Cheesy Baja Chicken Skillet (Print Version)
Sauteed chicken and bell peppers in zesty Baja spices, topped with melted Monterey Jack and cheddar.
# What You'll 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, for garnish
# How to Cook:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken strips and cook until just cooked through and lightly golden, about 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
02 - In the same skillet, add a bit more oil if needed. Sauté sliced red, yellow, and green bell peppers with red onion until 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, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat the vegetables evenly with the spices.
05 - Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Pour in chicken broth and lime juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir to combine thoroughly.
06 - Decrease heat to low. Sprinkle shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses evenly over the skillet mixture.
07 - Cover the skillet and let cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
08 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro and serve hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It brings together just one pan, minimal prep, and all those Tex-Mex flavors you crave.
- You can sneak in extra veggies or swap in any cheese, and it always earns compliments—seriously, every time.
02 -
- If the peppers go in before the skillet's plenty hot, they can steam instead of sear—you really want that slight blistering at first.
- Adding the cheese before reducing the heat can scorch the bottom, so always drop the temp and cover.
03 -
- Watch the cheese closely as it melts—once it looks stretchy and bubbly, it's ready to serve (overcooked cheese gets grainy fast).
- Don’t skip scraping up the browned bits after deglazing; that’s where the best flavor lives.