Made with fresh veggies, juicy chicken, and tons of flavor, this chicken fajita casserole brings your favorite restaurant meal right to your own kitchen with ease! Served with tortillas it’s a cheesy comfort food no one can resist.
Chicken Fajita Casserole is the perfect comfort food no one can resist
Have you ever been in the mood for warm, sizzling fajitas but couldn’t be bothered to make the trek to your favorite local restaurant? Yeah, me too. Thus, this chicken fajita casserole was born! Made with simple ingredients, it’s a hearty, delicious meal that’s guaranteed to satisfy all your cravings.
Even better, it comes together in a single casserole dish and bakes in less than 30 minutes! Budget-friendly and versatile, it’s great to make in advance and is guaranteed to be a hit at your next holiday get-together or game day pitch-in. Serve it with a refreshing spicy skinny jalapeño margarita, and your guests will be singing your praises!
For more Mexican-inspired dinner ideas, check out my deliciously easy chicken enchiladas with zucchini, taco casserole, or these southwest quesadillas!
Jump to:
- Chicken Fajita Casserole is the perfect comfort food no one can resist
- Why you'll love Fajita Casserole
- Fajita Chicken Casserole ingredients
- How to make Chicken Fajita Casserole
- Chicken Fajita Casserole Recipe tips
- How to serve Fajita Chicken Rice Casserole
- Chicken Fajita Casserole with Rice storage
- Fajita Casserole FAQs
- Recipe
- Reviews
Why you'll love Fajita Casserole
- Naturally gluten free and dairy free-friendly
- High-protein and full of veggies
- You can serve it on its own for a complete meal
- One batch makes a lot, meaning it’s perfect for feeding a crowd!
- It’s easy to toss together and bakes in minutes so you can get in and out of the kitchen fast
Fajita Chicken Casserole ingredients
- Chicken - I highly recommend using breasts for this chicken fajita casserole as they absorb the flavor of the rest of the ingredients well. An easy way to pull chicken is to boil it in water and shred it in a stand mixer using a beater attachment while it’s still warm.
- Veggies - A combination of red and green bell peppers and white onion adds lots of color along with vitamins and nutrients to keep you full.
- Taco seasoning - I used a store-bought packet, but you can easily make your own too! You will need 3 - 4 tablespoons if you do.
- Instant brown rice - I like to use brown rice in place of white rice whenever I can for extra nutrients and fiber, and Instant varieties make it super quick! White rice will also work well with this fajita casserole if that’s what you prefer. However, you will likely need to adjust the amount of broth used.
- Broth - Any type will work. I chicken broth, but vegetable broth will be just as tasty. Use reduced-sodium to decrease the amount of salt in the dish.
- Greek yogurt (not pictured)- Used to provide the same tangy flavor and creamy texture as sour cream with less fat and more protein. If needed, you could swap it out for a dairy-free yogurt.
- Cheese - I use a fresh Mexican blend but any cheese will work in this recipe. Feel free to use a dairy-free option, too.
- Tortillas - Served alongside the finished chicken fajita casserole, these are the final touch to make it a show-stopping meal. Feel free to stuff, dip, shred them, or, omit them completely.
How to make Chicken Fajita Casserole
Made with all the flavor of classic chicken fajitas and none of the fuss, this casserole is a pretty failproof dish! All you’ll need is a 9x13 baking dish, and it will be ready in no time.
Step 1 : Prepare the chicken and vegetables. Pull or shred the chicken if you haven’t already. Then, add it to a baking dish along with the peppers and onions. Sprinkle the taco seasoning on top, and toss to coat.
Step 2 : Add the remaining ingredients. Combine the brown rice, chicken broth, Greek yogurt, and cheese with the chicken and vegetables, tossing until everything is well distributed.
Step 3 : Bake. Place the baking dish in the oven uncovered. Then, stir the casserole, add the remaining cheese, and place it back in the oven until the vegetables are tender and the cheese has melted. Broil for a few extra minutes to achieve a beautiful golden top layer of cheese.
