for the marinated chicken:

In a mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients with a whisk until thoroughly mixed. Set aside. Place the chicken breasts into a gallon sized resealable bag. Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade for later use, then pour the rest of the marinade over the chicken and seal the bag. Massage bag to completely coat the chicken. Refrigerate for 4 hours, preferably overnight. The longer it sits, the more the flavor of the marinade permeates the chicken.

for the fresh salsa:

Place all ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until you have a slightly chunky salsa. Adjust seasoning to your preference, if needed. Transfer to a bowl and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before serving to allow the flavors to come together. Can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

for the chipotle cilantro crema:

Place all the ingredients into a food processor and process until the chipotle pepper is pureed and everything is thoroughly combined. Set aside. Can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days.

for the fajitas:

Heat a cast iron grill pan over high heat. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil. When the oil begins to smoke add the marinated chicken breasts. Cook for 2 minutes. Rotate chicken ¼ turn and cook an additional 2 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts and repeat until chicken is done. Cooking time should be 8 minutes total. Remove from pan and set aside.

In another skillet set over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the reserved chicken marinade to the pan. Add the peppers, onions and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute. Add 1 tbsp. of water to the pan and scrape up the dark bits stuck to the bottom while sautéing the vegetables. Sauté until the peppers are vibrant and crisp-tender and the onions are getting translucent, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper to taste. While the veggies are cooking, slice the chicken across the grain–this will retain the juices in the meat. Add the chicken slices to the veggies and stir to combine. Squeeze half a lime over the chicken and veg., this will give you the signature sizzle associated with fajitas. Garnish by sprinkling 1 tbsp. of the chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve immediately and sizzling hot with grilled flour tortillas, lime wedges, chipotle cilantro crema and the fresh salsa. This dish is traditionally served with Mexican rice and refried beans on the side.