I love fajitas, and I love pasta, so why not combine the two? Creamy, cheesy, and bursting with flavors, this Chicken Fajita Pasta makes a great addition to your weekly meal rotation. Easy to make, filling, and delicious!
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What’s in this Chicken Fajita Pasta Recipe?
Packed with all my favorite chicken fajita ingredients, this dish fuses Italian and Mexican to create a super satisfying meal, with no fuss and minimal cleanup. It piles in loads of goodies, from colorful bell peppers to protein-packed chicken, all covered in a rich and creamy sauce – so good!
- Pasta: I like rotini, but any short pasta shape will work. Shapes with lots of nooks and crannies are great, as they scoop up all that creamy sauce. You could go for shells, rigatoni, penne, elbow, or farfalle. The sky’s the limit!
- Chicken: I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you could use thighs if you prefer.
- Fajita Seasoning: A rich blend of brown sugar, cumin, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, thyme, and rosemary. You can use store-bought or homemade fajita seasoning.
- Onion: A key ingredient in fajitas that adds sweetness and freshness.
- Bell Pepper: Sliced red bell pepper is another hallmark of a classic fajita. You can use any color bell peppers you like.
- Garlic: Adds garlicky flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth forms the base of the sauce. You could also use vegetable broth.
- Diced Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes are an easy way to infuse this dish with tomato flavor. You could use diced fresh tomatoes if you prefer.
- Diced Green Chiles: Canned diced green chiles add a bit of spice to this dish. Feel free to leave them out if you’re not a fan.
- Heavy Cream: Adds creaminess to the sauce.
- Cheese: Pepper jack and cheddar cheese create the perfect balance of sharpness and spiciness. You could also use Mexican cheese blend.
Variations To Try
It’s super easy to customize this one pot chicken fajita pasta to your preferences. You can substitute the chicken for another meat, such as shrimp or beef, or you can leave the meat out altogether. Feel free to pile on more veggies, such as mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, or sweet corn.
I also love to make this dish spicier by adding crushed red chilies or cayenne pepper. And if you’re gluten-free, it’s easy to swap the rotini for gluten-free rotini!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet set over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
This is a full meal on its own but you can totally amp it up with a salad or some fresh bread. It would be great with a cucumber tomato salad or taco salad and some homemade garlic bread or pull-apart cheese bread.
Salads are great for a lighter side, but some crusty bread is perfect for mopping up all that deliciously creamy sauce!
Notes from the Test Kitchen
This chicken fajita pasta is fairly mild. You can up the spice by adding some cayenne or crushed red chili flakes. Or decrease the amount of green chilies if you want it milder.
Chicken Fajita Pasta Recipe
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry rotini pasta (½ box)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons fajita seasoning divided (click for recipe!)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½ onion sliced
- 2 bell peppers any color, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 4 ounces diced green chiles (1 can)
- ½ cup heavy cream room temperature
- 1½ cups freshly shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese plus more for garnish
Optional Garnishes
- Sour cream
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Cook the rotini to al dente according to package directions. Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water, and return to the empty pot.8 ounces dry rotini pasta
- While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, season with 1 tablespoon of fajita seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 3 tablespoons fajita seasoning, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add remaining fajita seasoning and stir to coat.½ onion, 2 bell peppers, 3 cloves garlic
- Stir in the chicken broth and deglaze the bottom of the skillet.½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Add the diced tomatoes, green chiles, and cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes until it reduces slightly and add to the cooked pasta. Toss to coat.15 ounces diced tomatoes, 4 ounces diced green chiles, ½ cup heavy cream
- Add the cheeses and stir until melted. Let the pasta thicken for 10 minutes and serve with sour cream, cilantro, shredded cheese, and lime wedges.1½ cups freshly shredded pepper jack cheese, 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese, Sour cream, Chopped fresh cilantro, Lime wedges
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Be sure to cook the chicken into bite-size pieces.
- If your sauce is not looking thick, continue cooking for a bit longer.
- Ideally shred your own cheese, as pre-shredded cheeses contain anti-caking agents and do not melt as well.
- Nutritional information does not include optional garnishes.
Nutrition Information
How to Make Chicken Fajita Pasta Step by Step
Cook the Pasta and Chicken: Cook 8 ounces of rotini to al dente according to package directions. Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water, and return to the empty pot. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces, and season with 1 tablespoon of fajita seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink.
Add the Veggies: Add ½ of a sliced onion, 2 sliced bell peppers, and 3 minced cloves of garlic. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add remaining fajita seasoning and stir to coat.
Deglaze the Pan: Stir in ½ cup of low-sodium chicken broth and deglaze the bottom of the skillet.
Add the Tomatoes and Cream: Add 15 ounces (1 can) of diced tomatoes, 4 ounces (1 can) of diced green chiles, and ½ cup of room-temperature heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes until it reduces slightly and add to the cooked pasta. Toss to coat.
Add the Cheese: Add 1½ cups of freshly shredded pepper jack cheese and 1 cup of freshly shredded cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Let the pasta thicken for 10 minutes and serve with sour cream, cilantro, shredded cheese, and lime wedges.
