Healthy Chicken Fajita Casserole combines your favorite aspects of fajitas and packs it into a warm and comforting healthy casserole recipe. Loaded with seasoned chicken, rice, peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, taco seasoning, and melted cheese, it makes a delicious and hearty one pan meal the whole family will love!
This post is sponsored in partnership with Lundberg Farms. All opinions expressed (as always) are my own. I only partner with brands I trust and personally recommend – thank you for your support in helping make Eat the Gains possible!
Can I get a heck yes for casserole season?! To be honest, I had no idea what a casserole was until a few years ago. I grew up in the northeast and it just wasn’t something that my mom made us for dinner. But now that I know what they are, I am hooked. And this healthy chicken fajita casserole is my new favorite!
I mean what is not to love about all your favorite chicken fajita ingredients baked together into a warm and cozy casserole topped with melted cheese. Michael ate this recipe up so fast when I was testing it, I barely got any. He said it would be really good stuffed in a burrito and then covered in queso. I mean I don’t disagree haha, but it is pretty phenomenal as is.
We love this fajita casserole because it a nice change up from the typical way we eat fajitas. While there is nothing wrong with that way, this way pretty much wraps up all the best parts into a comforting and cozy one pan meal, while still being healthy. It has protein, complex and simple carbs from veggies and rice, and healthy fats.
Is Rice Healthy
If you didn’t know, September is National Rice Month! We eat rice a few times a week because it’s super affordable, healthy, and an easy carbohydrate for meals. It’s also a great source of post-workout recovery carbohydrate for athletes.
I love eating it post-workout to replenish muscle glycogen stores (energy) and help to speed up recovery (carbs and protein are most important post workout!). Michael eats it just about any meal he can haha. It’s so easy to incorporate into your diet!
Lundberg Farms is my go to rice. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I eat their rice cakes like candy. Lundberg is fiercely independent (family owned and operated since 1937!) and produces USA-grown rice that is always farmed with the highest care for the environment (all the rice is is eco-farmed or organic).
Bonus: their products are produced in a facility that is free from all top 8 US and 10 Canadian allergens if that is something of concern to you. I had the chance to meet some of the team in August and everyone I met was wonderful!
Healthy Chicken Fajita Casserole
It’s hearty, filling, absolutely delicious, and totally hits the spot when craving something comforting, but still want to keep it healthy. And it’s perfect for an easy meal (it’s mostly cooked in the oven), meal prep, or a side dish while watching football on Sunday!
Here is what you need:
- chicken breast
- onion
- peppers
- mushrooms
- Lundberg Farms Organic California Brown Jasmine Rice (can sub another kind if needed)
- canned fire roasted tomatoes
- canned green chilies
- taco seasoning
- broth
- shredded cheese
- oil
- toppings!!
First prep all your ingredients – cut the chicken and veggies. Then heat up a large cast iron skillet and sauté the chicken with the taco seasoning until browned and cooked through. Remove from the pan and add in the onions. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the peppers and the remaining taco seasoning, and sauté for a few more minutes.
When the peppers are done, add the rice and let it toast for a couple minutes. Then in goes the rest of the ingredients! Mix everything up so it’s well incorporated. You want to make sure you have enough liquid so you can see a little on the top, but not completely covering everything. Not enough liquid and you will be left with uncooked rice. Too much and it will be too soggy and won’t absorb.
Place the skillet in the oven for 50-55 minutes and bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked through and fluffy. Finally, sprinkle on the cheese and let it melt for a couple minutes.
Top it however you want. Don’t go skimpy on the toppings, they are some of my favorite parts (besides the melty cheese haha). I love hot sauce, avocado, greek yogurt, cilantro, and lime juice and serving it with some chips for some crunch.
Meal Prep Chicken Fajita Casserole
This recipe is amazing to meal prep! You can do it one of two ways:
- Make it according to the instructions and bake all the way through. Let cool and then divide in your meal prep containers and just heat up when you are ready to eat!
