Cheesy Baja Chicken Skillet (Printable Version)
Juicy chicken and bell peppers simmered in smoky spices, topped with melted Monterey Jack and cheddar for a hearty one‑pan meal.
# What You 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
# Directions:
01 - Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken strips and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through and lightly golden, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
02 - In the same skillet, add additional oil if needed. Add the sliced red, yellow, and green bell peppers along with red onion. Sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
04 - Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to coat vegetables evenly with the spices.
05 - Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Pour in chicken broth and lime juice, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir to combine thoroughly.
06 - Reduce the heat to low. Sprinkle shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses evenly over the contents of the skillet.
07 - Cover the skillet and allow to sit for 3 to 5 minutes, until cheese is fully melted and bubbling.
08 - Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve the dish hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one skillet, which means dinner and cleanup happen almost simultaneously.
- The smoky spice blend with melted cheese over tender chicken hits a comfort food nerve you didn't know you had.
- It works beautifully as a low carb bowl, stuffed in tortillas, or spooned over rice depending on your mood.
02 -
- Do not crowd the chicken strips in the pan or they will steam instead of sear, and you will lose that golden crust entirely.
- Adding the broth after the spices deglaze the pan unlocks flavor you cannot get any other way. Skip this and the dish tastes flat.
- Shred your own cheese from a block instead of using pre shredded bags, which contain anti caking starch that prevents smooth melting.
03 -
- Pat the chicken strips completely dry with paper towels before they hit the oil. Surface moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
- Toss the spice blend with the vegetables for a full 30 seconds before adding anything else. That brief toasting in the fat deepens the flavor more than you would expect from half a minute.