Crispy Fajita Jackfruit

I’m publishing two recipes today, both along the same vein: they make perfect toppings for the Homemade Burrito Bowl recipe I’ve got scheduled for later this week! This Crispy Fajita Jackfruit is the plant-based option: my mostly-vegetarian daughter has been taste-testing it for me until we both felt it was perfect.

Young jackfruit is broken apart until it resembles what pulled chicken looks like, then tossed together with my Fajita Spice Blend, a bit of oil, and chopped serrano pepper. We cook it by lightly sauteing the seasoned jackfruit in a small amount of oil until it’s browned and crisp at the edges. The best thing about this Crispy Fajita Jackfruit recipe? It takes less than half an hour. Perfect for tacos or even Fajita Pockets!

Crispy Fajita Jackfruit Ingredients

Feel free to jump to the full recipe, but here are useful notes about the ingredients you will need to make this Crispy Fajita Jackfruit recipe:

• Young jackfruit: I always use canned young jackfruit. Young because jackfruit is a fruit and when it matures it becomes sweet and contains much more starch. Young jackfruit is milder in taste and texture. Canned because it’s convenient and not hard to find. It’s sold at every grocery store around.
• Fajita Spice Blend: I shifted this recipe from my first ebook As Seen on IG to the site last week. It’s yummy! Keep in mind that it’s very low in sodium, so you might need to add additional salt to your dishes including this Crispy Fajita Jackfruit, depending on your tastebuds.
• Vegetable oil: Any vegetable oil will do: we use a touch to marinate the jackfruit before cooking, then more to lightly pan-fry it.
• Lime juice: Some jackfruit you find will be stored in a brine containing lime juice and water. If so, you can skip the lime juice. I generally drain and rinse my jackfruit if it comes in brine, and for this recipe, I’ll still add the lime juice. It works well with the overall Tex-Mex feel.
• Serrano pepper: You can skip this, or substitute a deseeded jalapeno. Or a poblano if you want no heat at all in your Crispy Fajita Jackfruit.

How to Make Crispy Fajita Jackfruit

Full instructions are included in the recipe below, but here is a basic overview of what you’ll need to do, along with some important tidbits to help you make the most of this Crispy Fajita Jackfruit recipe:

• Prep the Jackfruit. Drain your jackfruit well, discard the liquid from the can, and transfer the jackfruit pieces to a large bowl. Use your hands to separate the jackfruit, pushing it apart with your fingers so that the flesh fans out and resembles pulled chicken.
• Season the Jackfruit. To the bowl add a small drizzle, about a teaspoon, of vegetable oil, along with the diced serrano pepper and all of the fajita spice blend and salt. Toss together until all of the jackfruit is well seasoned. 
• Fry the Crispy Fajita Jackfruit. Place a frying pan over medium-high heat and add the remaining vegetable oil. Let it heat for 3 minutes until the oil is shimmering. Add the jackfruit to the pan in a single layer and let it fry for a minute or two. Grab a spatula and begin tossing the jackfruit, flipping and stirring. Do this for about 30 seconds, then spread the jackfruit back out into an even layer and allow it to fry again. Repeat this process twice, every 5 minutes or so, until the jackfruit is lightly browned and crispy at the edges. Remove it from heat and enjoy. Dassit! 

Obligatory Pinterest Graphics –

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