) plan, I was concerned that I’d have to give up Mexican. I quickly realized that Mexican food is just as good without the tortillas and chips as it is with the tortillas and chips.

I truly can say that I haven’t missed eating tortillas. I don’t miss them in my Chicken Enchiladas with White Sauce (give it a try!) and I haven’t missed them eating out. I will admit to occasionally finding myself wishing I could eat a few chips with salsa but truly, the tortillas to me are just another flavorless carb that is unnecessary.

Aside from white sauce enchiladas (I’m not a fan of red sauce) I still love to enjoy the following at restaurants: chicken or steak fajitas, grilled chicken with white queso and onions (often called Pollo Loco in restaurants) and really any protein (steak, chicken or shrimp) grilled with cheese on top. You can order any protein with veggies (bell peppers most often) and queso dip and be able to stay on plan easily. Not only is it easy but it is still so delicious.

It’s empowering to stay on plan at a place where (for me anyway) I used to binge. I could literally pound an entire basket of chips myself! Just try it, make up your mind beforehand that you’re not going to order rice, beans, tortillas or chips. Just avoid them. Trust me, you can’t eat just one chip. Lol.

Most of the time your Mexican meals are going to be THM-S meals. If you’d like to have an E meal you can have a little bit of brown rice with grilled veggies and meat with beans. Just be sure that they haven’t added sugar to the beans. Chips are a no-no.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you won’t miss the carbs. In Mexican cooking, carbs aren’t what bring the flavor to the table. All of the spices, peppers and flavor that you love will still be there for you to enjoy. The same is true with my Fajita Chicken Bowls!

These are so delicious and freeze so easily for a quick grab-n-go lunch! I love everything about this recipe: the flavors, the spice blend, the peppers (and I am not normally a huge fan of red/orange/yellow bell peppers) and the cheesey goodness. It simply does not disappoint.  Here is what you need.

Fajita Chicken for Trim Healthy Mama – THM S

• Author: Mary Bondurant
• Prep Time: 10 Minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 7 Servings
• Category: Trim Healthy Mama

Ingredients

• 7 boneless skinless chicken breast (salt/pepper)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 block cream cheese (softened)
• 3/4 cup of either Mexican blend or Colby jack shredded cheese (you can use a spicier cheese if you’d like)
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 red onion (you can even leave the onion out if you’d like but I’ve increased the ratio or peppers to onions to make it more THM friendly as you’ll end up with less onions per serving this way)

Instructions

1. Mix the spices and sprinkle over the chicken breast. Set aside.
2. Saute the onion and peppers until soft in a stainless steel skillet or nonstick will do. I use coconut oil with a little bit of butter. Keep the heat no higher than medium so the butter doesn’t burn.
3. Take them off the heat once they are soft.
4. Sprinkle the top with some of the shredded cheese and let it get melty.
5. Transfer it to a bowl.
6. Mix the cream cheese with the shredded cheese. Set aside. (If you want to mix the veggies with the cheese at this point you can. It changes the appearance of the dish but does not change the taste.
7. Put the skillet back on the heat and sauté the chicken breasts in the same oil.
8. Cook on both sides until cooked through.
9. If planning to eat for dinner immediately place one spoonful of the cheesy mixture on each piece of chicken, top with the veggies, cover with a lid and turn the heat to low while the cheese melts. You can also stick it under a broiler to melt the cheese fast. Serve immediately with a yummy salad.
10. If you’re planning to freeze, take the chicken out and let it rest.
11. Slice it and layer it in a mini loaf pan with the cheese mixture and veggies.
12. Two layers of cheese and one layer of chicken works best.
13. Let it cool and then freeze.
14. If you don’t have mini loaf pans, you can also just put the sliced chicken and a spoonful of the cheesy pepper mixture into a freezer baggie.
15. Take it out when you’re ready and heat in a microwave safe bowl.
16. Serve with a nice salad and enjoy!