Fajita Chicken Mac and Cheese
This fajita chicken mac and cheese is chicken, peppers, and pasta cooked in one pan with a creamy cheese sauce. It comes together in about 40 minutes and is filling enough to be the whole dinner, no sides required.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 580kcal
Equipment
- 12 inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 1 package 1.27 ounces fajita seasoning, divided
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 8 ounces rotini pasta uncooked
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 3 cups shredded colby jack cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley optional, for serving
Instructions
- Add oil to a large skillet or sauté pan (12 inch, with the deepest sides you have). Heat over medium high heat until hot. Add chicken and season with half of the fajita seasoning. Cook over medium high heat, turning halfway through, until cooked through and no longer pink. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add diced onion, chopped red and green pepper, and minced garlic. Season veggies with remaining fajita seasoning. Heat over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender and onion is translucent, about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add uncooked pasta and chicken broth to the skillet and heat over medium high heat just until edges begin to boil. Reduce heat to low and carefully stir in milk. Continue to cook, stirring every minute or two so the bottom doesn't catch, until pasta is tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Chop the cooked chicken into 1 inch cubes and add the chicken and shredded cheese to the skillet. Stir well until combined and cheese is completely melted. Turn off heat.
- Serve immediately topped with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, if using.
If you have a sauté pan with deeper sides than a standard skillet, use that. It gives the pasta more room as it cooks and makes stirring in the cheese at the end less messy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.3cups | Calories: 580kcal