A delicious, flavor-packed, easy-to-make casserole filled with chicken, sweet bell peppers, and onions. This Chicken Fajita Casserole is perfect for weeknight family dinners.
Everything you love about traditional fajitas in an easy-to-make dish!
Why you'll love fajita casserole
I love ordering fajitas when we go out to our favorite Mexican restaurant. There's so much flavor and I love piling everything into a flour tortilla and eating it like a taco.
Making chicken fajitas at home isn't difficult when you make them in a casserole form. Everything gets tossed in a fajita spice mixture, then piled into a casserole dish and baked.
It's that easy! Everything is perfectly cooked and you even get a bit of that charring on the edges.
Chicken fajita casserole is easy enough for weeknight dinners and I even have a few make-ahead tips to make getting dinner on the table a bit easier!
Chicken fajita casserole ingredients
This section reviews the best ingredients and substitutions for this recipe. For an exact list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.
- Chicken - Use 1 ½ - 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Slice chicken into strips about 1 inch thick.
- Bell Peppers - I like to use red, yellow, or orange bell peppers because they are sweeter than green bell peppers. Use whatever type you prefer. You'll need 2-3 bell peppers.
- Onion - Use a large yellow or white onion. Slice onion into long strips.
- Cheese - I used a mixture of cheddar and jack cheese. You can use all cheddar or all jack if you prefer.
- Fajita Seasoning - Homemade seasoning is my preference, but store-bought works too! You could also use taco seasoning (there is very little difference between the two) and sometimes we need to use what we already have on hand.
How to make chicken fajita casserole
The complete recipe and ingredients can be found at the bottom of this page in a printable recipe card.
- Slice peppers, onion, and chicken into long strips.
- Place one tablespoon of fajita seasoning in a bowl along with one tablespoon of olive oil. Mix well.
- Add chicken and stir until chicken is completely covered with the seasoning. I use clean hands to really make certain the chicken is well coated.
4. Place chicken in a greased casserole dish.
5. Add the remaining one tablespoon of seasoning along with one tablespoon of oil into the same bowl. Mix peppers and onions so they are well coated.
6. Add peppers and onions to the casserole dish.
7. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top of the casserole.
8. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
9. Remove from oven, top with fresh cilantro and serve hot with warmed flour tortillas and toppings.
Chicken fajita casserole recipe variations
- Add a bit of spice - Slice a jalapeno or add a can of drained roasted chiles to the peppers and onions.
- Change up the cheese - Use your favorite shredded cheese as a topping.
- Chicken Thighs - Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
- Seasoning - Use fajita seasoning or taco seasoning.
Recipe tips
- Cut chicken strips into similar-sized pieces.
- Slice peppers and onions lengthwise. This creates long straight pieces.
- If doubling this recipe or adding additional chicken or peppers, separate it into two baking dishes so the ingredients are not piled too high.
- Make certain the chicken is fully cooked through. Chicken should be at least 165°F.
Time saving tips
- Pre-slice your chicken, peppers and onions ahead of time. Store separately in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Have all your toppings cut and put into individual bowls ahead of time. Cover and then bring out just before the casserole is fully baked.
- Five minutes before the chicken fajitas are done, heat your tortillas on a cast iron griddle.
- Serve right from the casserole dish. No need to transfer to another dish.
Frequently asked questions
Once cool, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Dish out a single portion into a microwave-safe container. Heat in microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through. Stir the contents after one minute.
Yes, once this casserole is fully cooked, allow it to cool. Then cover with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to one month.
What to serve with fajita chicken casserole
More chicken casseroles
- Chicken Pasta Bake
- Broccoli Chicken Alfredo Bake
- Chicken and Rice
- Chicken, Broccoli and Rice
- Green Chile, Chicken and Rice
- Chicken Enchiladas
More from Beyond The Chicken Coop
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Be certain to check out all my delicious main dish recipes!
