Chicken Fajita Casserole

This easy fantastic Chicken Fajita Casserole combines delectable chicken breasts marinated in fajita seasoning, red and orange bell pepper, brown rice, and salsa-style tomatoes.  It is topped with plenty of melty cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and salsa.  It combines all the delicious flavors of chicken fajitas in casserole form. and it is one of our favorite chicken casseroles. 

Life is definitely busy this time of year. The hustle and bustle really keeps you flying by the seat of your pants.  So easy simple casseroles that come together quickly and contain wholesome ingredients are always appreciated at my house.

With the exception of the rice this casserole dish can all be prepared in one large ovenproof skillet.  If you wanted to jazz it up even more you could add avocados, black olives or sliced grape tomatoes.  I use brown rice in this casserole just because it has a few more beneficial nutrients but you can substitute white rice.

How do you make Chicken Fajita Casserole?

First in a large zipper storage bag combine the chicken, olive oil, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, lime juice and honey. Allow the chicken to marinate in the mixture in the fridge for about 30-60 minutes. Next in a large skillet over medium heat add a little vegetable oil and cook the chicken until it is browned on all sides.  Now add the bell peppers and onions and cook for several minutes.

Stir in the cooked rice and salsa style tomatoes. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Finally sprinkle with plenty of shredded cheddar cheese and bake until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot.

Tips on making Chicken Fajita Casserole

• You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. Just try to cut the chicken in bite size uniform pieces so they cook evenly.
• Don’t skip the seasoning/marinade step of this recipe.  It adds a lot of flavor and dimension to the recipe.
• Cook your rice in advance or make cauliflower rice and go low carb or keto.
• I like to use shredded cheddar cheese but you can use pepper jack cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, or any Mexican or fajita blend that melts well.
• If you do not have an ovenproof skillet transfer the mixture to a baking dish before topping with the cheese. 
• Top with any or all of your favorite toppings like chopped cilantro, tomatoes, black beans, green onions, avocado, black olives, or sour cream.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.

This delectable Chicken Fajita Casserole is easy to prepare and only needs enough time in the oven to properly melt the cheese which is about twenty minutes.  Feel free to serve with soft flour tortillas like chicken soft tacos, or crispy tortilla chips like nachos but I personally like it straight out of the skillet. That way the flavors can really burst without being masked by more carbs.

More Tex-Mex recipes

Chicken Fajita Casserole

This protein-packed Chicken Fajita Casserole comes together quickly and easily.  It combines deliciously seasoned chicken with sweet veggies, brown rice, and plenty of melted cheddar cheese.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: main meal chicken

Cuisine: southwest

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 587kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lbs. chicken breast cut in bite size pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 1 orange pepper chopped
• 2 cups COOKED rice
• 1 can salsa style or fire roasted tomatoes
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• salsa optional
• sour cream optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large ziplock bag, combine chicken, olive oil, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, lime juice, and honey. Place in refrigerator and allow to marinate for 30 minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until just starting to brown, approximately 4-5 minutes. Add onions and peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in cooked rice, salsa style tomatoes. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Top with shredded cheese.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Notes

• • For this recipe, you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs. Just try to cut the chicken into bite-size uniform pieces, so they cook evenly.

• • Don't skip the seasoning/marinade step of this recipe.  It adds a lot of flavor and dimension to the recipe.

• • Cook your rice in advance or make cauliflower rice and go low carb or keto.

• • I like to use shredded cheddar cheese, but you can use pepper jack cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, or any Mexican or fajita blend that melts well.

• • If you do not have an ovenproof skillet, transfer the mixture to a baking dish before topping it with the cheese.

• • Top with any or all of your favorite toppings like chopped cilantro, tomatoes, black beans, green onions, avocado, black olives, or sour cream.

• • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.

Nutrition

Calories: 587kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 133mg | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 871mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2124IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 341mg | Iron: 2mg

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