Chicken Fajita Pasta Bake

By
Nicole Hopper
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Nicole Hopper
Nicole Hopper is a recipe tester and developer located in Birmingham, Alabama.
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and
Sharon Hsu
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Sharon Hsu
Sharon Hsu is an enthusiastic recipe and technique developer best known for her expertise in crafting visually appealing cafe and bakery-style treats. She thrives on exploring new concepts in the culinary world, seamlessly blending traditional baking methods with innovative flavors and techniques to create culturally rich creations. She appreciates how food has consistently been at the heart of countless cherished memories and aims to inspire others to bake and cook for their loved ones as an expression of love.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Published on 02/15/24
A chicken fajita pasta bake in a skillet, served with extra cilantro on the side

The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 6

This family-friendly dinner comes together in just 30 minutes. It's incredibly creamy and cheesy, featuring tender sautéed onions and peppers, and savory rotisserie chicken pieces all infused with the comforting and familiar flavors of fajita spices. While not overly spicy, this dish is well-seasoned. The slight kick comes from the pepper jack cheese and fajita seasoning.

About Fajita Seasoning

Many fajita seasoning brands like McCormick include starch, which aids in thickening the sauce. However, if you're using a fajita spice without added starch, you will need to simmer the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes more to achieve the desired thickness. 

What Kind of Pasta to Use

Feel free to use any short pasta shape of your preference—rigatoni, cavatappi, rotini, and others are all suitable options.

Recipe Tips

  • Shred the rotisserie chicken in larger chunks because as you mix everything together and the chicken absorbs the cream sauce, it will naturally break apart
  • To make sure the pasta is the right texture and not mushy, aim for a firmer texture (slightly more than al dente) when undercooking the pasta, as it will continue cooking in the sauce during the oven baking process.
  • When switching the oven to broil, it's important to monitor closely, as broilers can vary significantly in terms of heat intensity, and the dish can quickly transition from lightly browned to burnt.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces penne pasta (about 2 cups)

  • 3 tablespoons neutral cooking oil (such as canola)

  • 1 small green bell pepper, sliced (about 1 cup)

  • 1 small orange bell pepper, sliced (about 1 cup)

  • 1 small red bell pepper, sliced (about 1 cup)

  • 1 large red onion, sliced (about 2 cups)

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 3 tablespoons fajita seasoning (from one 1.12-ounce package), such as McCormick

  • 3 cups (about 12 ounces) shredded rotisserie chicken

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

  • 8 ounces pepper Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups) and divided

  • Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

    Ingredients to make chicken fajita pasta bake

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add 8 ounces penne pasta (about 2 cups) and cook for 2 minutes less than indicated in the package directions. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

    A dutch oven with penne pasta boiling in water

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  3. While the pasta is cooking, heat 3 tablespoons neutral cooking oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add 1 small green bell pepper, sliced, 1 small orange bell pepper, sliced, and 1 small red bell pepper, sliced and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.

    A cast iron skillet with sliced red, orange, and green bell pepper

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  4. Add 1 large red onion, sliced to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and peppers are softened, about 4 more minutes.

    A cast iron with sliced red onion and sliced green, orange, and red bell pepper

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  5. Stir in 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 3 tablespoons fajita seasoning and 3 cups (about 12 ounces) shredded rotisserie chicken, stirring to combine.

    A cast iron skillet with garlic, shredded chicken, and fajita seasoning added to the onion-pepper mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  6. Pour in 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream and reserved 1/2 cup pasta water. Bring to a simmer over medium, stirring often. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

    A cast iron skillet with shredded chicken, sliced peppers and sliced onions cooking in a cream-pasta water sauce

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  7. Stir the cooked pasta and 1 cup (4 ounces) of the pepper Jack into the mixture in the skillet. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup (4 ounces) pepper Jack evenly over top.

    A cast iron skillet with chicken fajita pasta topped with cheese

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  8. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil until the sauce is bubbling and the top is starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve hot.

    A baked chicken fajita pasta bake topped with melted cheese

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

How To Store

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, tightly covered or in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The sauce will tighten up as it sits and the pasta continues to absorb liquid, so you may need to add an extra splash of cream to loosen to desired consistency when reheating.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • Use jalapeño Jack instead of pepper Jack for a spicier kick. 
  • Use any short pasta shape of your choice—rigatoni, cavatappi, rotini, etc. would all work great.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
653 Calories
47g Fat
29g Carbs
30g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 653
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 47g 61%
Saturated Fat 23g 116%
Cholesterol 170mg 57%
Sodium 776mg 34%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 30g
Vitamin C 84mg 419%
Calcium 363mg 28%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 549mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)