Chipotle Fajita Marinade

My favorite fajita seasoning is my chipotle fajita marinade which adds a ton of rich, smoky, spicy flavor to any meat. I like it best on beef but it also works well on chicken or pork or even shrimp. Sometimes, I will brush it on hamburgers to give them a Southwestern taste.

The key to this recipe are the chipotle chiles which are smoked jalapenos. They are easy to find at most grocery stores in the canned goods section. If there is a choice of brands, choose any brand because I don’t find much of a notable difference between them.

Easy Prep
Preparation is simple. You can put the marinade together in under five minutes. The chipotles and chile de arbol add heat and spice The olive oil in the marinade helps keeps the meat juicy and tender while being cooked.

Ingredients

• 4 chipotle chiles
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 chile de arbol – a very hot dried red chile
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Juice of 3 small limes
• 1 teaspoon of Mexican oregano
• 1 pinch of cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 cup enough for about 2 pounds of meat well coated

Preparation of the Marinade
Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. It will take a minute or two to completely break up the chipotle chiles and to get a smooth consistency. If you find that the marinade is too thick drizzle olive oil into the blender while it is running until you get the desired consistency. Allow it to sit for about 30 minutes to let the flavors marry.

Marinading the Meat
To use the marinade, thoroughly coat the meat on all sides and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to permeate the meat. You can let the meat marinade for up to 4 hours. Leaving the marinade on for much longer than 4 hours will cause flavors in your marinade to overpower the flavor of your chosen meat.

Adjusting the Marinade to Your Taste
Everyone has a specific idea of what constitutes just the right amount of heat and spice. Feel free to adjust the ingredients until you get just the flavors you are looking for.

Omit the chile de arbol if you prefer a more mild marinade. You can also reduce the number of chipotles to soften the flavor even more. This marinade is garlicky because to me you can never have much garlic. You might not agree.

Variation – Chipotle Salsa
You can also use the marinade as a chipotle salsa. After you have blended the all of the ingredients put the marinade in a saucepan and add 1/2 cup of water. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Now you have a good chipotle sauce to add to any dish that calls for some smokey heat.

Provecho!

Basic Red Salsa Recipe

This basic red salsa (salsa roja) is a versatile salsa that works well with many dishes. I like to use it for huevos rancheros, enchiladas, and chilaquiles.

If you’d like, you can make it in larger batches and freeze it so that you will always have some on hand.

Ingredients

• 6 Roma tomatoes
• 2 serrano chiles
• 1 small white onion quartered
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup of water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste

How to Make the Salsa

Step 1 Place all of the ingredients except the salt and olive oil in a pan and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Step 2 Pour into a blender and blend until smooth.

Step 3 Strain the salsa. This is an important step to get a nice smooth texture.

Step 4 Preheat a pan. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. return the salsa to the pan and fry the salsa in the hot oil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the salsa for 30 minutes. Salt to taste.

More Red Salsas You Might Like

Red Tomato Salsa

Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Creamy Avocado Salsa Recipe

If you like avocado you will love this creamy, rich fresh avocado salsa. The flavor of the ripe avocado shines and is enhanced by the other ingredients like lime, cilantro and serrano chili.

Creamy Avocado Salsa

You only need 10 minutes to prepare the salsa. It’s a great option when you want something fresh and healthy but you don’t have a lot of time for preparation. Kids love it because it’s creamy and isn’t all that hot. They won’t even know that you snuck something good for them onto their plate.

Typically, you would use the salsa on chicken filled taquitos or flautas. It also works really well on shredded beef tacos or tostadas. I have been told that it also goes well with a nice piece of fish although I haven’t tried it that way. You might want to.

The recipe calls for Mexican style sour cream which differs in flavor from the sour cream sold in the US. Don’t worry if you are unable to find it. Regular sour cream or yogurt work just as well. They just add a slightly different taste.

Ingredients:
2 large ripe avocados
1/2 cup of Mexican sour cream
2 cups of water
2 Serrano chilis chopped
1/4 of an onion chopped
2 teaspoons of chopped cilantro
Juice from 2 small limes
1 teaspoon salt

Makes 6 portions
Prep time: 10 minutes

Put the onion, serrano chili, cilantro, lime juice and 1 cup of water in the blender and pulse until smooth. Add the avocado, cream or yogurt and 1 cup of water. Blend until smooth and creamy.

You know you have the right consistency when the salsa coats the back of a wooden spoon evenly. If it is too thick to blend add water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.

Use the avocado salsa the same day that you prepare it. It doesn’t keep all that well because the avocado turns dark. It’s still tastes great it just doesn’t look all that good.

Provecho!
Another Avocado Recipe You Might Enjoy
Guacamole

More Salsa Recipes You Might Enjoy
Tomatillo Salsa
Red Enchilada Sauce
Green Enchilada Sauce
Mexican Salsa

Making Pico de Gallo Salsa

Pico de gallo is a simple, quick, uncooked salsa (salsa fresca) made with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, chiles, and lime. The taste is fresh and bright with a good bite from the chiles. Eating pico de gallo is a great way to get a dose of your daily veggies. In minutes you can prepare a batch. It’s a favorite at parties and it goes really well with a cold beer on a hot day.

