Fajita Chicken Pasta

Fajita chicken pasta has tender pasta, strips of chicken, charred onions and peppers, and plenty of fajita seasoning and cheese to bring it all together. This delicious family dinner is ready in just 25 minutes!

I am beach-bound this weekend and cannot wait! It's been months and months since I was able to get out of town, and I'm looking forward to a little change of scenery.

I'm planning on some seriously long walks on the beach, some good eats from my favorite local spots, and lots of reading and relaxing.

But OK, let's talk food.

Who else loves fajita night?

My kiddos go crazy for fajitas, so they are on the menu a lot.

Usually it’s my go-to stove-top easy chicken fajitas, but we also sometimes make sheet pan chicken fajitas.

Or maybe you’re like, yeah, sure, fajitas, but I’m really here for the pasta. Bring on the pasta!

I got you. I love me some carbs, too.

This Cajun chicken pasta is perfectly spicy and totally flavorful. This creamy chicken and mushroom pasta with peas is a one-pot pasta that’s so cozy. And this chicken penne pasta with broccoli is a great go-to when you need a basic dinner that you don’t have to think much about.

Today though, we’re doing a little twist, combining the best of both worlds and making fajita chicken pasta.

We’ve got all the flavor of fajitas - the charred onions and peppers, the tender strips of chicken, the seasoning, duh - and also plenty of pasta to mix it with, with some cheese and pasta cooking liquid to bring it all together.

It’s creamy, cheesy, fajita flavored in every bite and seriously so delicious. The combination of fajitas + pasta is just divine.

This fajita chicken pasta is sure to be a new family favorite!

And it’s ready in just 25 minutes, so it’s easy enough to make any night of the week.

OK, let’s get cooking so we can get to eating.

(You can also check out my Google web story for this fajita chicken pasta recipe. Or try this taco pasta that's another family favorite.)

Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and FAQs coming up below on how to make chicken fajita pasta. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Ingredient Notes:

• Chicken: Be sure to slice your chicken thin enough. You’ll want them to be small and easy to bite into so you can get some along with the pasta and veggies.
• Onions and peppers: Similarly, make sure your onions and peppers are about the same size so they cook evenly. I cut long strips in half so they aren’t so huge to get a fork around.
• Pepper colors: Using a variety of different colored bell peppers adds some great flavor and color interest. When possible, it’s nice to have some green, yellow, red and orange in there, but you only need two bell peppers worth for the recipe. So it’s definitely OK to buy one red and one yellow, for instance, and stop there. (Or get a bag of the mini sweet peppers and use some of those.)
• Pasta: I love using whole wheat penne for some whole grain goodness, but regular penne is fine. You could also substitute a different pasta shape, like medium shells, if you prefer. Be sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking liquid though when you go to drain the pasta cause we’re using it to tie everything together.
• Fajita seasoning: We love homemade fajita seasoning, which is so very easy to mix up yourself, but you can certainly use a store-bought mix. You do need a lot though - 4 tablespoons. I’ve tried the recipe with less and it just didn’t have enough fajita flavor.
• Cheese: The bagged shredded Mexican blend cheese is great here for some extra flavor and oomph. However, you could use cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese if you’d like.

Disclaimer: I think it’s important to cook the chicken and veggies separately so they all get cooked through, lightly charred, and perfectly delicious.

If you cram everything into one pan to try and cook it all together, it will steam and not be nearly as tasty.

In a hurry though? I feel you. Here’s what I do sometimes:

Have two large sauté pans going at once on the stove: one for chicken, one for the onion and peppers. They’ll cook in about the same time and then you can toss them together before serving – or just serve straight from the separate pans.

You know I’ve always got you covered in the “how do I make this even faster and easier?” department.

OK, let’s get ready to eat.

Now, fajitas normally get served with all manner of toppings. And many, though not all, work great as toppings for this pasta, too.

Here are a few ideas to get you thinking.

Topping Ideas: 

• Diced avocado or guacamole
• Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Pickled jalapeños
• Fresh chopped cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Hot sauce

You gotta love options. Everyone can fix theirs just like they like!

Last but not least, let’s talk leftovers.

They reheat great and you’ll love having them on hand for lunch or dinner another day.

How to Store Leftovers:

• The leftover fajita chicken pasta can be stored, once cooled, in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet to warm it back up.
• You can also freeze the leftovers, once cooled, in a freezer-safe ziptop bag or container for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat.

There you go! Fajita night, done a little differently.

But every bit as delicious. In fact, you may come to like this even better!

I hope you give this a try for a family dinner soon.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

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4.67 from 12 votes

Fajita Chicken Pasta

Fajita chicken pasta has tender pasta, strips of chicken, charred onions and peppers, and plenty of fajita seasoning and cheese to bring it all together. This delicious family dinner is ready in just 25 minutes!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Yield: 4 -6 servings

1x2x3x

Cook Mode

Ingredients

• 8 oz. penne pasta
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 bell peppers (mixed colors), sliced
• 4 tablespoons fajita seasoning, divided
• 1 ½ lbs. chicken breasts
• 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (or cheddar)

Optional toppings:

• Diced avocado or guac, extra shredded cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, pickled jalapeños, fresh chopped cilantro, lime wedges, hot sauce, etc.

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve at least ½ cup of the cooking liquid when draining the pasta.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 ½ teaspoons of the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and peppers and season with 1 tablespoon of the fajita seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred and tender, about 5-6 minutes. Remove the onion and peppers to a bowl. 
• Add the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of olive oil to the same skillet. Season the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the fajita seasoning and add to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
• Return the onion and peppers to the pan. Add the cooked pasta, 1 ½ cups of shredded cheese and the remaining tablespoon of fajita seasoning to the pan. Add ¼ cup of the pasta cooking liquid and stir well to combine everything and melt the cheese. Add extra pasta cooking liquid if needed to get everything to come together.
• Serve the fajita chicken pasta with the remaining cheese sprinkled on top, and any other desired toppings. Enjoy!

Notes

Chicken: Be sure to slice your chicken thin enough. You’ll want them to be small and easy to bite into so you can get some along with the pasta and veggies.

Onions and peppers: Similarly, make sure your onions and peppers are about the same size so they cook evenly. I cut long strips in half so they aren’t so huge to get a fork around.

Pepper colors: Using a variety of different colored bell peppers adds some great flavor and color interest. When possible, it’s nice to have some green, yellow, red and orange in there, but you only need two bell peppers worth for the recipe. So it’s definitely OK to buy one red and one yellow, for instance, and stop there. (Or get a bag of the mini sweet peppers and use some of those.)

Pasta: I love using whole wheat penne for some whole grain goodness, but regular penne is fine. You could also substitute a different pasta shape, like medium shells, if you prefer. Be sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking liquid though when you go to drain the pasta cause we’re using it to tie everything together.

Fajita seasoning: We love homemade fajita seasoning, which is so very easy to mix up yourself, but you can certainly use a store-bought mix. You do need a lot though - 4 tablespoons. I’ve tried it with less and it just didn’t have enough fajita flavor.

Cheese: The bagged shredded Mexican blend cheese is great here for some extra flavor and oomph. However, you could use cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese if you’d like.

Leftovers: The leftover fajita chicken pasta can be stored, once cooled, in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet to warm it back up. Or freeze the leftovers, once cooled, in a freezer-safe ziptop bag or container for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 622mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g

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