Sizzling beef fajitas drizzled with a spicy peanut salsa is the only way to kick-off the weekend. Beef fajitas with spicy peanut salsa {salsa de cacahuate} made with peanuts, chile de árbol, garlic, and chicken broth is a spicy, creamy salsa that pairs beautifully with beef fajitas.
Nothing kicks off the weekend like a heaping pile of sizzling fajitas and a few icy cold beers, si!
Today I am sharing a spicy creamy twist on fajitas by drizzling them with a peanut salsa.
My beef fajitas with spicy peanut salsa {salsa de cacahuate} has it all – fajitas, spice, creaminess, perfect for a crowd and can easily be served with an icy cold beer or a festive margarita.
The beauty of this recipe is you can double or triple to feed a crowd.
WHAT IS CHILE DE ARBOL?
Chiles de árbol (pronounced ar-boll) are long, slender, rich red dried chile. Chile de árbol is Spanish for tree chili, the name refers to the long wood-like stem shaped chile.
Also referred to as rat tail chile or bird’s beak chile. Chile de árbol start out green, turn red when ripened and take on an even richer red when fully dried.
Two to three inches long chile de arbol you can find chile de árbol sold fresh, dried, or ground into powder.
In South Texas you can buy them bulk in the produce aisle or bagged in the spice aisle.
Chiles de árbol pack some serious heat, coming in at 15,000 to 30,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU) on the Scoville Scale.
Chile de árbol is an ingredient used to make salsa, mole, adobo and made into ristras.
Ristras are strings of dried chiles as decor, they are hung in kitchens, patios, and fences. Ristras are said to bring good health and good luck.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE SPICY PEANUT SALSA (SALSA DE CACAHUATE)
chicken broth, you can easily substitute vegetable broth for this recipe
onion
garlic cloves
chiles de árbol – if this is your first timing trying chile de arbol I suggest starting with 3 or 4 chiles, they pack a punch.
Peanuts, for this recipe I used lightly salted – dry, roasted or unsalted can be used, adjust salt to taste after blending.
salt
pepper
HOW TO MAKE SALSA DE CACAHUATE
Place chicken broth in a small sauce pan over low heat, keep warm.
Heat a comal or skillet over medium-high heat.
*NOTE Be extremely careful when toasting chile de árbol – when heated they release a strong and pungent smell that can be extremely uncomfortable to children and dogs – coughing and watery eyes.
Open a door or window for ventilation or crank up your vent hood.
*NOTE if this is your first time cooking with chile de arbol I suggest starting with 3 or 4 chiles, they pack a punch.
Add onion and garlic cloves, toast turning often until lightly charred. Remove from heat.
Reduce heat of comal or skillet until ready to grill fajitas.
Add chiles, toast, turning often until lightly charred, being careful not to burn chiles. Remove from heat.
Lastly add the peanuts, lightly toast turning often. Remove from heat.
Add onion, garlic, chiles and peanuts to a blender. Adjust to fit size of your blender, you can blend in two batches if needed.
Carefully add warm broth.
Blend until smooth, season to taste with salt and pepper.
Return blended peanut salsa to saucepan and keep warm until ready to serve.
Drizzle over fajitas.
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to one week.
Leftover recipe ideas: coat grilled chicken in salsa de cacahuate and serve over rice or toss hot pasta in salsa de cacahuate.
MAS FAJITA RECIPES
Paloma Cocktail Marinated Chicken Fajitas
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 small onion sliced in half
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 4- 6 chiles de árbol
- 1 cup peanuts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 pounds fajitas skirt steak or flank steak
- salt
- pepper
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For spicy peanut salsa: Place chicken broth in a small sauce pan over low heat, keep warm.
-
Heat a comal or skillet over medium-high heat.
-
Add onion and garlic cloves, toast turning often until lightly charred. Remove from heat.
-
Reduce heat of comal or skillet until ready to grill fajitas.
-
Add chiles, toast, turning often until lightly charred, being careful not to burn chiles. Remove from heat.
-
Lastly add the peanuts, lightly toast turning often. Remove from heat.
-
Add onion, garlic, chiles and peanuts to a blender. Adjust to fit size of your blender, you can blend in two batches if needed.
-
Carefully add warm broth.
-
Blend until smooth, season to taste with salt and pepper.
-
Return blended peanut salsa to saucepan and keep warm until ready to serve.
-
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to one week.
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For Fajitas: Season skirt steak with salt and pepper; heat comal or skillet to medium-high heat.
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Grill 7-10 minutes on each side.
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Remove from grill, let meat rest for 5 minutes.
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Slice against the grain, place on platter and drizzle with salsa de cacahuate.
**NOTE if this is your first time cooking chile de arbol I suggest starting with 3 or 4 chiles, they pack a punch. **
**Be extremely careful when toasting chile de árbol. When heated they release a strong and pungent smell that can be extremely uncomfortable to children and dogs, coughing and watery eyes. Open a door or window for ventilation or crank up your vent hood.**
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