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Pineapple Skillet Fajitas

This Pineapple Skillet Fajitas marinade is great for steak and chicken. Marinate the meat and vegetables 4-6 hours or overnight.
Weight Watchers Points: 6 Smart Points if using Boneless/Skinless Chicken Thighs and Flank Steak; 5 Smart Points if using Boneless Chicken Breasts and Flank Steak; 3 Smart Points if using all Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts; 7 Smart Points if using all Flank Steak
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating time 4-6 hours 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 266 kcal

Ingredients
  

Marinade:

  • 1 c. pineapple juice fresh or frozen, not canned or bottled, see note at bottom
  • 2/3 c. low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 T. Chipotle seasoning or you can leave it out if you like your food more mild
  • 1/2 c. vegetable oil
  • 1/3 c. water
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 jalapeno- finely chopped
  • 3 limes-squeezed
  • 1/2 c. onions minced

Fajitas:

  • 1 pound flank steak cut into bite-sized pieces-against the grain
  • 1 pound chicken thighs-cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 6 bell peppers-any combination red, yellow, orange and green
  • 2 red onions
  • 1-2 jalapeños
  • 1 lime

Optional:

Instructions
 

  • In a medium size bowl, combine: pineapple juice, soy sauce, Chipotle seasoning, oil, water, garlic, jalapeño, minced onions and the juice of 3 limes (save the last lime for the end of the cooking phase). Mix well. Reserve 1 c. marinade for the vegetables.
  • Add the meat to the marinade bowl or put marinade and meat in a Ziplock bag. Mix well. Refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.
  • Place the vegetables in a bowl or Ziplock bag and add reserved marinade. Refrigerate 4-6 hours.
  • When ready to cook, heat a cast iron skillet (for best results) to high heat. If using a non-stick skillet use medium heat. Add 1 T. oil.
  • Drain marinade from meat and vegetables using a colander. If you don't drain the meat and vegetables, you will have too much liquid and will end up stewing your meat instead of frying it. Feel free to save a bit of the vegetable marinade to add back in if you need a bit more moisture.
  • When skillet is hot, add vegetables and cook until almost done. If you do a lot of vegetables, you may need to cook it in several batches. I like mine a bit charred from the cast iron skillet. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Add meat to skillet and cook until done, 165° for chicken and at least 145° for beef. You may need to add a bit of the marinade or oil if the pan seems too dry.
  • When meat is done, add vegetables back into pan, juice of 1 lime and cook for another minute or until vegetables are heated. At this point if you want a bit more "sauce," add more of the vegetable marinade.
  • Serve in hollowed out pineapple shells or with tortillas, topped with Pineapple Salsa and Jalapeño Cream.
  • Freeze the left-overs for a quick meal later.

Notes

Pineapple contains an enzyme which tenderizes meat naturally.  This enzyme is destroyed in the canning process, so canned or bottled pineapple juice won't work to marinate meat but fresh and frozen pineapple juice will work well.
Be sure and drain the marinade before cooking the vegetables and meat.
If you need to "stretch" this dish a bit to accomodate more people, you can just add a few more peppers and onions.

Nutrition

Serving: 1c vegetables and a heaping 1/3 cup meatCalories: 266kcalCarbohydrates: 20.5gProtein: 27.1gFat: 8.9gSaturated Fat: 2.9gCholesterol: 86.8mgSodium: 1066.8mgFiber: 4.6gSugar: 11.8gVitamin A: 262.5IUVitamin C: 173.2mg
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