Cheesy Baja Chicken Skillet (Printable)
One-pan Cheesy Baja chicken with colorful bell peppers, Mexican spices and melted cheese—ready in 40 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Spices
07 - 1 and 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Dairy
13 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
14 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
→ Pantry
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
16 - 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
17 - Juice of 1 lime
→ Fresh
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
# Method:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken strips and sauté until cooked through and lightly golden, about 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
02 - In the same skillet, add additional oil if needed. Sauté red, yellow, and green bell peppers with red onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper, mixing to coat vegetables evenly.
04 - Return cooked chicken to the skillet. Pour in chicken broth and lime juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir to combine thoroughly.
05 - Lower the heat. Sprinkle Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses evenly over chicken and vegetables. Cover the skillet and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
06 - Remove from heat and garnish with chopped cilantro before serving hot.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- This is the dish you whip up when you want maximum flavor with minimum cleanup and just one pan to wash.
- Something about the confetti of melty cheese over juicy chicken and sweet peppers always sparks rave reviews at the table—no matter who shows up for dinner.
02 -
- Trying to rush the peppers never works—if you let them soften slowly, the sweetness makes all the difference.
- I once forgot the lime juice, and the flavors fell flat; that bit of tang ties everything together.
03 -
- Letting the skillet heat thoroughly before adding chicken guarantees the best golden sear.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan, even if it means cooking in batches—the difference in caramelization is real.