Baked Chicken Fajita Roll (Printable View)
Juicy chicken rolled with peppers, onions, and cheese in bold Tex-Mex spices, baked until golden and melty.
# What You 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 - 1¼ cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (about 4.2 oz)
→ Spices & Seasonings
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 tsp chili powder
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - ½ tsp cumin
10 - ½ tsp garlic powder
11 - ½ tsp onion powder
12 - ½ tsp salt
13 - ¼ tsp ground black pepper
→ Garnishes
14 - Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
15 - Lime wedges (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
02 - In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well and set aside.
03 - Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even ⅜-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
04 - Drizzle the flattened chicken breasts with 1 tbsp olive oil, then sprinkle half of the spice blend evenly over both sides of each piece.
05 - Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced red and yellow bell peppers along with the red onion. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until just tender. Remove from heat and toss with the remaining spice blend.
06 - Lay each seasoned chicken breast flat. Distribute the sautéed pepper and onion mixture evenly across each piece, then sprinkle with shredded cheese.
07 - Roll each chicken breast up tightly and secure with toothpicks to hold the filling in place. Arrange the rolls seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Juices should run clear when pierced.
09 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the toothpicks, slice each roll into pinwheels, and serve garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- All the bold fajita flavor you crave wrapped neatly inside juicy chicken, so every bite is perfectly balanced.
- Cleanup is absurdly easy since everything bakes in a single dish with no stovetop splatter to scrub later.
02 -
- Skip the resting step and the cheese will pour out like lava the moment you slice, leaving you with sad naked chicken and a puddle on the cutting board.
- Do not overcook the veggies during saute because they will soften further inside the oven and mushy peppers ruin the whole texture.
03 -
- Toothpicks are non negotiable unless you enjoy watching your beautiful roll ups unravel in the oven like some kind of kitchen tragedy.
- Pound all four chicken breasts before you start assembling so you can work in a smooth rhythm without messy hands touching everything.