Freshly Made Pico de Gallo Salsa

Ingredients:

• 10 Roma tomatoes – seeded and diced
• 1 large white onion – diced
• 1/2 cup of cilantro finely chopped
• 2 Serrano chiles seeded and finely diced -Jalapenos work too – Add more if you want more heat in your salsa. Use jalapenos if Serrano chiles or unavailable.
• Juice of one Mexican lime
• Salt to taste

The recipe makes a party sized batch of salsa.

When you have diced all of the ingredients add them to a large bowl and add the lime juice and salt. Mix thoroughly with a spoon and and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry. This salsa should be eaten fresh.

Enjoy your pico de gallo!

Easy Classic Green Enchilada Sauce

Try this classic green enchilada sauce eaten throughout Mexico. It is usually served over chicken enchiladas. Poblano, and serrano chiles give it heat. The tomatillos give it a nice acidic kick.

It is a simple salsa recipe that requires 15 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes to cook. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days and 3 months in the freezer.

This sauce has some bite to it. You will want to add cheese and sour cream to your enchiladas to balance the acidity of the tomatillos and reduce the heat from the chiles.

Ingredients

• 6 Poblano chiles roasted and peeled
• 1.5 pounds of tomatillos – husks removed, rinsed, and chopped
• 1 medium onion – chopped
• 3 Serrano chiles – seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Salt to taste

Blend all ingredients until smooth. If the sauce is too thick you can add chicken broth or water until the desired consistency is reached.

Gently simmer sauce for 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through.

Makes about 4 cups of salsa, enough for 12 enchiladas.

More Mexican salsa and sauce recipes to try:

Red Enchilada Sauce

Charred Tomatillo Salsa

Authentic Mexican Salsa

Red Tomato Salsa for Tostadas

How to Make Mexican Red Tomato Salsa

This is my favorite salsa to serve with chicken tostadas. The oregano flavor really stands out and pairs well with mild flavor of the chicken.

Salsa Ingredients:

• 8 Roma tomatoes or 5 large tomatoes
• 1 medium onion quartered
• 5 chiles de arbol
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Make the Salsa:

1. In a large frying pan, char the the tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Be sure that the tomatoes blacken on the outside which will add extra flavor to the salsa.

2. After the vegetables are charred, put all of the ingredients except the olive oil in the blender and blend for about one minute – until everything is well blended but not pureed. You want the salsa to have some texture when it’s finished.

3. In the same pan that you charred the vegetables add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. In batches, fry the salsa in the olive oil over medium heat. Frying the salsa is an important step and brings out loads of flavor. Traditionally, you fry the salsa in lard, but I prefer olive oil.

4. Turn the heat to low and simmer the salsa for five minutes which cooks the salsa through, thickens it, and brings all of the flavors together.

5. Remove the salsa from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature before serving. The salsa will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Makes 3 1/2 cups of Salsa

More Mexican Salsa Recipes to Try:

Green Enchilada Sauce

Red Enchilada Sauce

Tomatilla Salsa

How to Make Red Enchilada Sauce

This recipe is for a classic Mexican red enchilada sauce or enchilada salsa. Try the out the recipe. You will use it over and over because it’s so good.

The main ingredients which give the sauce most of its flavor are ancho chiles and chiles de arbol. The chiles de arbol are what give this enchilada sauce its heat. Reduce their number if you want to prepare a milder sauce.

Provecho!

Ingredients for the red enchilada sauce:

• 12 ancho chiles (large chiles in the photo above)
• 4 chiles de arbol (small chiles in the photo above)
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 1 small onion chopped into 4 chunks
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon of Mexican oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon of cumin
• salt to taste

Prepare the red enchilada sauce:

1. Rinse the ancho chiles and the chiles de arbol under cold water and pat dry. Tear open the chiles and remove the seeds and veins. Toast the chiles, the onion, and garlic in a dry pan or comal over medium low heat until fragrant. This should take about five minutes. Keep turning the chiles so that they do not burn.

2. Bring six cups of water to a boil and add all of the chiles, onion, and garlic. Reduce the heat and simmer for fifteen minutes.

3. Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender and add the oregano and cumin. Blend for two minutes until the mixture is very smooth. Place a towel over the top of the blender while blending to protect from any splatters. Be careful because the mixture is very hot.

4. Return the contents of the blender back to the pan by forcing the mixture through a strainer with the back of a spoon to remove the tough bits of chile skin that remain. Don’t skip this step it greatly improves the texture of the finished sauce.

5. Simmer the strained enchilada sauce for 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Add salt to taste.

This recipe makes about 4 cups of finished salsa. Store the salsa in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for one month. The recipe for red enchilada sauce also works really well for chilaquiles.

