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Chicken Fajita Pasta in w white bowl with bell peppers, chicken, penne, and a creamy sauce.
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Chicken Fajita Pasta

This Chicken Fajita Pasta is a flavor explosion! It has penne pasta smothered in a mouth-watering sauce with diced tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and seasoned chicken.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 525kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 1 ¼ cups half and half
  • ¾ cup chicken broth
  • ½ chicken bouillon cube
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce

Seasoning

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon EACH: smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, coriander, garlic powder

Pasta/Chicken, etc.

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil can sub olive oil
  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
  • Salt/pepper to taste
  • 2 cups sliced bell peppers any color(s)
  • 1 cup chopped onions (1 small yellow onion)
  • ½ cup dry white wine see notes
  • ½ pound penne see notes
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 (10 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes drained
  • ¾ cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • ½ cup Pepper Jack cheese shredded
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • Freshly Chopped Cilantro to garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Combine the sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup with a spout and set aside.
  • Combine the seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. Add 2 teaspoons to the combined sauce mixture and reserve the rest. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
  • Cut the chicken into bite-size cubes. Pat completely dry and season with salt/pepper. Sprinkle with half of the remaining Fajita seasoning (1 ¾ tsp). Toss to coat.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning to sear on all sides. Remove and set aside.
  • Add a little more oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onions. Sprinkle with salt/pepper and remaining fajita seasoning and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat slightly during cooking if needed. Remove and set aside.
  • Turn the heat off and let the skillet cool for 1 minute. Add the wine and set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the skillet, this will give the sauce more flavor. Reduce the liquid by half, about 3-4 minutes.
  • While the wine reduces, begin heating a large pot of salted water for the pasta. Once a boil is reached, stir in some salt and cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain once cooked.
  • Once the wine is reduced, add the butter and the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
  • Reduce the heat to low. Add the sauce mixture in small splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Add the diced tomatoes/green chiles.
  • Reduce the heat of the sauce to low. Gradually add the cheeses, stirring to combine.
  • Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Add the chicken (along with any juices from the plate), and peppers and stir to combine and heat through.
  • Remove from heat and add the lime juice. Garnish with cilantro and serve!

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • Wine: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc are my go-to dry white wines for this recipe. My next recommendation would be non-alcoholic white wine. If needed, chicken broth can be used instead.
  • Cheese: I like to shred my own cheese from a block for this dish, it melts much creamier and smoother than packaged shredded cheese. I use Pepper Jack and Cheddar. Monterey Jack is a great addition too!
  • Pasta: Penne clings onto this sauce really well. Fusilli, Rigatoni, Ziti, Cavatappi are other good pasta choices for this as well.
  • Seasoning: You can't beat the homemade fajita seasoning used in this recipe, but you can also use just under 2 tbsp. taco seasoning if preferred.
  • Spice Level: Unless you're very sensitive to spice, you shouldn't find this dish to be spicy (that goes for kids as well)!
  • More dinner inspiration: Try my Loaded Nachos, Chicken Enchiladas, Baked Tacos, Chicken Quesadillas, Chicken Taquitos, Chicken Enchilada Casserole, and more Mexican-inspired recipes!
Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This does reheat well.
  • Reheating this pasta in a makeshift double boiler on the stove top is the best way to restore it to its original form.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 541mg | Potassium: 713mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1030IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 273mg | Iron: 2mg