Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Chicken Fajita Pasta
Fajita seasoning gives this chicken pasta a warm, savory character, with peppers running through the penne. Cheddar and salsa make a generous sauce around it all. Scoop yourself a bowl and enjoy the tender chicken alongside pasta that catches plenty of that flavor.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 12 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cuisine
- American · Mexican
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
- Dish type
- Pasta
A few quick notes
1. Dry the chicken first
A quick dab with paper towel helps the seasoning cling and lets the chicken brown instead of steam. It is a small step, but it makes the skillet bits in the next stage much better.
2. Give the chicken some room
If your skillet is crowded, brown the chicken in two batches. The recipe only needs a quick sear on each side, and space in the pan helps that happen cleanly.
3. Keep the peppers a little firm
The peppers only cook until they are just starting to soften before the broth goes in. They will keep cooking while the pasta simmers, so do not take them too far at the start.
Get to know the ingredients
Dry penne goes straight in
Use the penne dry, not pre-cooked. It simmers in the broth with the chicken and vegetables, which is how the pasta becomes tender and the pan turns saucy.
Choose your salsa heat
The salsa goes in right at the end, so its flavour stays clear. Mild or spicy both fit the recipe, depending on how much heat you want in the finished pasta.
Any bell pepper colour works
Use whatever bell peppers you have or like. They are sliced and cooked with the onion until they start to soften, then finish in the same pan with the pasta.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 7 steps completeMake room for Chicken Fajita Pasta
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Melt in the cheese and salsa
Once the pasta is tender, stir in the cheddar and salsa and give them a moment to melt into the pan. That last stir is what pulls the broth, seasoning and pasta together.
A little more help as you go
Scrape up the browned bits
After the broth goes in, scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Those stuck-on bits are from the seasoned chicken, and they help flavour the pasta as it cooks.
Watch the simmer after uncovering
The pasta cooks covered first, then uncovered until tender. Once the lid comes off, stir and keep an eye on the texture so the penne finishes without sticking to the pan.
A few questions you might have
Can I cut the chicken into strips or smaller pieces?
Yes. You can use thin strips or small pieces. The main thing is keeping them fairly even so they brown quickly and cook through at the same pace.
Why do I add the broth before the pasta?
The broth loosens the browned seasoning from the bottom of the skillet first. Once those bits are scraped up, the dry penne goes in and cooks in that flavoured liquid.
Should the pasta be fully cooked before adding it to the skillet?
No. Add the penne dry. It simmers in the skillet, first covered and then uncovered, until it is tender.
When do the cheese and salsa go in?
Add both after the pasta is tender. Stir them in and let the cheese melt before serving, so the sauce stays smooth and the salsa does not cook down too much.
Do I need a very large skillet?
A large skillet is used here. If yours is not very large, brown the chicken in two batches so the pieces have enough contact with the pan.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: thereciperebel.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
