Chicken Fajita Pasta
Chicken Fajita Pasta combines seasoned chicken, sautéed peppers and onions with tender penne in a creamy tomato and green chile sauce. Everything comes together in one skillet for an easy, flavor-packed week night dinner.
Ingredients
Chicken & Vegetables
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning divided
- 2 cups diced onion approximately 1 large onion
- 2 cups diced bell peppers approximately 2 large bell peppers, preferably a mixture of colors
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic minced
Pasta & Sauce
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 10-ounce can Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles, undrained
- 8 ounces penne pasta uncooked
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Season with 1 tablespoon of the fajita seasoning, tossing until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Let it cook undisturbed for about 1 to 2 minutes so it develops a good sear. Flip and continue cooking until browned on the other side. The chicken doesn't have to be completely cooked through at this point because it will finish cooking later. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet. Keep the heat high and add the diced onions, bell peppers and remaining 1 tablespoon fajita seasoning. Cook for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften slightly and develop some char around the edges.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the minced garlic and cook for approximately 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Transfer the vegetables to the plate with the chicken.
- Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles, and salt to the same skillet. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the skillet to incorporate all those flavorful browned bits.
- Add the uncooked penne directly to the skillet and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, cover the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for approximately 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick. Cook until the penne is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed. If the pasta needs additional cooking time and the skillet becomes too dry, add a small splash of chicken broth.
- Return the chicken, peppers and onions to the skillet. Stir everything together until the chicken and vegetables are evenly distributed throughout the pasta. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and everything is heated through.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately while the sauce is hot and creamy.
Video
Recipe Tips
One of the things that separates this from simply being chicken pasta is the fajita-style flavor. You want some browning on the chicken and a little char on those peppers and onions.
Also, once you add the pasta, stir it every few minutes. Since we're cooking the pasta directly in the sauce instead of a large pot of water, it can settle against the bottom of the skillet and stick.
One more thing, don't panic if the sauce looks slightly loose when the pasta finishes cooking. Let it sit for a few minutes. The starch from the pasta will continue thickening the sauce.
