Chicken Fajita Skillet Casserole

This Chicken Fajita Skillet Casserole takes everything you love about classic fajitas—smoky peppers, onions, seasoned chicken, and melted cheese—and turns it into a hearty, oven-baked dish. It’s the perfect fusion of a fajita’s bold flavors and a comforting casserole’s baked goodness. Made with rotisserie chicken for convenience, this is a go-to weeknight meal that comes together fast and delivers big on taste.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
This skillet casserole brings sizzling fajita flavor to your table without the fuss of separate pans and stovetop assembly. With a creamy tomato-chile sauce, sharp cheddar cheese, tender chicken, and a crispy tortilla chip topping, it satisfies every craving in just one dish. It’s colorful, filling, and made with real, wholesome ingredients—all in under an hour.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 poblano peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced (about 1½ cups)
• 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced (about 1½ cups)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2½ cups shredded cooked chicken (from 1 rotisserie chicken)
• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups shredded yellow and/or white sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
• 3 cups broken tortilla chips
• Optional toppings: chopped cilantro, sour cream, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 375°F.

Step 2: Cook the Peppers and Onions
Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the poblano peppers, bell pepper, and onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until they start to soften and brown.

Step 3: Season the Veggies
Add salt, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, and garlic powder to the skillet. Stir well and cook for 2 more minutes to develop the flavors. Remove the vegetables and set aside.

Step 4: Make the Sauce
Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, whisking constantly, until the mixture is golden and fragrant. Stir in the diced tomatoes with green chiles and chicken broth. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy.

Step 5: Add Chicken and Beans
Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken and rinsed pinto beans. Mix well to combine everything evenly.

Step 6: Assemble the Casserole
Spread the chicken mixture evenly across the skillet. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese over the top. Add the reserved sautéed vegetables, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Top with crushed tortilla chips.

Step 7: Bake
Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and slightly golden.

Step 8: Serve
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with optional toppings such as cilantro, sour cream, pico de gallo, or shredded lettuce.

Expert Tips and Tricks:

• Use an oven-safe skillet: A cast iron skillet is ideal for stovetop-to-oven cooking. If you don’t have one, transfer the ingredients to a baking dish after the stovetop steps.
• Control the spice: Add more chili powder or a pinch of cayenne if you like heat. Omit poblano if you want it milder.
• Keep chips crispy: Don’t add tortilla chips until right before baking. This keeps them crunchy.
• Make it ahead: Assemble the casserole without the chips, refrigerate, and bake when ready. Add chips just before baking.
• Customize the cheese: Try pepper jack, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend for a different twist.

Serving Suggestions:
This casserole is satisfying on its own, but it’s also great with:

1. Fresh guacamole or avocado slices
2. Classic Spanish or Mexican rice
3. Charred corn on the cob
4. Refried or black beans
5. A side salad with lime dressing
6. Salsa verde or chipotle salsa
7. Lime wedges for a citrusy kick
8. Hot sauce or pickled jalapeños
9. Fresh fruit with chili-lime seasoning
10. Warm flour tortillas on the side

Storage Tips:

• Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Cool completely and freeze in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 months.
• Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 350°F to keep the chips crisp. Microwave works in a pinch, though chips will soften.

Make-Ahead Advice:
Chop the vegetables, shred the chicken, and make the sauce ahead of time. Store everything separately and assemble when you’re ready to bake. This is perfect for meal prepping or easy entertaining.

Serving Size and Scaling:
This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings. For a family gathering or party, you can double the ingredients and bake it in a large 9×13 casserole dish. Expect about 1½ cups per serving.

Chicken Fajita Skillet Casserole

Juicy chicken, bell peppers, and onions baked with cheesy, seasoned goodness in one skillet. A quick, flavorful meal that’s perfect for weeknights or family dinners.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Tex-Mex

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 poblano peppers thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow or orange bell pepper thinly sliced (1½ cups)
• 1 medium white onion thinly sliced (1½ cups)
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 10-oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2½ cups shredded cooked chicken from 1 rotisserie chicken
• 1 15-oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups shredded yellow and/or white sharp cheddar cheese 8 oz
• 3 cups broken tortilla chips
• Optional toppings: chopped cilantro sour cream, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add poblano peppers, bell pepper, and onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened and browned. Stir in salt, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, and garlic powder. Cook for 2 more minutes. Remove vegetables from skillet and set aside.
• Melt butter in the same skillet. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute until golden. Stir in diced tomatoes with green chiles and chicken broth. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes until thickened.
• Remove from heat and stir in shredded chicken and pinto beans.
• Spread chicken mixture evenly in the skillet. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese on top. Add cooked vegetables over the cheese. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, then top with broken tortilla chips.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until the top is bubbly and lightly browned.
• Serve with desired toppings like cilantro, sour cream, pico de gallo, or shredded lettuce.

Notes

For a spicier dish, add a chopped jalapeño with the peppers or stir in a pinch of cayenne with the spices.

To make ahead, assemble up to the point of adding tortilla chips. Store in the fridge, then add chips and bake when ready.

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Keyword chicken fajita, chicken fijita skillet, skillet casserole

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!