I've tried Claudias marinade from the store and it works okay. I've also used a combo of salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin and mexican paprika to make a dry rub which works well too. I typically buy the packaged 'pre-marinated" meat in the cry-o-vac and add these marinades to it the night before or sometimes just buy skirt steak and chicken breasts.

My question is, what do you use to mainade your fajitas, beef and chicken? Looking for some ideas to get a change of pace and/or better ideas to get a better flavor. Not interested in too much spice as my wife and kids won't eat it if it has too much jalapeno or cayenne.

a combo of a little italian dressing and beer then I add many of the seasonings you first mentioned

I use Italian salad dressing, it has all the spices you need to make the meat tender and after the meat is grilled it taste great. I have never done chicken though so I wouldn't know about it.

When making fajitas, this is all that you need to know...

Orange juice with a ton of comino. Cant go wrong, just like they do at la mihocana mexican carniciera.

I like to get it already marinated from the carniciera. Tastes just like a good restaurant.

Here's how I do it. A lot of prep work but worth it IMO.

Spiny’s “White Boy” Fajitas

1 ½ lbs skirt steak
1 red bell pepper sliced in thick strips
1 poblano pepper sliced in thick strips
1 large white onion sliced in thick rounds
4 or 5 garlic cloves smashed
1 shot tequila
1 mexican beer
3 tbsp canola oil (2 in the marinade, 1 for the skillet).
¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
Black pepper
1 lime cut in half (1/2 in the marinade, 1/2 over the meat before serving).

Combine all ingredients and pour over steak in a flat non reactive dish. Marinate for 2 or more hours turning occasionally. Remove the meat, shake off excess marinade and grill directly on hot coals taking care not to overcook. Remove from fire and allow to rest before scraping off the crusty bits. Slice across the grain, cover with foil and set aside.

Heat a large cast iron skillet or fajita pan. Add oil. Remove peppers and onions from marinade and sauté until soft. Push veggies to one side, add sliced meat and squeeze of lime then serve while it’s still sizzling.

Serve with…
Warm tortillas
Fresh guacamole
Grated cheese
Chopped tomatoes
Salsa
Fresh cilantro
Sour cream

Grilling notes.

The meat can be done on a gas grill but it looses a lot of flavor that way.

Do not use briquets or it will add an unpleasant taste. Only use “Hardwood charcoal” and never use lighter fluid.

Get your coals hot and when they are covered in grey ash, they are ready to go. Take a paper plate and fan off the ashes then set the meat directly on the red hot coals.

Personally, I have found any of the pre-packaged powder mixes having "papain" in it provides the tex-mex taste most of like w/fajitas. Not sure why, but I do like the taste and it's tenderizing affects.

When you are grilling onions for fajitas, sprinkle just a little bit of Lawry's season salt on them while grilling. Good as long as you don't over do it. Just takes a little.

I have used Claude's in the past and have had good results. I lightly marinate my onion rings in some watered down soy before I cook them. You have to have a homemade roasted pepper salsa to go with it. Don't skimp on the pepper topping as well...

get your skirt steak, lay it on a plate or pan, sprinkle fajita seasoning on it (meat tenderizer as salt, pepper, garlic powder) and stab with a fork about 342 times (343 may be pushing it...). let sit for about 2 hours, get lots of limes and squeeze lime juice all over the meat, right after that then take out side and throw on a hot hot grill, sear both sides like a rare steak, then move to lower heat and cook till they are about to fall apart. thats how i do it, nice and simple. serve on a tortilla with some pico de gallo, and a beer.

I use flank steak and marinate with a bunch of fresh lime juice, about 5 cloves of minced garlic, minced serrano, lots of cumin, pepper and Mexican oregano. I usually salt it heavily before I put it on the grill. I like to grill the whole flank steak, then slice it for fajitas. The steak is usually cooked rare, the way I like it, and it tends to be more juicy. You can grill whole poblano peppers and onions too, then cut, or just slice and fry on the stove.

Orange juice would be good too. I have used grapefruit juice with lime juice for both chicken and steak and that was very good.

Just had those last night and today for lunch.

Just get the peppers and onions going and toss the meat in. Only problem is, I paid about 4.99 for 12 ounces of meat. Seems a little expensive but it's good stuff for sure.

One of my favorite meals for a campout.

The seasoning on that brand is not bad but I've tried it twice and it was too salty to eat. I get my beef and chicken fajita meat from a Mexican market in Denton. Best I've found.

La Mihocanna? La Indepndencia?

Both are top notch

Not sure of the name. West side 35 service road just north of Teasley. Good stuff.

The next time you guys come South around San Antonio/Austin/ Waco, stop at HEB and stock up on ANY of their brand of premarinated chicken, beef, or PORK fajita meat! As Nascarchuck said, "that is all you need" AND it is ONLY about $1.99 PER POUND and I believe they put it on sale for 99 cents per pound occasionally. I have been using it for MANY years! The pork will surprise you how wonderful it is! It does not need ANYTHING extra done to it...just add some sauteed onions/peppers to your fajita taco (burrito to some of you) and enjoy!

I so wish that we had HEB's in Ft. Worth. And before someone says it, Central Market is owned by HEB, but nothing like HEB!

Some guy mentioned Flank steak, I bet he meant Skirt steak. Flank steak is not good for fajitas.
I use skirt steak with "Fiesta Bolners fajita seasoning with tenderizer" also a bit of italian dressing and a couple of limes worth of juice in there and marinate overnight, or as long as I can.
Also, try using pork tenderloin as fajita meat, it is very tender as you know.
I grill mine on a Big Green Egg very hot, like 700 to sear them both sides, i take them off, wrap in foil then let the egg cool to about 400 and put them back on to let them steam in the foil for about 15-20 minutes.
Dont have and egg? go get one or you can use this method in most grills, just use indirect heat for the last part.

I actually did mean flank steak. I cook the steak whole, then slice it against the grain and eat. It is very tender if you cut it against the grain. I just prefer to cook it whole; it is easier to deal with.
I have done the same thing with skirt steak with good results. I will usually cook those whole too, then cut.

It's "La Azteca".

I shop there myself. Not as much for meat since the line is usually unbearable on weekends.