Baked Chicken Fajita Roll Ups (Printable version)
Juicy chicken rolled with colorful peppers, onions and melted cheese for a flavorful Tex-Mex dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lb)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Dairy
05 - 4.2 oz shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
→ Spices & Seasonings
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 tsp chili powder
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
10 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
11 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
12 - 1/2 tsp salt
13 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
→ Garnishes (optional)
14 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - Lime wedges
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
02 - In a small bowl, combine chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until evenly blended.
03 - Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound using a meat mallet to approximately 3/8 inch uniform thickness.
04 - Drizzle the pounded chicken breasts with 1 tbsp olive oil, then evenly sprinkle both sides with half of the prepared seasoning blend.
05 - Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced bell peppers and red onion, sautéing until just tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with the remaining seasoning blend.
06 - Lay each seasoned chicken breast flat. Distribute an even layer of the sautéed pepper and onion mixture across each breast, then sprinkle generously with shredded cheese.
07 - Roll each chicken breast up tightly and secure with toothpicks to hold the filling in place. Arrange seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F and juices run clear.
09 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Carefully remove toothpicks, slice each roll into pinwheels, and serve garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges if desired.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- Everything you crave about fajitas gets neatly tucked inside juicy chicken so there are no tortillas needed and no filling falling out everywhere.
- The leftovers reheat beautifully which means you get two nights of effort free dinners from one batch.
02 -
- Do not overcook the vegetables in the skillet because they will keep softening inside the chicken while it bakes and nobody wants mushy filling.
- Soak wooden toothpicks in water for ten minutes before using them so they do not char or snap in the oven.
03 -
- Pounding the chicken to a uniform thickness is the single step that determines whether your roll ups cook evenly or have thin dry ends and a thick raw center.
- Let the sautéed vegetables cool for a few minutes before stuffing so the residual heat does not start cooking the cheese before they even hit the oven.