Step 4: Serve. Serve your chicken fajita casserole warm with a side of heated tortillas, and enjoy!
Chicken Fajita Casserole Recipe tips
- Toss the vegetables really well with the taco seasoning. This is how the entire dish is flavored!
- Be sure to stir the rice into the dish so that the broth is covering the rice. The rice cooks into the broth and will absorb the liquid.
- Give the entire casserole a big stir after the first 15 minutes of cooking. This will ensure the rice is getting well cooked and the cheese is distributed evenly.
How to serve Fajita Chicken Rice Casserole
There are so many ways to serve this chicken fajita casserole!
- Keep it traditional, and serve the casserole warm with tortillas so your guests can make their own fajita.
- Put a few big scoops of the casserole on top of a pile of chips for a “nacho-style” fajita.
- Serve this chicken dish on top of a bed of crunchy lettuce with your favorite creamy dressing for a hearty salad.
- Use the casserole as a dip during your next get-together and serve with a bag of dipping chips.
Chicken Fajita Casserole with Rice storage
This chicken fajita casserole stores really well. Simply let it cool down completely. Then, cover it with aluminum foil or an airtight lid, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Heat it back up in the microwave in 30-second increments or in the oven at 300 for 5 - 10 minutes until your desired temperature is reached.
Can I make Fajita Chicken Casserole ahead of time?
To prepare this chicken fajita casserole ahead of time, add all the ingredients to a baking dish except the broth, yogurt, and cheese. Cover in the fridge until you’re ready to make the dish.
When ready to cook, stir in the broth, yogurt, and cheese, and bake as directed.
If you want to make this dish and freeze it, prepare it as directed. Then, cook it for just 15 minutes, and let it cool completely before storing it in a freezer-friendly container. When ready to serve, let the fajita casserole thaw out on the counter for at least 2 hours. Sprinkle a layer of shredded cheese over top, and bake for 15 minutes at 350 F until the cheese has melted.
Fajita Casserole FAQs
The rice will be soft and fluffy when the casserole is done cooking.
Almost any other meat or protein will work. Ground beef would be a great option. Or, use 2 cans of black beans for a vegetarian alternative.
I like this Siete brand seasoning as it has only natural ingredients and no added sugars. Any type will work, though. Or, you can make your own!
This depends on the type of meat you’re cooking. For steak, make sure you’re cutting it against the grain which will help tenderize it. For chicken, it’s best to use a thinner piece of chicken or slice the breast in half to thin it out as they will stay more moist and tender when cooked.
It’s best to cut chicken after it’s cooked to maintain moisture and tenderness.
Cover your fajita meat with a lid or aluminum foil when cooking. This will create some steam during the cooking process which will keep the meat moist.
For more savory Mexican-inspired recipes, check out my:
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Recipe
Fajita Chicken Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts - cooked and pulled, approximately 2 large breasts
- 1 red bell pepper - chopped
- 1 green bell pepper - chopped
- 1 white onion - chopped
- Taco seasoning - I used a store-bought packet but you can make your own too. You will need 3 - 4 Tbsp
- 2 cups instant brown rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ⅔ cup greek yogurt
- 8 oz shredded Mexican cheese - divided
- Tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Go ahead and pull the chicken if you haven’t already. Add the pulled chicken, red and green bell peppers, and onion to a 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over top and toss to coat.
- Add the brown rice, chicken broth, greek yogurt, and 1 cup of the shredded cheese to the dish and toss to distribute.
- Cook the dish uncovered in the oven for 15 minutes. Stir the casserole well to distribute the ingredients and top with remaining cheese. Cook for another 10 minutes then broil for 2 minutes for an extra golden top layer.
- Serve with tortillas and enjoy!
I made this for dinner this week and it was so good! Great for leftovers too.