Southwestern Frittata

I love making frittatas, they're a tasty way to use up leftover meats and veggies, as well as providing breakfast or lunch the next day.
Not to mention, they're about as easy as sauteing your veggies, adding the meat, then eggs, then pop into the oven to finish. One pan to clean! If you don't have a cast iron, spray or grease a large pie pan or baking dish, and build your frittata in that.
I suggest using grilled or roasted chicken in this, as they add an extra flavor to this frittata that plain chicken just can't do. If you don't have that, I suggest making sure you season the chicken well with salt, pepper and chili powder or cayenne, or anything along those lines that will compliment this dish.

Chicken, bacon, cheese, aahhh...what can beat that? Enough, on with the recipe!

• 1 fat cup diced cooked chicken breast
• about 8 oz bacon, cut up with kitchen scissors, any size you like; I cut about 1 " pcs.
• 1/2 cup each, small diced white onion and green bell pepper
• 1/2 jalapeno, deveined and seeded (unless you want it HOT) and minced
• 1 minced clove of garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper
• 12 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1-2 cups cheddar cheese, how much depends on your tastes; other cheeses work well too.
• salt and pepper to taste
• dash cayenne
• 1/2 fresh lime juice, opt.

Optional toppings: salsa, sour cream, sliced green onions, lime juice.


In a cold, cast iron or oven proof pan, snip bacon with kitchen scissors and cook over medium heat until desired doneness. Scoop out with slotted spoon. With a spoon, scoop out all but about 2 or 3 Tablespoons of bacon drippings.
Toss in onions, green bell pepper, jalapeno, and cook about 2 or 3 minutes, until they start to soften.
Turn off heat. Turn it off sooner if veggies start to brown too fast and cook in residual heat left in pan.
Add garlic and toss with the veggies a minute or so.
Add chopped chicken and roasted red bell pepper. Add a bit of salt, not too much- the bacon gives some saltiness to everything,  some pepper and a dash of cayenne.
Combine well and cover the bottom of the pan evenly with the veggies, chicken and bacon.

Beat the eggs with milk very well. Beat until eggs are well beaten and small bubbles start to form.
Pour evenly over chicken and bacon mixture in pan.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and 1-2 cups of grated cheese, depending how much you like.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, or until light golden brown and set. Cooking time will depend on amount of ingredients you use and cheese.

Serve with a choice of toppings, similar to taco toppings, such as guacamole, chopped tomatoes, salsa, cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, sliced green onions, etc.
Great served with Jalapeno Cornbread.
To make Jalapeno Cornbread, make one recipe of  my Buttermilk Cornbread, and after batter rests, gently fold in 1/2 seeded (unless you like it uber hot), chopped jalapeno and 1 cup of cheese, bake and finish as directed. YUM!