Afajita (/fəˈhiːtə/;Spanish:[faˈxita]^ⓘ), inTex-Mex cuisine, is any stripped grilledmeat, optionally served with strippedpeppers andonions usually served on aflour or corn tortilla.^[2] The term originally referred toskirt steak, the cut of beef first used in the dish.^[3] Popular alternatives to skirt steak includechicken and othercuts of beef, as well asvegetables instead of meat.^[4][5] In restaurants, the meat is usually cooked withonions andbell peppers. Popular condiments include shreddedlettuce,sour cream,guacamole,salsa,pico de gallo, shreddedcheese,refried beans, and dicedtomatoes. "Tacos de arrachera" is applied to the northern Mexican variant of the dish.

Fajita

Mixed beef and chicken fajita ingredients, served on a hot iron skillet
Place of origin	United States andMexico
Region or state	Texas, Northeastern Mexico[1]
Main ingredients	Tortillas,meat,chicken,cheddar cheese,onions,peppers
Media: Fajita

Fajita is a Tex-Mex orTejano diminutive term for little strips of meat cut from the beef skirt, the most common cut used to make fajitas.^[3] The wordfajita is not known to have appeared in print until 1971, according to theOxford English Dictionary. (The wordfaja is Spanish for "strip", or "belt", from the Latinfascia, "band".)^[6] Althoughfajita originally referred to these strips ofbeef skirt, fajitas now are made with a variety of fillings, including vegetarian options, such as green/red/yellow peppers, onions, chilies, and jalapeño peppers.^[7]

Skirt steak is one of the most popular cuts of beef for grilling inLatin America.^[8] It is calledentraña in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay,^[9][10]fraldinha in Brazil,^[11] andarrachera in Mexico.

The first culinary evidence of fajitas with the cut of meat, the cooking style (directly on a campfire or on a grill), and the Spanish nickname comes from the 1930s in theranch lands ofSouth andWest Texas. Skirt steak was one of several scrap types of meat offered tovaqueros (cowboys) when cattle were slaughtered to feed ranch hands during roundups. In September 1969, Sonny Falcón, an Austin meat market manager, operated the first commercial fajita taco concession stand at a rural16 de septiembre celebration inKyle, Texas.^[12] During that same year, Otilia Garza introduced fajitas at the Round-Up Restaurant inPharr, Texas. Garza is credited with adding the signature sizzling plate presentation of fajitas after being servedqueso flameado (melted Mexican cheese) on a cast-iron plate inAcapulco.^[13]

The style was popularized by various businesses, such asNinfa's inHouston, theHyatt Regency inAustin, and numerous restaurants inSan Antonio.^[2] In southernArizona, the term was unknown except as a cut of meat until the 1990s, when Mexicanfast food restaurants started using the word in their marketing. In later years, fajitas became popular at American casual dining restaurants as well as in-home cooking.

In many restaurants, the fajita meat and vegetables are brought to the table sizzling loudly on a metal platter or skillet, along with warmed tortillas and condiments, such asguacamole,pico de gallo,queso,salsa, shreddedcheese orsour cream.^[14][15]

• Antojitos
• Burrito
• Taco
• Fajitagate, a California political scandal

• Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink version of fajita origins
• Cookeryonline - Fajita Page