Food blogger and Wine Guide Melissa Summar is back with a simple one sheet pan fajita that’s fit for busy back to school schedules, and paired with our favorite semi-sweet white, 2018 Calamity Sue, Riesling.
Simple meals for a busy schedule.
No matter how back to school looks this year, we can all agree that quick, easy and kid-friendly meals are a parenting lifeline. Who is tired of cooking the same old things week after week? Last year I discovered sheet pan meals and they have quite literally changed my life! If you haven’t tried out sheet pan meals, go check out Pinterest for an endless amount of ideas.
When everything is cooked on a one sheet pan, the options are endless. The basic formula to use is protein + veggies + starch + your favorite seasoning—the perfect equation to a quick, easy supper. Simply take a protein like pork chops (these can be marinated or just seasoned), a few quartered potatoes and green beans. Toss the potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Place the pork chops and potatoes on the sheet pan leaving room to add the green beans later. Bake at 400 for 10-15 mins. While those are baking, toss the green beans with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Add to the sheet pan and bake an additional 10 minutes or until everything is beautifully roasted. Easy peasy! Clean up is a breeze with sheet pan meals, too. Yes please to less dishes!
Recently, I have started using the broil option on my oven, and my meals are coming out even more delicious because of it. The best part about using the broiler is that it cooks your meal quickly, so you have a simple dinner even faster. The #1 rule for broiling is to not under any circumstances walk away from the oven. Since the broiler cooks things quickly, if you aren’t carefully watching your meal it’s a quick way to burn your dinner.
For this recipe, I marinated the combination of steak and chicken with a seasoning called chicken rub from Fiesta Spices. This rub is so good! I have used it on pork chops, chicken, shrimp, steak—everything protein! You can easily interchange your favorite protein in this recipe and it will transport you to your favorite Taco Tuesday memories.
Fajita Sheet Pan Meal
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 steak strip, cut into bite size pieces
- 2 tbsp Fiesta Spice rub, or fajita seasoning
- 1 onion, julienned
- Tri-color peppers, julienned
- 2-3 limes
- 3 avocados
- Cumin
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 2 tsp butter
- 4 cups chicken broth
- A handful of chopped cilantro
- Sour cream
- Your favorite salsa
Corn Salsa Recipe:
- 2 cans of corn, or fresh corn cut off the cob
- 1 jalapeño, diced
- ½ red onion, diced
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- Juice of 1 lime
- Chopped cilantro
Marinate the chicken and steak for 30 minutes (or even overnight). Toss the peppers and meat together and place on a lined aluminum foil sheet pan. Turn your oven to broil (I use the high setting, but you can do the low setting as well, it will just take a little longer). Place your pan in the oven and keep an eye on it. Every few minutes, use tongs to toss the meat and peppers around to get all of the meat and vegetables to cook evenly. This will take about 10-15 mins.
Prepare your rice by the packaged directions. Pro tip: replace the water with chicken broth and an added tablespoon of butter for extra flavor. Once the rice is cooked, add another tablespoon of butter, the zest of a lime, lime juice and a handful of chopped cilantro—this cilantro lime rice is so good! Next—it’s time to rock the guac. Mash up three avocados with the juice of a lime and a couple dashes of cumin. Salt and pepper to taste. Or—keep it simple with store bought guacamole.
To assemble, place rice in a bowl and top with meat. Top it off with warmed up black beans, corn salsa, guacamole, cheese and any other fajita topping faves.
My everyday tip: I like to meal prep and have easy things to pull out of the freezer. When I get home from the grocery store, I will separate my meat into individual containers and add some quick marinades or spices and toss them in the freezer. These are perfect for an easy dinner. Just thaw and throw on a sheet pan and bake!
Melissa Summar, Wine Guide and Traveling Vineyard Food Blogger
Pair your fajita sheet dinner with Riesling.
This meal came together quickly and brought a simple sheet pan meal to the next level. I paired our 2018 Calamity Sue with my dinner, and it was perfect with this savory and spicy meal. The crisp and sweet Riesling, with fruity notes of apple and pear, made the creaminess of the guacamole shine through. Rieslings are great for taming down the spiciness on your palate—especially if you like a lot of spice like me. Turn up the heat in your dish and refresh with the sweet in your glass. Remember: sweet loves heat!
Have a favorite simple one pan dinner? We’d love to know your recipe and wine pairing! Send us a message on Facebook. Cheers to simple and delicious meals with a glass of your favorite wine.