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Steak Fajitas with Chipotle Sour Cream

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

Fajitas:

  • ¼ cup olive oil or other preferred oil, like canola, avocado, grapeseed
  • ½ cup fresh lime juice, from about 4-6 limes - zest the limes before juicing; you'll need the zest later
  • ¼ cup apple cider or red wine vinegar
  • 10 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons salt, I use coarse, kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 ½ to 2 pounds flank steak

Chipotle Sour Cream Sauce:

  • 1 cup sour cream, light or regular
  • 1 teaspoon minced chipotle in adobo sauce, more or less to adjust spiciness
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons adobo sauce, spooned from the can of chipotle chiles
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime zest, from about 2 limes

For Serving:

  • Tortillas
  • Other toppings of choice, like tomatoes, cilantro, cheese, sautéed or grilled peppers, pickled onions, etc.

Instructions 

  • For the fajitas, whisk together the oil, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, sugar, cumin, salt, paprika, and coriander. Place the steak in a dish (like a 9X13-inch pan) and pour the marinade over the top, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
  • Preheat grill to medium-high (I set my pellet grill to 375 degrees). Grill the steak until desired doneness; 4-6 minutes for medium rare (add time if needed for a more well-cooked piece of meat). Remove the steak from the grill and tent with foil for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
  • For the chipotle sour cream, stir all the ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate (can be made 2-3 days in advance).
  • Serve the steak slices on tortillas with the chipotle sour cream and any other favorite toppings or sautéed or grilled peppers and onions.

Notes

Nutrition Facts: the nutrition facts for this recipe were calculated based on the fajitas (but do not include the tortillas or optional toppings as those are added based on personal preference). 
Substitutions: I've only ever made these fajitas with flank steak, but a few possible substitutes for that cut of meat might be: skirt steak, hanger steak or perhaps sirloin flap meat.
For the pickled onions: I use this quick tutorial - the premise is simple (my changes to the original method are as follows). Pour boiling water over a thinly sliced medium red onion in a strainer and drain. In a pint-size canning jar (or similar sized container), combine 3/4 cup rice or apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Microwave or heat this mixture for 1 minute and then stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Submerge the onions in the warm liquid, cap the jar, and refrigerate for several hours before using (they get better with time).