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Chicken Fajita Casserole brings all the sizzling flavors of classic fajitas together in this one pan, easy, cheesy casserole bake. Tender chicken, classic fajita veggies like bell peppers and onion, and a packet of fajita seasoning mix are layered with melty cheese and minute rice for one of those family meals everyone loves. It’s simple to throw together in one pan and perfect for busy weeknights.
Try serving this fajita chicken casserole with some Salsa Verde Guacamole or Pico De Gallo Guacamole 🥑🍅
Chicken Fajita Casserole Recipe With Rice
This chicken fajita casserole with rice is a easy weeknight recipe that always wins. If there’s one thing I’ll never get tired of, it’s a dinner that checks all the boxes – easy, comforting, one pan, and uses simple ingredients.
This chicken fajita rice casserole is a one-dish wonder that brings all the classic sizzling flavors of chicken fajitas straight to your oven with simple ingredients that bake together in just one casserole dish.
Packed with tender chicken, bell peppers, onion, fluffy rice, tex-mex fajita seasoning, and lots of melted cheese. It’s something the whole family will LOVE❤︎
Simple Ingredients Needed
- Minute White Rice
- Chicken Broth
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts : Cut into thin strips
- Bell Peppers : You need 3 bell peppers; any color works or any mix of colors such as red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, or even a green bell pepper. Typically the red, orange, and yellow are used for chicken fajitas.
- Red Onion : Thinly sliced in half-moon shapes
- Fajita Seasoning Mix : The recipe calls for two of these
- Olive Oil
- Colby Jack Cheese : Buy an 8 ounce block of cheese and use a cheese grater to shred it yourself.
How To Make Easy Chicken Fajita Casserole In One Baking Dish (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Add the minute rice (dry, not prepared), chicken broth, and one packet fajita seasoning mix into the casserole dish and mix together well.
In a large bowl, add the thin chicken strips, bell peppers, red onions, and the remaining packet of fajita seasoning mix. Stir together until everything is well combined and coated in the seasoning. Spread the chicken mixture evenly over top the rice and broth inside the casserole dish. Don’t stir, just evenly layer it on top.
Cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil. bake for 50-55 minutes or until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Uncover the casserole and sprinkle the shredded cheese over top. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, uncovered, or until the cheese is melted and lightly golden brown.
Remove the casserole form the oven and allow it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving. My family loves eating this as fajitas with some small flour tortillas, sour cream and guacamole for topping. Or you can eat it as is (kind of like a fajita rice bowl) topped with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole, and tortilla chips to scoop it up with if wanted.
How To Store Leftovers
Any leftover casserole should be stored in an airtight container, or keep it in the casserole dish covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
To reheat, place single servings in the microwave and heat for 45-60 seconds at a time until thoroughly heated. For larger portions, add the leftovers into a skillet pan with a splash of water or broth, and reheat over medium heat until heated through.
Substitutions & Ingredient Notes
- Minute Rice : There are NO SUBSTITUTIONS for this ingredient. The recipe is specifically designed for minute rice.
- Chicken Broth : Chicken stock, chicken bone broth, vegetable broth, and the reduced-sodium version of chicken broth can all be used instead. I love the flavor that the regular chicken broth or chicken bone broth add to the casserole. I really love the Kettle & Fire brand chicken bone broth.
- Chicken Breast : Another option (for less slicing and cutting) is to use chicken tenderloins cut in half lengthwise. Be sure and use the fork and paper towel method to remove the tendon from the tenderloin. A simple google search can teach you about that.
- Bell Peppers : It’s up to you whether you want to use a mix of colors (orange, yellow, red, green) or stick to just one color. Fajitas traditionally use an orange, yellow, and red bell pepper so that is what I do.
- Red Onion : Another option is a sweet onion for a more mild flavor or yellow onion, or a white onion for more of a zesty onion favor.
- Fajitas Seasoning Mix : If you are using homemade fajita seasoning mix then you will need 6 tablespoons. You could also use taco seasoning or chicken taco seasoning if wanted. Or try using one of each (fajita + taco).
- Olive Oil : Avocado oil, vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil are other options. I use extra-virgin ‘light tasting’ olive oil.
- Colby Jack Cheese : Other options include pepper jack, medium or sharp cheddar, monterey jack, or muenster cheese. I do highly recommend buying an 8 ounce block of cheese and shredding it yourself; it melts smoother, creamier, and the texture is just much better than the pre-shredded cheese that has an anti-caking agent on it. Of course the pre-shredded cheese can be used if you prefer, but I prefer shredding my own cheese.
Serving Suggestions For This Delicious Chicken Fajita Casserole
There are a few different ways that you can serve this casserole. Here are some ideas to get you started and things my family loves.
- Chicken Fajitas : Serve with a side of warm fajita-size flour tortillas with various toppings such as sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo or salsa. Make fajitas out of the chicken fajita rice casserole. The rice is a nice filling and addition for the fajitas.
- Chicken Fajita Rice Bowls : Serve it ‘bowl-style’ and set out various toppings such as black beans, shredded lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, avocado slices, chopped tomatoes, jalapeños, chopped fresh cilantro, tortilla chips, etc. My kids love to use the tortilla chips to scoop up the rice bowl with.
- Eat As Is : Add simple toppings such as sour cream and guacamole and eat it as is with a fork.
