Fajita chicken pasta has tender pasta, strips of chicken, charred onions and peppers, and plenty of fajita seasoning and cheese to bring it all together. This delicious family dinner is ready in just 25 minutes!
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. penne pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, sliced
2 bell peppers (mixed colors), sliced
4 tablespoons fajita seasoning, divided
1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (or cheddar)
Optional toppings:
Diced avocado or guac, extra shredded cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, pickled jalapeños, fresh chopped cilantro, lime wedges, hot sauce, etc.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve at least 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid when draining the pasta.
Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and peppers and season with 1 tablespoon of the fajita seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred and tender, about 5-6 minutes. Remove the onion and peppers to a bowl.
Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil to the same skillet. Season the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the fajita seasoning and add to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
Return the onion and peppers to the pan. Add the cooked pasta, 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese and the remaining tablespoon of fajita seasoning to the pan. Add 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid and stir well to combine everything and melt the cheese. Add extra pasta cooking liquid if needed to get everything to come together.
Serve the fajita chicken pasta with the remaining cheese sprinkled on top, and any other desired toppings. Enjoy!
NOTES:
Chicken: Be sure to slice your chicken thin enough. You’ll want them to be small and easy to bite into so you can get some along with the pasta and veggies.
Onions and peppers: Similarly, make sure your onions and peppers are about the same size so they cook evenly. I cut long strips in half so they aren’t so huge to get a fork around.
Pepper colors: Using a variety of different colored bell peppers adds some great flavor and color interest. When possible, it’s nice to have some green, yellow, red and orange in there, but you only need two bell peppers worth for the recipe. So it’s definitely OK to buy one red and one yellow, for instance, and stop there. (Or get a bag of the mini sweet peppers and use some of those.)
Pasta: I love using whole wheat penne for some whole grain goodness, but regular penne is fine. You could also substitute a different pasta shape, like medium shells, if you prefer. Be sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking liquid though when you go to drain the pasta cause we’re using it to tie everything together.
Fajita seasoning: We love homemade fajita seasoning, which is so very easy to mix up yourself, but you can certainly use a store-bought mix. You do need a lot though – 4 tablespoons. I’ve tried it with less and it just didn’t have enough fajita flavor.
Cheese: The bagged shredded Mexican blend cheese is great here for some extra flavor and oomph. However, you could use cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese if you’d like.
Leftovers: The leftover fajita chicken pasta can be stored, once cooled, in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet to warm it back up. Or freeze the leftovers, once cooled, in a freezer-safe ziptop bag or container for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat.
NUTRITIONAL INFO:
YIELD: 6 SERVING SIZE: 1
Amount Per Serving: CALORIES: 436TOTAL FAT: 17gSATURATED FAT: 8gTRANS FAT: 0gUNSATURATED FAT: 8gCHOLESTEROL: 132mgSODIUM: 622mgCARBOHYDRATES: 20gFIBER: 2gSUGAR: 3gPROTEIN: 47g