Description
Craving a delicious meal? Try our Chicken Fajita Casserole for a satisfying dinner tonight! Discover a new family favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds (900g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
- 3 bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green), sliced into thin strips
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (16g) fajita seasoning (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 teaspoon (3g) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (3g) ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon (1.5g) smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5g) black pepper
- 1 can (10oz/285g) diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
- 8oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (240ml) sour cream
- 2 cups (225g) Mexican-blend shredded cheese
- ½ cup (20g) fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) lime juice (approximately 1 lime)
- 12 small flour tortillas, cut into quarters (or 4 cups tortilla chips)
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients and Preheat Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch (23x33cm) baking dish with cooking spray. Take a moment to organize your prepped ingredients for a smoother cooking experience. Having everything ready will make the assembly process much more enjoyable!
- Step 2: Season and Cook the Chicken In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season your chicken strips with half of the fajita seasoning, tossing to coat evenly. Add the chicken to the hot skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes until no longer pink and slightly browned on the edges. Transfer to a plate and set aside. This quick cooking preserves the juiciness while developing flavor through light browning.
- Step 3: Sauté the Vegetables In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Toss in your sliced bell peppers and onions, sprinkling with the remaining fajita seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables have softened slightly but still maintain some crispness. You’re looking for that signature fajita char on some edges!
- Step 4: Prepare the Creamy Element In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Fold in the sour cream, half of the shredded cheese, drained diced tomatoes with chilies, lime juice, and half of the chopped cilantro. This creates the luscious binding that brings everything together with bright, zesty notes.
- Step 5: Assemble the Casserole Line the bottom of your prepared baking dish with half of the tortilla quarters, overlapping slightly. Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over the tortillas. Top with half of the chicken and vegetable mixture. Repeat these layers once more, finishing with the remaining shredded cheese sprinkled evenly across the top.
- Step 6: Bake to Perfection Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden, and the casserole is heated through. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving—this resting period is crucial for the layers to set and flavors to meld perfectly.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 50mg