When I first made this easy Chicken Fajita Pasta Recipe, I had no idea how much we were going to fall in love with it! I mean, we love fajitas (and Tex-Mex flavors in general) and we also love creamy pasta, so it makes sense that we would love this dish. It's a unique take on fajita flavor and a perfect easy weeknight meal.
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The smoky, slightly charred onions and peppers pair perfectly with tender strips of chicken in this dish. Combine those with classic fajita spices, a little bit of sweetness from the brown sugar, plus cheesy pasta? It's a home run.
If you love easy pasta recipes with chicken, you will also love this creamy parmesan One Pot Chicken Pasta, my picnic-friendly Pea Pasta Salad, and this Tuscan-inspired Creamy Sausage Pasta.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Bold Flavors: Seriously, we are obsessed with how well this one pot chicken fajita pasta turned out! It's kid-friendly too. Cheesy pasta is a fun way to do fajita night a little differently.
- Simple and Easy to Make: If you need dinner on the table in 45 minutes or less, this is a perfect chicken and pasta dish to make.
- Wholesome and Satisfying: This pasta dish has more protein and fiber than plain old mac and cheese but it's just as comforting to eat.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Butter: The butter is used to fry up the chicken pieces as well as the veggies. You could also use olive oil or any neutral oil.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: You'll be slicing these into strips like in a fajita. You could also use boneless and skinless thighs if you prefer.
- Red, Yellow, and Green Bell Pepper: Bell peppers bring more classic fajita flavor and texture to this dish. Plus, I love how colorful these are all together in the pasta! You can also get a bag of those mini bell peppers which are a little sweeter.
- Yellow Onion and Minced Garlic: Yellow onion and minced garlic add a lot of flavor and depth to the dish.
- Spices: Salt, black pepper, chili powder, and cumin are the main spices in this fajita pasta recipe. Together they make an amazing, spicy, creamy sauce.
- Brown Sugar: A little brown sugar adds sweetness and color to bring out a bit of caramelization on the chicken.
- Milk: Milk is the cooking liquid for the pasta and will cook down. It adds creaminess to the dish.
- Farfalle Pasta: Bowtie pasta adds some charm and personality to this dish but you could also use any short pasta you love. Rigatoni, shells, penne, and rotini are all great, too!
- Cheddar Cheese: We love creamy, sharp cheddar cheese for tons of flavor and creaminess in this dish. You could also use Colby, Monterey Jack, or Havarti.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Vegetarian: Replace the chicken with black beans, chickpeas, meatless crumbles, or tofu. Add smoked paprika for more flavor.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta made from brown rice, quinoa, or chickpeas in this easy pasta recipe.
- Add More Spiciness: You can throw in diced jalapenos, hot sauce, or cayenne pepper for more heat. You could also use some taco seasoning added in.
- Swap the Meat: This fajita pasta works great with shrimp or beef too.
- On the Light Side: You can lighten up the dish by substituting low-fat milk for the full-fat milk and use reduced-fat cheddar cheese. This may alter the richness and consistency of the sauce slightly due to the lower amount of fat.
How to Make Chicken Fajita Pasta
Slice the onions and peppers and you'll be ready to start cooking!
- Step 1: Cook the Chicken. Heat up the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side until it has that golden, slightly crispy exterior. Remove the chicken from the pan.
- Step 2: Cook the Veggies. Add the sliced bell peppers and onions to the skillet and cook them until soft, around 5-6 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the Chicken, Spices, and Brown Sugar. Throw the chicken back into the pan, then add the salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, and garlic. Stir everything.
- Step 4: Add the Pasta. Pour in the milk and pasta and bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
- Step 5: Mix in the Cheese. Stir. Scoop out a bowlful and enjoy!
Hint: Evenly Cut Bites
Be sure to slice the chicken thin enough so that it is around the same size as the veggies. This way it will cook evenly and quickly and you can easily get a balanced bite that has some of everything, pasta, chicken, and veggies.
Expert Tips
- Don't Crowd the Pan: Don't cook everything in the same pan all at once. If you do, it will steam and keep the chicken and veggies from getting that perfect little bit of char that's so good in fajitas. If you're in a hurry, you can cook using two separate pans and have the veggies in one and the chicken in another.
- Use a Mix of Bell Pepper Colors: Having a mix of red, green, yellow and any other colored bell peppers is a great way to add different colors and lots of tasty, nutritious crunch to the recipe.
- More Fajita Flavor: For extra flavor, marinate the chicken in fajita seasoning overnight and grill it on a contact grill to get even more of that classic charred flavor.
- Using Leftovers to Make This Dish: Another way to get extra fajita flavor is to use leftover fajita meat and veggies to make the pasta. You could also use leftovers from a one pan chicken and veggies meal that you already made.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cool the pasta completely before freezing the pasta for up to 5-6 months.
- Reheating: If frozen, let the pasta defrost overnight in the fridge. Then reheat the dish on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave on medium heat for 30-60 second intervals until it is heated through.
Serving Suggestions
We love to make fajita chicken pasta for an easy weeknight dinner or effortless weekend meal. It's also an easy recipe to double and feed to a larger group.
- Serve the pasta with fresh breadsticks and dip them in the extra creamy, cheesy sauce to soak up all the flavor.
- Lean in to the Tex-Mex flavors in this Mexican pasta recipe and serve it with toppings like diced avocado, tomato pico de gallo, guacamole, extra shredded cheddar, sour cream, Greek yogurt, pickled jalapenos, a squeeze of lime, or fresh chopped cilantro. You could also include tortilla chips and creamy corn dip or cheese dip with Rotel!
- Serve with a yummy dessert recipes like coconut lime cookies, salted caramel Rice Krispie bars, or coconut cookies for a filling and satisfying meal.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
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Chicken Fajita Pasta
This is the best Chicken Fajita Pasta Recipe! It features tender bowtie noodles paired with chicken, bell peppers, and onions covered in a creamy, cheesy, slightly smoky sauce. A new take on fajita night!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (sliced)
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper (sliced)
- 1 medium green bell pepper (sliced)
- 1 medium yellow onion (sliced)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ tbsp chili powder
- 3 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 5 cups milk
- 4 cups farfalle pasta
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove the chicken and set aside, leaving the butter in the skillet.
- Add sliced bell peppers and onions to the skillet, and cook until the peppers are soft and the onion is translucent. It takes about 5-6 minutes
- Add the chicken back into the skillet, then add salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, and garlic. Stir until well-coated.
- Pour in the milk and pasta and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top and mix in until completely melted.
- Serve while hot, and enjoy!
Notes
- Ensure the chicken, peppers, and onions are all sliced to a similar size so they cook evenly.
- To get the classic smoky, charred flavor of fajitas, cook the chicken and veggies in batches. If you overcrowd the pan, it will steam everything instead of allowing it to brown up.
- For extra flavor, you could marinate the chicken in fajita seasons for a few hours or overnight before cooking.
- Adjust the spice to your preference by adding diced jalapenos or a dash or cayenne pepper.
- Shred the cheese yourself to get the best texture and have it melt better.
Nutrition
Calories: 544kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 42gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 555mgPotassium: 1024mgFiber: 3gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 1809IUVitamin C: 81mgCalcium: 424mgIron: 2mg
*All nutrition information provided is automatically calculated and is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact numbers on your ingredients, I would recommend calculating them with your prefered nutrition calculator.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
KarenCotton
Fantastic delish recipes Thankyou
Ryan Allen
So glad you enjoyed it.