Chicken Fajitas Casserole
Equipment
- 9 x 13" Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (sliced into 1 inch strips)
- 2 bell peppers (red and yellow) (sliced into strips)
- 1 medium sized onion (yellow or white) (slice into strips)
- 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning (separated)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (separated)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, or a blend)
Serving Suggestions
- 12 small flour tortillas, 4-5 inch size (optional)
- sour cream (optional)
- finely diced tomatoes (optional)
- diced avocado (optional)
- cilantro leaves (optional)
- sliced jalapenos (optional)
Instructions
- Place one tablespoon of fajita seasoning in a large mixing bowl along with one tablespoon of olive oil. Mix well.2 tablespoons fajita seasoning, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add chicken and stir until chicken is completely covered with the seasoning. I use clean hands to really make certain the chicken is well coated.2 chicken breasts
- Place chicken in a greased 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
- Add the remaining one tablespoon of seasoning along with one tablespoon of oil into the same bowl. Mix peppers and onions so they are well coated.
- Add peppers and onions to casserole dish.2 bell peppers (red and yellow), 1 medium sized onion (yellow or white)
- Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top of casserole.1 cup shredded cheese
- Bake uncovered in a preheated 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove from oven, top with fresh cilantro and serve hot with warmed flour tortillas and toppings.
Notes
- Pre-slice your chicken, peppers and onions ahead of time. Store separately in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Have all your toppings cut and put into individual bowls ahead of time. Cover and then bring out just before the casserole is fully baked.
- Five minutes before the chicken fajitas are done, heat your tortillas on a cast iron griddle.
- Serve right from the casserole dish. No need to transfer to another dish.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Kristina says
This turned out perfect. Thanks for a great recipe!
Kathy says
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Kristin says
Looks so easy to make and delicious! I like to make my own fajita seasoning so I'm excited to try it out with this recipe.
Kathy says
Wonderful! This makes a tasty dinner! Enjoy!
Amy says
I made this for one of my personal chef clients this week. They love fajitas and casseroles so this was the perfect dish for them. They absolutely loved it! Thanks for a great recipe.
Kathy says
Hi Amy,
Thanks so much! I'm glad they all enjoyed it! How fun for you to create happiness for others through food!
Kathy 🙂
Laurie says
Looks delicious but no way is that only 157 mg sodium! The cheese alone is way more than that and then add the tortillas and fajita seasoning and the sodium is through the roof!
Kathy says
Hi Laurie,
Thanks so much for your comment. I did go back and look at the nutritional values and had our system rerun the numbers. And you were correct. 157 was way too low. I think the tortillas originally were counted since they are optional. As far as being through the roof, I guess that depends on your requirements. If you use my homemade fajita seasoning, it only has 2 teaspoons of coarse salt for ½ cup of seasoning and you only use 2 tablespoons for this recipe. The sodium from my homemade seasoning has 139 mg of sodium which is about half the amount you'd find in the packages. Tortillas vary greatly so you can omit those or buy ones that are lower in sodium. You may also want to consider corn tortillas.
Kathy
Gwynn Galvin says
I love how all the flavors of a fajita are in this easy casserole recipe. My family loved it!
Kathy says
Thanks so much! I'm glad everyone enjoyed it! 🙂
Craig says
When the casserole is finished do we put the casserole ingredients on the tortillas?
Kathy says
Hi Craig,
There are many ways to eat the fajita filling. Many people add the filling to the tortillas and top with sour cream and guacamole or their choice of toppings. You can also just eat the filling over rice. I hope you enjoy it!
Kathy
Susan Scott says
Can I make this casserole ahead of time?
Kathy says
You bet! Just assemble, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. You may need to increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes.
Enjoy 🙂
Valentina says
Such a great casserole idea. I'll take mine on the cilantro lime rice, please. 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy says
Yes!!! And it goes perfectly with the fajita casserole! 🙂
David @ Spiced says
Oh, you've got me craving fajitas like there's no tomorrow now! Fajitas are always one of my go-to options at Mexican restaurants, too. (Mental note - we need to find a new Mexican restaurant here in Asheville...I miss our old one, and we haven't gone out for Mexican in a long time!) In the meantime, though, I think I need to make this casserole. It looks cheesy in the best way possible!
Kathy says
Thanks! This is one of those really easy meals that everyone loves!