Cheesy Baja Chicken Skillet (Printable)
One-pan cheesy Baja chicken with bell peppers, lime, and cilantro for a bright, easy weeknight dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Spices
07 - 1 and 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Dairy
13 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
14 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
→ Pantry
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
16 - 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
17 - Juice of 1 lime
→ Fresh
18 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
# How-to Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken strips until cooked through and lightly golden, about 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
02 - In the same skillet, add extra oil if necessary. Cook sliced bell peppers and red onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss vegetables to coat evenly with spices.
04 - Return chicken to the skillet. Add chicken broth and lime juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir to combine thoroughly.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses evenly over chicken and vegetables. Cover skillet and let steam 3 to 5 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
06 - Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- There is nothing quite like the way the peppers stay crisp-tender, giving each bite a little snap, which keeps dinner from ever feeling heavy.
- All you really need is one pan and a few pantry spices, but the flavors transport you somewhere bright and sunny.
02 -
- If you overcrowd the pan with chicken, it will steam instead of sear—give it space for those tasty caramelized edges.
- I once used pre-shredded cheese in a hurry and it barely melted; grate your own for that perfect cheesy blanket.
03 -
- Let the cheese melt with the lid on but turn off the heat—it keeps everything gooey but nothing overcooks.
- Scraping the bottom of the pan with a little broth unlocks a deeper flavor from all those toasty bits.