Chicken Fajita Casserole is a quick and easy layered Mexican-inspired hot dish. It’s made with layers of creamy chicken, sliced bell peppers with homemade fajita seasoning, and it’s topped off with melted cheese. It’s so delicious and it’s sure to be a family favorite!
Chicken Fajita Casserole
This Chicken Fajita Casserole recipe has everything you’re looking for in a quick and easy dinner. Oh my gosh, it’s just so delicious, and I love that it’s loaded with tons of vegetables and plenty of protein.
The flavorful chicken is mixed through a creamy sauce, the vegetables are sautéed just right, and that melted cheese just tops it off perfectly (literally). The way it’s all layered together, with that bubbly cheese on top, it almost reminds of of chicken fajita lasagna.
All I can say about this dish is, YUM!! The best part is that it’s ready in no time at all, and you can count on clean plates all around the dinner table.
Homemade Fajita Seasoning
I 100% recommend making your own fajita seasoning for this dish. It’s got SO much more flavor than the store bought blends do. That’s because a lot of the volume in the store bought blends is made up of flavorless things like starches. Making your own seasoning really takes this casserole to the next level.
If you don’t want to make your own blend, I totally get it, sometimes easy is the most important thing. The amount of seasoning this recipe was written with can be substituted 1:1 for a packet of store bought taco or fajita seasoning.
Ingredients
In addition to the fajita seasoning, you’ll also need chicken, olive oil, butter, yellow, orange, and red bell peppers, zucchini, yellow onion, cream cheese, 14% sour cream, freshly shredded aged cheddar cheese (you could also swap this for Monterey Jack cheese), and fresh cilantro.
I know zucchini isn’t a typical vegetable to include in anything related to fajitas, but I included it because I’m always looking for ways to get a variety of vegetables into my family’s dinners. If you’d like a more classic flavor profile, feel free to swap this for a green bell pepper!
How To Make It
Start by making the fajita seasoning, and then mix about half of it with the oil to make a rub to coat the chicken (see the recipe card below for the full written and printable recipe).
Butterfly the chicken, and the evenly coat it with the spice and oil blend. Saute it until it’s cooked through.
Saute the vegetables until they’re softened, and then mix in the remaining seasoning.
Mix the cream cheese and sour cream together, and then coat the chicken in the creamy mixture.
Grease a casserole dish, and then layer the chicken on the bottom with the vegetables on top.
Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top. Bake the casserole until the cheese is melted, and then finish it off with a quick broil. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
What Type Of Chicken To Use
I love using air chilled boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe because they really take on the flavor of the seasoning. Plus, they’re super versatile and easy to work with. You could swap them for boneless chicken thighs if that’s what you have on hand. I recommend using air chilled chicken because it’s a lot juicier and has a better texture.
Have leftover fajita meat or some shredded rotisserie chicken laying around? Feel free to use that instead! If it’s seasoned meat, you can omit half of the seasoning called for in the recipe. If it’s unseasoned meat, saute it with the oil and half of the seasoning blend to crisp it up and get it coated in all that delicious fajita flavor.
What To Serve It With
I love to eat just as it is with a dollop of fresh our homemade Pico de Gallo. If you want to go a bit further, you could put it on a bed of our popular Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice.
You could even put it in a tortilla wrap like my husband did (he ate 3 whole wraps). It would also be delicious served with tortilla chips, or on a mini baguette to make a chicken fajita sandwich.
Is It Keto Friendly
Yes! This is a naturally low carb recipe. It would be delicious served with a healthy salad or some cauliflower rice if you’re trying to make a keto dinner.
Keep In Touch
I’d love to hear what you thought of this recipe in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime
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Mexican-Inspired Recipes
If you like this Tex-Mex and Mexican-inspired recipes, be sure to check out our entire Mexican and Latin recipes section! Some reader favorites are:
BEST Chicken Fajita Casserole Recipe
Chicken Fajita Casserole is made with layers of creamy chicken, sliced bell peppers with fajita seasoning, and it's topped off with melted cheese.