- Chicken Fajita Burritos : Similar to the fajitas but instead use large burrito-size tortillas and add the fajita casserole in the middle along with a any toppings you want; roll it up burrito-style. You could also grill the burritos in a skillet pan with some butter if wanted.
- Chicken Fajita Quesadillas : Use the chicken fajita rice casserole as a quesadilla filling.
Recipe FAQs
How Can I Make It Spicy?
Some ways to add a little heat include using a spicy or hot fajita seasoning mix, adding some canned or freshly sliced jalapeños in with the chicken mixture, using shredded pepper jack on top, or add some hot sauce and/or red cayenne pepper or chili powder into the chicken mixture. It can also be served with various spicier toppings such as fresh jalapeños, and spicy guacamole.
Could I Leave The Cheese Off?
Yes, if you have a dairy allergy or simply don’t want to use the cheese, you can leave it off and the casserole will still be amazing. If there is an allergy issue, then I would still recommend serving the shredded cheese just on the side so others could still use it. The cheese is a great addition to the casserole.
How Thick Should I Slice The Chicken?
When slicing the chicken breast, you want to slice it into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch slices. Any thicker and it won’t cook in time with the rice. You want them in fairly thin pieces and not large, thick slices. Usually chicken breasts are thick, so I like to slice the chicken breast in half lengthwise, and then cut each thinner half in slices. This way they’re thinner and smaller.
Can I Prep This Casserole Ahead of Time?
If you want to prep it ahead of time to save time when it comes to putting the dish together, you can. You can prepare the chicken and bell pepper mixture, inside the bowl, and cover the bowl and store in the refrigerator until it’s time to assemble the casserole. I would not recommend fully preparing the casserole, as the rice will soak up the broth and become much once baked.
More Chicken Casseroles To Try
- Fiesta Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Teriyaki Casserole
- French Onion Chicken Casserole
- Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole
- Cheesy Spaghetti Chicken Casserole
- Cheesy Doritos Chicken Casserole
- Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Chicken Fajita Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
Fajita Rice
- 2 cups Minute White Rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 packet (1 oz) fajita seasoning mix
Fajita Chicken & Veggies
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut in thin 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch strips)
- 3 bell peppers (deseeded & thinly sliced)
- 1 small red onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 packet (1 oz) fajita seasoning mix
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
To Add Later
- 1 block (8 oz) Colby Jack cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare Fajita Rice
- Add the minute rice (dry, not prepared), chicken broth, and one packet fajita seasoning mix into the casserole dish and mix together well.2 cups Minute White Rice, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 packet (1 oz) fajita seasoning mix
Prepare Fajita Chicken & Veggies
- In a large bowl, add the thin chicken strips, bell peppers, red onions, one packet fajita seasoning mix, and olive oil. Stir together until everything is well combined and coated in the seasoning.2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 3 bell peppers, 1 small red onion, 1 packet (1 oz) fajita seasoning mix, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Spread the chicken mixture evenly over top the rice and broth inside the casserole dish. Don't stir, just evenly layer it on top.
- Cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Uncover the casserole and sprinkle the shredded cheese over top. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, uncovered, or until the cheese is melted and lightly golden brown.1 block (8 oz) Colby Jack cheese
- Remove the casserole form the oven and allow it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.*My family loves eating this as fajitas with some small flour tortillas, sour cream and guacamole for topping. Or you can eat it as is (kind of like a fajita rice bowl) topped with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole, and tortilla chips to scoop it up with if wanted. Other options include using the chicken fajita rice casserole as chicken fajita burrito filling or a quesadilla filling.
Notes
- Minute Rice : There are NO SUBSTITUTIONS for this ingredient. The recipe is specifically designed for minute rice.
- Chicken Broth : Chicken stock, chicken bone broth, vegetable broth, and the reduced-sodium version of chicken broth can all be used instead. I love the flavor that the regular chicken broth or chicken bone broth add to the casserole. I really love the Kettle & Fire brand chicken bone broth.
- Chicken Breast : Two pounds of chicken breast is about 3 large ones or 4 smaller chicken breasts. I like to cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise, and then thinly slice each thinner half. You don’t want the chicken pieces too large or else they won’t cook in the same time as the rice. Another option (for less slicing and cutting) is to use chicken tenderloins cut in half lengthwise. Be sure and use the fork and paper towel method to remove the tendon from the tenderloin. A simple google search can teach you about that.
- Bell Peppers : It’s up to you whether you want to use a mix of colors (orange, yellow, red, green) or stick to just one color. Fajitas traditionally use an orange, yellow, and red bell pepper so that is what I do.
- Red Onion : Another option is a sweet onion for a more mild flavor or yellow onion, or a white onion for more of a zesty onion favor.
- Fajitas Seasoning Mix : If you are using homemade fajita seasoning mix then you will need 6 tablespoons. You could also use taco seasoning or chicken taco seasoning if wanted. Or try using one of each (fajita + taco).
- Olive Oil : Avocado oil, vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil are other options. I use extra-virgin ‘light tasting’ olive oil.
- Colby Jack Cheese : Other options include pepper jack, medium or sharp cheddar, monterey jack, or muenster cheese. I do highly recommend buying an 8 ounce block of cheese and shredding it yourself; it melts smoother, creamier, and the texture is just much better than the pre-shredded cheese that has an anti-caking agent on it. Of course the pre-shredded cheese can be used if you prefer, but I prefer shredding my own cheese.
Nutrition
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