More Mexican Salsa Recipes

Green Enchilada Sauce

Recipe for Authentic Mexican Salsa

Mexican Tomatillo Salsa Recipe

Charred Tomatillo Salsa Recipe

A great salsa that’s simple to make is charred tomatillo salsa verde. It has a light bright taste that’s perfect for a hot afternoon and pairs well with a cold Mexican beer.

Tomatillos are related to tomatoes and are covered with a papery husk which is removed before cooking. Tomatillos are one of the main ingredients in most green salsas.

The recipe requires few ingredients and is quick to put together. It should take you about 20 minutes from start to finish.

Tomatillo Salsa Verde Ingredients:

• 1 pound of tomatillos
• 2 Serrano or jalapeno chiles with the seeds removed cut into strips (2 chiles makes the salsa medium hot. 4 chiles makes it burn. I prefer Serrano chiles but both types work equally well)
• 1 cup of coarsely chopped onions
• 1 cup of loosely packed cilantro
• 1 lime for juice
• Salt to taste
• Variation: add 2 charred cloves of garlic

Measurements for making salsas are flexible. Adjust quantities to use what you have on hand. If you want more heat in your salsa, add some chiles. More lime juice gives the salsa a brighter sharper taste. Garlic will give it a smokier taste.

To make the salsa:

Place the tomatillos, chopped onions, chile strips in a preheated oiled pan to char the vegetables. Keep the heat medium high and turn the vegetables continually until they are blackened all over. Charring the vegetables really adds to the flavor.

You can also char the vegetables over the open flame on the stove. Stick a fork in the tomatillos and chiles and hold them over the flame until blackened. I think this method gives the best flavor but it takes much longer so I rarely prepare it this way.

After you have charred the vegetables, add them to the blender with the cilantro, lime juice, and salt to taste. You don’t need to add any extra liquid. The tomatillos release enough juice to blend the salsa perfectly.

Blend the salsa coarsely. The salsa should have some body. You want to be able to see flecks of cilantro and bits of onion. This gives the perfect texture for scooping up with chips.

This is what the finished salsa looks like. It’s really good. Notice the black flecks. These are the charred bits from the vegetables which give the salsa a great smoky taste.

Chill the salsa for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.

I mostly eat the salsa scooped onto a tortilla chip. I also use it on fish occasionally. Saute a fish fillet and just before you are ready serve it spoon the salsa over the fillet in the pan. Let the salsa warm up and serve. Salsas can be used in many dishes. Just use your imagination.

Don’t forget, homemade salsa is a great way to get a daily dose of veggies. Eat some every day.

Another salsa recipe you might like:

Mexican Table Salsa Recipe

Green Sauce for Enchiladas

Red Sauce for Enchiladas

Another Tomatillo Recipe you might like:

Recipe for chicken breasts with tomatillo salsa

How to Make Mexican Salsa

Authentic Mexican table salsa is easy to make and tastes far superior to any store bought salsa. Mexican cooks use ingredients on hand to make vibrant, flavorful, and healthy salsas.

Start with the freshest ingredients available. The vegetables are charred which cooks them lightly but fresh flavors of the vegetables still come through. Any salsa is best when you use vegetables at their peak. Don’t worry too much if your veggies don’t look like the ones you see in food magazines. Your salsa will still turn out great.

To make the salsa you can mix and match the following ingredients to suit your taste:

• Tomatoes – preferably Roma but regular tomatoes work fine
• Tomatillos
• Onion
• Bell peppers
• Jalapeno chiles
• Serrano chiles
• Poblano chiles
• Anaheim chiles
• Garlic
• Cilantro
• Lime juice

The most important step for making a great salsa is charring the vegetables as shown in the picture below. You really want to char the vegetables. Make sure they are good and burnt all the way around.

To char the vegetables hold them over an open flame on a gas stove. If your stove is electric, preheat a large frying pan on high and char the vegetables in the pan turning often. The charred bits give the salsa a deeper smokier flavor.

Recipe for a Typical Version of the Mexican Table Salsa

Ingredients:

• 6 Roma tomatoes or 3 large regular tomatoes
• 1 Medium white onion
• 3 Jalapeno or serrano chiles (add more or reduce quantity to taste)
• 1 Garlic clove
• 1 Cup loosely packed cilantro
• 2 limes (the smaller Mexican limes are the best)
• Salt
• Makes 5 to 6 cups of salsa

Char the tomatoes, onion, garlic and chiles. Remove from heat and let cool. Remove the tops of the tomatoes and chiles.

Put all ingredients in a blender including the cilantro and the juice from two limes. Add salt to taste. Blend until coarsely ground. Do not over blend.

The finished salsa. Really, really, good!

More Mexican Salsa Recipes to Try:

Green Enchilada Sauce

Red Enchilada Sauce

Tomatillo Salsa

Red Tomato Salsa