When you’re in the mood for a fresh, comforting baked casserole… allow me to introduce you to this easy, feel-good chicken fajita casserole. It’s packed with tender juicy chicken, colorful pepper and onion fajita veggies, plus layers of corn tortillas; all bathed in lightly creamy and smoky enchilada sauce and topped with a sprinkle of gooey cheese. Easy to make and a total crowd-pleaser!
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Better Than Takeout Chicken Fajita Casserole
Hear me out, this chicken fajita casserole is easier than takeout and totally scratches the fajita itch (extra points because it can be made ahead!).
First of all, it isn’t complicated at all – all you do is quickly saute the chicken and vegetables, then add the beans, enchilada sauce, cream cheese and mix it all together.
Layer all this with corn tortillas in a baking dish, add a light sprinkle of shredded cheese, and either bake right away or freeze for a future meal. So simple and seriously so delicious!
Secondly, the 2 ingredient sauce is so simple and light. You won’t find any canned cream soups in this dish, and honestly you don’t need them because by combining a touch of cream cheese and enchilada sauce you get a fresh, yet luxuriously creamy sauce that’s not too heavy.
I, of course, love to use my quick smokey homemade enchilada sauce (it’s worth the extra couple of minutes), but you can absolutely use a good quality store-bought enchilada sauce to make the recipe even easier.
After just 30 minutes in the oven, this hearty, healthy fajita casserole is ready to eat, and I personally love to pair it with my top-rated taco slaw for a fresh, crunchy element!
And if you don’t want to turn on the oven? No worries! This stovetop chicken enchilada skillet is very and can be made on the stovetop.
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Make This Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free
Chicken fajita casserole can easily be made dairy-free and gluten-free!
For dairy-free, swap out the regular cream cheese for dairy-free cream cheese, and the Mexican shredded cheese blend for dairy-free cheddar cheese.
For gluten-free, make sure to use a gluten-free enchilada sauce.
Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Chicken Fajita Casserole
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Make Ahead so You Can Have Fajitas Whenever You Want
One of the best parts about this casserole is that you can make it ahead of time and freeze for a future meal – literally a busy lifesaver!
All you have to do is assemble the casserole, cover with plastic wrap, and stick it in the freezer.
When it’s time to bake, take off the plastic wrap and cover the casserole with foil. Bake an additional 10 minutes with the foil on.
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Feel-Good Chicken Fajita Casserole
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 bite-sized pieces
- 2 onions thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers (any color) thinly sliced
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups enchilada sauce divided
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 12 corn tortillas
- 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 (the chicken doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through). 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 9×13 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.
Notes
Nutrition
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