Cheesy Baja Chicken Bell Pepper (Printable version)
Sauteed chicken and tri-colored bell peppers in smoky Mexican spices, topped with melted Monterey Jack and cheddar.
# Ingredient List:
→ 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 kosher 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, for garnish
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken strips and cook 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. Sauté sliced bell peppers and red onion until softened, around 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until aromatic.
04 - Add chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to evenly coat the vegetables with the spices.
05 - Return cooked chicken to the skillet. Pour in chicken broth and lime juice, using a spatula to deglaze any browned bits from the pan. Stir to combine all ingredients.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses evenly over the chicken and vegetables.
07 - Cover the skillet and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes, allowing the cheese to fully melt and become bubbly.
08 - Top with chopped fresh cilantro and serve hot.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- You get all the flavor complexity of a fajita night, minus the pile of dishes and stress.
- The stretchy melted cheese on top basically guarantees the whole table will fight for seconds.
02 -
- Browning the chicken over high heat sounds smart, but I’ve cooked it dry more times than I'd like—medium-high lets it stay juicy.
- Once I forgot to cover the pan while melting the cheese: you need that lid for maximum melty goodness.
03 -
- Let the peppers char just a bit for smoky depth, but not so long they go limp.
- Layering cheese rather than dumping it in one spot gives every bite a shot at stringy, gooey bliss.