- Make the chicken and veggies according to the recipe in advance. Store them in the fridge until ready to use. When you are ready to eat, simply put everything into your cast iron and bake it in the oven. It might take a little longer since everything will be cold, but will work just the same.
If you like to freeze meals, this would be easy to freeze as well. Bake all the way through, let cool and divide into individual portions, and freeze. When you need a quick meal, simply defrost and heat it up!
More Healthy Casserole Recipes
Beef Taco Casserole (paleo and Whole30)
Turkey Kale Ranch Casserole (paleo and Whole30)
Whole30 Sweet Potato and Sausage Breakfast Casserole
More Healthy Taco Recipes
Plantain Crusted Crispy Shrimp Tacos
Chicken Fajita Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast sliced into thin strips
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (divided)
- 1 medium onion, sliced (3 cups/305 grams)
- 3 medium bell peppers, sliced (5 heaping cups/625 grams)
- 1 1/2 cups Lundberg Farms Organic California Brown Jasmine Rice
- 8 medium mushrooms, sliced (1 heaping cup/100 grams)
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 can (8 ounces) diced hatch green chiles
- 1 3/4 cups broth
- 1 heaping cup shredded cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, lime juice, greek yogurt/sour cream, hot sauce...
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large cast iron skillet (I used 12 inches) over medium heat, add oil and let it get hot, about 1 minute. Add chicken, 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, and salt and pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes until browned (chicken does not have to be cooked all the way through). Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add onions, salt and pepper, and saute for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Add a splash of broth (you can use some from the amount you measured out) if you need to deglaze the pan and speed up the cooking process some. Add peppers and remaining taco seasoning and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add rice and mix well to combine and let toast for 1-2 minutes. Add in the cooked chicken, fire roasted tomatoes, green chiles, and mushrooms and mix well to combine. Add broth and carefully stir to make sure it is well incorporated. You want to make sure you have enough liquid so you can see a little on the top, but not completely covering everything. Not enough liquid and you will be left with uncooked rice. Too much and it will be too soggy and won't absorb. See pictures above for reference.
- Cover with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 mintues until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from oven, spinkle with cheese, and bake for another 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted. Top with optional toppings or topping of choice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Dad
September 26, 2019 at 9:49 amLooks really good and easy to make
Kelly
September 30, 2019 at 4:45 pmYes, it really is a great one pot meal!
Lauren Cramer
October 1, 2019 at 4:27 amI made this last night for my husband and some friends we had over (one of which is Hispanic) and everyone loved it!!! It was so delicious and actually super easy to make. We put it in tortillas, on chips, and just ate it by itself. Definitely do not leave out the cheese!!
Kelly
October 4, 2019 at 9:18 amYes to the cheese right?! Haha! So glad it was a hit and everyone liked it! Love the idea of putting it in tortillas. Thanks for trying it Lauren!
Mary Ewen
October 1, 2019 at 5:30 pmEasy to make and FULL of flavor. Definitely don’t skip the cheese and use a large cast iron skillet. Delicious!! Thank you for the inspiration again and again.
Kelly
October 4, 2019 at 9:19 amYes, the cheese is so good on it! I’m glad you enjoyed it and of course, thank you for trying the recipes!
Taylor Wright
October 15, 2019 at 12:02 pmThis recipe is a must do! You will not regret it. I have a 10 month old, dinner can be a struggle! This meal is easy and most importantly healthy and tastes amazing! I ate mine with chips and avocado on the side, my husband at his with tortillas, but any way you eat it, it’s gonna be fantastic!
Kelly
October 15, 2019 at 1:28 pmYay, thank you so much Taylor, that makes me so happy to hear! Thank you for trying it and glad you enjoyed!
Catrina
October 16, 2019 at 11:19 amLoved loved this recipe!! My husband and I devoured it and had enough left for lunches the next day!
Kelly
October 18, 2019 at 2:43 pmYay for leftovers! Glad you guys liked it and thanks for trying it Catrina!