Steak Fajita Stuffed Baked Potatoes with Avocado Chipotle Crema
Steak Fajita Stuffed Baked Potatoes with Avocado Chipotle Crema
Steak Fajita Stuffed Baked Potatoes with Avocado Chipotle Crema
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- salt and pepper taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 (2 pound) flank steak about 1 inch thick
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 chipotle chili in adobo minced
- 4 potatoes (i used both sweet potatoes and baking potatoes)
- 1 red pepper sliced
- 1 orange pepper sliced
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- tortilla chips crush, for serving
- 1 ounce sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- cotija cheese crumbled
- 4 tablespoons greek yogurt
- 1 ripe avocado skin removed and pitted
- 1/2 lime juiced
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the can of the chipotle chilies)
- Carbohydrate 53.3705532094359 g
- Cholesterol 7.48003106371764 mg
- Fat 19.7144537796621 g
- Fiber 10.4451046530969 g
- Protein 8.59223171905015 g
- Saturated Fat 3.96940149500489 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (398g)
- Sodium 130.576178875101 mg
- Sugar 42.9254485563389 g
- Trans Fat 1.0936965180358 g
- Calories 404 calories
Step-by-step
- In a small bowl combine the olive oil, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, lime juice, chipotle chili in adobo and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add flank steak to a ziplock bag or baking dish and pour marinade ingredients over top. Marinate at room temperature for an hour, or in the fridge for 2-24 hours, flipping the steak a few times to coat with marinade.
- In the meantime heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using a fork poke 8 to 12 deep holes all over the potatoes. Place in a bowl and coat lightly with oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and place the potatoes directly on rack in middle of oven. Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any drippings.
- Bake 1 hour or until skin feels crisp but flesh beneath feels soft. Remove from the oven and let sit 5-10 minutes.
- While the potatoes bake make the crema, in a food processor or blender combine the greek yogurt, avocado, lime juice, adobo sauce, pepper and salt. Puree until smooth. Add a tablespoon or two of water if it is a a little thick. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Set a side.
- About 10 minutes before the potatoes come out of the oven, place a large cast iron pan or heavy bottom skillet over high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and let it heat up for 1 minute. Add the steak, frying on each side for 3 minutes, or to desired doneness. If the pan starts to smoke too much, reduce the heat to medium-high. You want the steak browned, not burned. Remove from pan and let sit, tent with foil for 5 minutes then slice thin strips on an angle.
- Cook the vegetables while the meat is resting. Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary, then add the red and orange peppers. Let them sear for 1 minute before stirring, then stir 2 or 3 times as the veggies sear, cooking for 5-6 minutes total. Once the peppers are cooked add the sliced steak back to the pan and cook 1 minutes, just to heat through. Remove from the heat,
- To assemble, slice the potatoes in half, but not all the way, Scoop out the insides and add to a bowl. To the bowl add the 4 tablespoons butter and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mash well and then return the potatoes to their skins, being careful not to tear the potatoes totally in half. Top each potato with the steak and peppers, shredded cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla chips and a dollop of the avocado crema. Garnish with crushed tortilla chips and crumbled cotija cheese. Dig in!
Piercing potato skins eight to twelve times with a fork is non-negotiable because steam expansion requires multiple outlets to prevent rupturing the skin during baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Flank steak benefits from acid in the lime juice marinade, which denatures tough surface proteins while capsaicin from the chipotle pepper binds to fat molecules in the olive oil base, distributing heat evenly across the meat. Cast-iron pans work best for searing the steak over high heat for three minutes per side, creating Maillard reactions between amino acids and reducing sugars without overcooking the interior.
Adapting for Dietary Restrictions
Modifying this dish requires understanding the function of each component rather than simple omission. Greek yogurt forms the base of the avocado crema by supplying lactic acid and thick milk solids that mimic traditional sour cream; substituting plain dairy-free coconut yogurt maintains the necessary acidity without altering the emulsification process. Cotija cheese provides a dry, salty punch similar to feta, meaning grated nutritional yeast or salted almond flour mixed with garlic powder can replicate that umami depth for dairy-free diets. Sweet potatoes can replace standard baking varieties entirely, offering extra beta-carotene and a softer interior starch profile that actually reduces the need for added butter during the mashing step.
- If the avocado crema separates, add one teaspoon of warm water and blend on high speed to re-emulsify the fats and liquids.
- If the cast iron pan smokes excessively during the steak sear, drop the burner from high to medium-high heat to prevent the oil from burning past its smoke point.
- If the baked potato skins lack crispness, ensure they are placed directly on the oven rack with a drip pan underneath rather than resting on a solid baking sheet.