Ingredients
Fajita Seasoning: *
- 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder **
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 crush red pepper flakes
Chicken Fajita Casserole:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (about 2 large breasts)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper (stems and seeds removed, cut into 1/4” thick slices)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (stems and seeds removed, cut into 1/4” thick slices)
- 1 medium orange bell pepper (stems and seeds removed, cut into 1/4” thick slices)
- 1 medium zucchini (sliced into 1/4” thick strips) ***
- 1 medium yellow onion (thinly sliced)
- 4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature, 1/2 a brick)
- 1/2 cup 14% sour cream
- 1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese ****
- 1 Tablespoon diced cilantro (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (176 C).
- In a medium bowl, combine the fajita seasoning spices. Measure out 1 Tablespoon and set it aside for the vegetables (the slightly larger amount remaining in the mixing bowl is for the chicken in the next step).
- In the medium bowl that the remaining spice blend is in, mix in the olive oil.
- Using a sharp knife, butterfly the chicken breast all the way through so you have 4 even pieces. Evenly coat the chicken fillets in the oil and spice blend.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken to the pan, and cook until golden brown (about 3 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reads 165 F on an instant read meat thermometer).
- Remove the chicken from the pan, and set aside. Turn the heat down to medium and add the butter.
- Once the butter is melted, add in the onions, peppers and zucchini. Saute for 5 - 7 minutes (or until the vegetables are softened), then mix in the remaining seasoning fajita seasoning blend.
- While the vegetables are cooking, mix the softened cream cheese and sour cream together, and cut the chicken into thin strips. Mix the chicken strips into the cream cheese and sour cream mixture.
- Lightly grease a 13 x 9 casserole dish with cooking spray, spread the chicken mixture across the bottom of the dish, spread the sautéed vegetables on top of the chicken, then evenly sprinkle the shredded cheese over top of the vegetables.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven to broil, and broil for 2 - 3 minutes (or until the cheese is just turning golden brown).
Notes
*I highly recommend making your own fajita seasoning because it’s so much more flavorful. If you’d rather use a premade seasoning blend, this amount will swap 1:1 for a store bought package of taco or fajita seasoning.
**This chili powder is a spice blend sold in the USA and Canada. It’s not the same thing as chili powder sold in the UK or other parts of the world, which is just pure ground chilis.
***Zucchini isn’t a typical vegetable to include in anything related to fajitas, but I included it because I’m always looking for ways to get a variety of vegetables into my family’s dinners. If you’d like a more classic flavor profile, feel free to swap this for a green bell pepper!
****It’s important to use freshly shredded cheese. The cheese that comes pre-shredded is coated in a starch to prevent the shreds from sticking together, but that starch stops the cheese from melting very well.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 371Total Fat: 26.4gCarbohydrates: 10gNet Carbohydrates: 7.6gFiber: 2.4gSugar: 5.7gProtein: 24.5g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate. This was calculated assuming 6 servings.
If you’re looking for a casserole recipe that’s packed full of veggies and that everyone in your family will love, this Chicken Fajita Casserole is the dinner you need to make!
5 thoughts on “Chicken Fajita Casserole Recipe”
Sounds great! Looking for something for friends from Mexico & this should do it. Also teaching the 10 yr old son to cook. Starting with the Doritos Casserole tomorrow!
Thanks
Thanks so much, Linda! I hope you and your friends love the Chicken Fajita Casserole, and that your son enjoys learning how to make it! -Alexa
For the first time made this delicious dish! I added ancho chili powder & 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne. Got the husband seal of approval & I will make the chicken fajita casserole again!
Can a rotisserie chicken be used instead of raw chicken for this recipe?
Hi Amy, Yes, rotisserie chicken would work out great in this recipe. -Alexa