One casserole dish is all it takes for this incredibly versatile chicken fajita casserole. Layer thinly sliced chicken breasts with bell peppers, onions, cheese, and some seasonings and lime and you have a meal that works just as well for dinner as it does for a wrap filling for lunch the next day. Keep it as is for a low carb dinner, pair with some broccoli rice for something more substantial, or go all out and add rice, sour cream and fresh avocado for an insanely delicious meal the whole family will love.
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Chicken Fajita Casserole Bake
I made this for the first time last month, and we have had it twice again since then.
Everyone loves it, including all 3 kids. And we all know how hard it is to get everyone in the family 100% on board with a meal. There’s always someone having a whinge about something.
Not with this meal.
It is:
- incredibly easy, involving simply slicing and layering and popping everything into the oven;
- low carb;
- keto-friendly;
- meal prep friendly;
- great as a leftover chicken fajita wrap the next day;
- so easy to put together you can even get the kids involved;
- super quick to put together, making it the perfect weeknight meal.
What Do We Need For This Healthy Chicken Fajita Casserole?
To make this the ultimate weeknight meal experience I have kept the ingredients for this chicken fajita casserole super simple.
All you will need is:
- chicken breasts (or if you live in Australia and have access to chicken tenders you could remove one step from the prep time and use those instead)
- brown onions
- bell peppers/capsicums (I used 3 colors because the kids thought that was great, but use what’s on special or what you have on hand)
- cumin
- paprika
- garlic
- lots of cheese
- lots of lime
- cilantro/coriander (optional if you are not a fan)
- jalapenos if you like a little spice. I add mine at the end to keep it kid-friendly, but you can always add during cooking time if you want the flavor infused with the rest of the dish.
You will also need a good casserole dish.
I was gifted this beautiful Le Creuset Marseille Blue Heritage dish from Everten, and it has become my go-to casserole dish whenever I want to make a one-pot family-friendly dish but still have it look fancy.
The gorgeous color reminded me of the dishes they used to serve up at my favorite Mexican restaurant in California and was the inspiration for this chicken fajita recipe.
How To Serve Up Chicken Fajita Casserole
If you are following a low-carb or keto diet then serve it up as is and away you go.
If you aren’t following such a diet, or just like something a little bit more substantial then here are some ideas I have tried:
- serve with broccoli rice or cauliflower rice (still low carb)
- serve with regular rice or orange rice like you get in a Mexican restaurant
- with sour cream, avocado, more lime, and some jalapenos
- as an actual fajita in a flour or corn tortilla
- as a wrap with some sour cream and avocado
- in a salad on a bed of lettuce or spinach leaves
- in lettuce leaves instead of tortillas if keeping it low-carb and/or gluten-free
It really is a versatile meal and lends itself well to being served up in a multitude of ways.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 or 2 days and simply reheat before serving, or enjoy cold.
Need More One-Pot Meals
One-pot meals like this chicken fajita casserole become so important when life gets busy and you don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen.
Even though I cook almost every day, I have a few staples I rely on during busy times:
- One-pot oven-roasted chicken in immunity-boosting broth
- Instant pot lasagna soup
- Rustic one pot white bean and sausage soup
- One-pan creamy garlic chicken with potatoes and garden herbs
- One-pot creamy garlic and tortellini soup
If you have a favorite one-pot meal be sure to leave a comment and inspire us with some more ideas to make a busy week that little bit easier.
Happy eating.
xx
One casserole dish is all it takes for this incredibly versatile chicken fajita casserole. Layer thinly sliced chicken breasts with bell peppers, onions, cheese, and some seasonings and lime and you have a meal that works just as well for dinner as it does for a wrap filling for lunch the next day. Keep it as is for a low carb dinner, pair with some broccoli rice for something more substantial, or go all out and add rice, sour cream and fresh avocado for an insanely delicious meal the whole family will love.
- 1 1/2 lbs (about 750g) chicken breasts cut lengthwise to make them nice and thin (chicken tenders work well also)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 limes juiced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 3 colored bell peppers (red, green and yellow) seeded and cut into strips
- 1 onion peeled, halved and each half cut into 4
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella grated
- 1 jalapeno chopped (optional)
- cilantro, jalapenos, sour cream to serve
- salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 435F (225C) and lightly grease a casserole dish
Combine the cumin and paprika in a small dish. Add salt and pepper if you like and stir to combine.
Place the sliced chicken breasts (see notes) into the casserole dish. Drizzle on the olive oil and lime juice, sprinkle on half the paprika mixture, and all of the garlic.
Top the chicken breasts with the bell peppers and onion. Sprinkle on the rest of the spice mixture, followed by the mozzarella cheese. At this point add some chopped jalapenos if you are adding them.
Pop into the oven and bake for roughly 25 mins, or until the chicken is cooked through (see notes).
Serve as is or in tortillas etc. For more serving options see the list in the post above.
If you do not cut the chicken thin enough it may take longer to cook. Check that the chicken is cooked through by using a meat thermometer to ensure the inside temperature is 165F (74C).
If you do not have a meat thermometer you can just cut down the middle of the chicken breast and make sure it is white and the juices are clear.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it. I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions! And if you make this please tag me on Instagram with @wholefoodbellies so I can share it <3
Tracy says
Insanely easy AND loved by 3 kids? Say no more. This is exactly what we need for our busy weeknights, especially with picky kids. Thanks for another delicious, easy recipe!
Trish Bozeman says
I can’t believe how insanely easy this is! We are all about the one pot meals with a toddler and a busy schedule. Plus, the whole family loves it. Thanks for the great recipe, Donna!
Gloria says
This looks like a great dinner for any night of the week. You can never have too many casseroles in your rotation. This would also be a great take along to a pot luck too.