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Will Dickey; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners
Spice up your next taco night with this chicken fajita casserole recipe. It's the ideal dinner for a busy weeknight.
This chicken fajita casserole recipe takes a little over an hour to make with just a bit of stovetop prep before spooning everything in the casserole dish and going right into the oven.
Serve this chicken fajita casserole however you like, but we prefer ours with a heaping dollop of sour cream, sliced avocado, and salsa on top for a delicious variety of flavors in each bite. Prepare this recipe for your next dinner party, and pair it with one of our favorite big-batch summer cocktails. We promise you've never had chicken fajitas like this.
Ingredients
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Cooking spray
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2 Tbsp. olive oil
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2 large red bell peppers, seeded and sliced (4 cups)
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1 large poblano chile, seeded and sliced (1 1/2 cups)
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1 small red onion, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
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1 (5-oz.) can diced green chiles, undrained
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1 (1-oz.) envelope fajita seasoning mix
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2 tsp. garlic powder
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1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
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2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts (12 oz.)
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8 oz. cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces
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6 oz. extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups), divided
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6 oz. smoked Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups), divided
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2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
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Optional toppings: crumbled tortilla chips, sour cream, chopped avocado, salsa, lime wedges
Directions
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Prepare oven and baking dish:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack 6 to 8 inches from heat source. Coat a 7- x 11-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
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Cook peppers and onion:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add bell peppers, poblano, and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to char in spots, about 5 minutes. Add green chiles with juices, fajita seasoning, garlic, and ½ teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in chicken. Set aside.
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Combine cheeses:
Stir together cream cheese, 1 cup each of the white Cheddar and smoked Cheddar, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add chicken mixture, and stir together until combined.
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Add casserole mixture to baking dish:
Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 cup each white Cheddar and smoked Cheddar.
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Bake casserole:
Bake in preheated oven until mixture is bubbling and cheese has completely melted, about 25 minutes. Increase oven temperature to broil; broil until cheese starts to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool about 10 minutes.
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Garnish and serve:
Sprinkle evenly with cilantro. Serve immediately with desired toppings.
Will Dickey; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners