Description
This Fajita Chicken Pasta is a flavorful and satisfying dish that combines tender chicken, colorful bell peppers, and zesty fajita seasoning with creamy melted cheese. It’s a perfect blend of Tex-Mex flavors in a comforting pasta dish.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Penne Pasta:
- 8 oz. penne pasta
Fajita Chicken:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 bell peppers (mixed colors), sliced
- 4 tablespoons fajita seasoning, divided
- 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts
Additional Ingredients:
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (or cheddar)
- Optional toppings: Diced avocado or guac, extra shredded cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, pickled jalapeños, fresh chopped cilantro, lime wedges, hot sauce, etc.
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving at least ½ cup of cooking liquid.
- Sauté veggies: Sauté onion and peppers with fajita seasoning until tender. Set aside.
- Cook chicken: Season and cook chicken, then combine with veggies, pasta, cheese, and remaining seasoning.
- Combine: Stir in pasta cooking liquid to melt cheese and combine ingredients.
- Serve: Top with remaining cheese and optional toppings before serving.
Notes
- Ensure chicken is thinly sliced for easy eating.
- Cut onions and peppers uniformly for even cooking.
- Use a variety of bell pepper colors for flavor and visual appeal.
- Whole wheat penne adds nutrition, but any pasta shape works.
- Make sure to reserve pasta cooking liquid for the dish.
- Adjust fajita seasoning to taste for a bold flavor.
- Mexican blend cheese adds a tasty twist, but cheddar or Monterey Jack are good substitutes.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 41g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
