There are plenty of reasons to consider adding a red grapefruit to your menu when it’s in season. Like its other citrus cousins, It’s rich in vitamins A & C which helps bolster your immune system, keeps your skin healthy and beautiful, and at the same time helps fight heart disease since it lowers LDLs or, bad cholesterol, in your system. In fact, half a grapefruit contains roughly 28% of your daily vitamin A, 7 times more compared to an orange’s 4%.
It’s also perfect for those who are trying to lose weight and stay hydrated. This superfruit is 92% water and at the same time has low calorie content. Its pith is also rich in antioxidants and soluble fiber.
Typically, you’d associate grapefruits with breakfast, but there are plenty of ways to get creative and make a tasty and healthy dish for dinner. It goes well with chicken as a garnish or as part of a sauce. One fun dish you can try is chicken fajita with red grapefruit salsa.
How to make a Chicken Fajita with Heritage Ruby Red Grapefruit Salsa
Prep Time: 1 hr
Ready In: 2 hrs
Yields: 8 servings
Ingredients
Salsa:
- 2 large Hale Groves Heritage Ruby Red Grapefruit (about 1 pound each)
- 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
- 1 cup diced green and/or yellow bell pepper
- 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
For the fajita:
- 4 (8 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, crumbled
- 2 teaspoon salt
- Ground pepper to taste
- 16 warm corn or flour tortillas
- Sliced radishes and/or jicama for garnish
Directions:
- To prepare salsa: Working over a medium nonreactive bowl, supreme grapefruit (see Tips). Squeeze the membranes to extract any extra juice. Drain all the juice into a separate bowl and set aside. Add tomato, bell pepper, jalapeno, onion, lime juice and teaspoon salt to the fruit; mix well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Stir in cilantro just before serving.
- To prepare fajitas: Cut chicken in half horizontally, holding the knife parallel to the cutting board. Place the chicken between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with the smooth side of a meat mallet or a heavy saucepan to an even half-inch thickness.
- Combine oil, garlic, oregano and the reserved grapefruit juice in a large shallow non-reactive dish. Add the chicken to the marinade; turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
- Preheat grill to medium-high or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and let stand at room temperature while the grill heats. (Discard marinade.)
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Oil the grill rack (or pan). Grill the chicken, turning once, until just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes total.
- Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board. Slice crosswise into one-inch-thick strips. Serve with tortillas and the grapefruit salsa, garnished with radishes and/or jicama, if desired.
To make ahead: Prepare salsa without cilantro (Step 1) and marinate chicken (Steps 2-3) up to 2 hours ahead.
Tips: Be sure to use a nonreactive bowl-stainless-steel, enamel-coated or glass-when working with acidic food like grapefruit. Reactive vessels, such as aluminum and cast-iron, can impart off colors and/or flavors.
To supreme: Use this technique to get pretty, pith-free citrus sections every time. Cut a thin slice off the top and bottom of the fruit with a large sharp knife. Place on a cutting board. Remove the peel and white pith below, following the curve of the fruit as you go. Working over a bowl, switch to a small sharp knife and cut each segment from the surrounding membranes. Squeeze any extra juice from the membranes, if desired.