Chicken Fajita Casserole (With Tortillas)
Chicken fajita casserole layered with tortillas, peppers, onions, and a creamy enchilada sauce. A cheesy, family-friendly bake ready in under an hour.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ pounds chicken (breast or thighs), cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces
- 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers (any color), thinly sliced
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups red enchilada sauce, divided
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 12 small tortillas (corn or flour)
- ½ cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375F.
- Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil along with the chicken in an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cook until browned on one side (about 5 minutes) then flip and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- To the same skillet, turn the heat down to medium, then add 1 teaspoon olive oil, onion, and peppers. Cook until slightly charred and slightly tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, along with beans, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup enchilada sauce, and cream cheese, stirring until the cream cheese is well incorporated, stirring to scrape up any browned bits in the bottom of the pan.
- Spray a 9x13 ceramic baking dish with cooking spray. Add ½ cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan. Layer 4 tortillas on top of the sauce.
- Carefully spoon half of the chicken fajita veggie mixture over the tortillas, layer on another 4 tortillas, spoon the remaining half of the chicken fajita veggie mixture over tortillas, then layer the remaining 4 tortillas on top.
- Pour the remaining ½ cup enchilada sauce on top of the tortillas, spreading evenly. Sprinkle evenly with the shredded cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and melted.
The chicken can be slightly underdone here, as it will continue to cook in the oven.
Notes
- Tortillas: I tested this recipe with both flour and corn tortillas. I personally preferred the corn tortillas, however, it that's what you have on hand flour work great, too.
- GF: For gluten-free, make sure to use a gluten-free enchilada sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 (of 5) | Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 629mg | Potassium: 685mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2131IU | Vitamin C: 56mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 2mg
