Easy Chicken Fajita Casserole (Small family portion)
This one-pan Easy Chicken Fajita Casserole is everything you love about classic fajitas, only in a hearty, oven-baked dish that's loaded with tender chicken, sautéed peppers, zucchini, rice, and melty cheese. A healthy and complete meal for two or a small family.
Chicken Fajita Casserole (one-skillet dinner for two, plus leftovers)
I am loving this season of small-batch meals. Like my One-Skillet Salmon with Orzo or Slow Cooker Taco Stuffed Peppers. It's just my husband and I and we are always on the lookout for delicious, low-effort dinner ideas that don't require a huge pan and leftovers for days. This Easy Chicken Fajita Casserole is made in just one-skillet and it's the perfect amount for two people with a little leftover. It has all the yummy fajita goodies baked with rice and cheese. We love to serve this with cool sour cream, fresh cilantro and a side of tortilla chips for some crunch. Healthy and so good!
Simple Ingredients
- Chicken breast- We use boneless skinless chicken breast for a leaner option.
- Onions and bell peppers- Classic fajita veggies.
- Zucchini- Adds a nice boost of veggies.
- Canned tomatoes- Rotel fire roasted tomatoes and green chiles offer a smoky flavor.
- Rice- Use your favorite long-grain white rice.
- Chicken broth
- Fajita seasoning
- Coby Jack cheese
Variations and Easy to Customize
- Make it low carb: Skip the rice and serve over the top of cauliflower rice or in lettuce wraps.
- Add black beans or corn for more texture and fiber.
- Use rotisserie chicken for an even faster meal.
- Try it with steak or shrimp instead of chicken.
How To make Chicken Fajita Casserole
- Heat a skillet to medium high heat and add olive oil. Sear chicken slices with fajita seasoning until browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Add peppers and onions and sauté for a few minutes then stir in zucchini slices. Cook another 2-3 minutes to slightly soften the zucchini.
- Stir in chicken broth, rice, Rotel, and additional fajita seasoning. Bring to a simmer and place the lid on.
- Bake casserole in the oven at 375 for about 30-minutes. Fluff rice and top with cheese. Bake another few minutes to melt the cheese and garnish with greens like cilantro and green onions.
Topping Ideas
Jazz up this dish even more with yummy toppings like these:
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Fresh cilantro
- Sliced green onions
- Squeeze of lime juice
- Sliced jalapeños
- Hot sauce or fresh salsa
Helpful Cooking Tips and Storage
- Don't overcook the chicken, just sear until browned, it will finish cooking in the oven.
- Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Reheat in the oven or microwave: For best texture, reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes, or microwave individual portions.
Easy Chicken Fajita Casserole
Equipment
- 10 inch non-stick, oven safe skillet with fitted lid
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium chicken breast sliced in thin slices
- 1 ½ tablespoon fajita seasoning, divided
- 1 cup yellow onion, sliced
- 1 ½ cups bell pepper, any color, cut in slices we use red and green
- 1 small zucchini, cut in ½ moon slices
- ¾ cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1 (10) ounce can Rotel fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoon chicken broth
- ¾ cup Colby Jack shredded cheese
- fresh cilantro to garnish
- sliced green onions to garnish
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375℉.
- Heat a medium, oven safe skillet with fitted lid to medium high heat. Add olive oil and chicken. Toss with ½ of the fajita seasoning and a pinch of salt. Cook chicken until browned then transfer to a plate.
- To the hot skillet add onions and bell peppers. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Not too long, they will continue to cook in the oven. Toss in zucchini and cook another 2-3 minutes.
- Next add chicken back to the skillet along with white rice, tomatoes and green chiles, and chicken broth. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Note: Make sure all the rice is submerged in the broth. Add a splash more liquid to make sure the rice is covered.
- Place the lid on the skillet and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid. Fluff with a spoon or fork and top with Colby Jack cheese. Place back in the oven to melt for 5-minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro and green onions before serving.
Notes
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Squeeze of lime juice
- Sliced jalapeños
- Hot sauce or fresh salsa
Nutrition
Try these next!
More easy suppers to try: Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas, Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, Cowboy Cornbread Casserole, Mexican Quinoa Casserole, Stovetop Taco Soup.
Note: Some of the links on my website are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra charge to you.
