Cheesy Chicken Fajita Casserole (Printable Version)
Tex-Mex inspired comfort food with shredded chicken, peppers, and melted cheese baked to golden perfection.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 large green bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 large onion, sliced
→ Dairy
06 - 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
07 - 1/2 cup sour cream
08 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
→ Pantry & Seasonings
09 - 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
10 - 1 tsp chili powder
11 - 1 tsp ground cumin
12 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
14 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
15 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
16 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
17 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Garnish
18 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
19 - Sliced green onions
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced bell peppers and onion. Sauté for 6–8 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized. Remove from heat.
03 - In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, sautéed vegetables, diced tomatoes with green chilies, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, softened cream cheese, and sour cream. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
04 - Transfer the chicken and vegetable mixture to the prepared casserole dish, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle shredded Mexican blend cheese uniformly over the top.
05 - Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes until the casserole is hot and bubbly throughout and the cheese is melted and golden brown on top.
06 - Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and sliced green onions if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pan then bakes into pure comfort food magic
- The cheese gets perfectly golden and bubbly while the chicken stays incredibly juicy
02 -
- Draining the diced tomatoes is crucial or you'll end up with a watery casserole
- Letting it rest those 5 minutes makes serving so much cleaner and neater
03 -
- Mix some cheese into the filling too, not just on top, for extra gooey pockets throughout
- Broil for the last 2 minutes if you want extra crispy cheese edges