Make fajita stuffed chicken for an easy and flavorful weeknight meal. Seasoned chicken breasts are stuffed with grilled onions, peppers, and cheese then baked in the oven until juicy and tender.
Recipe summary
Flavor: Like your favorite Mexican restaurant's chicken fajitas. Tender chicken is filled with sauteed onions and bell pepper smothered in melty monterey jack cheese.
Ready in: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 people
Easy to customize. Serve with your favorite toppings like guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.
Similar to: Skillet Chicken Fajitas
More stuffed chicken: Pizza Stuffed Chicken and Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed Chicken
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken - Stuffed chicken is prepared with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You'll need four single serving chicken breasts or two large chicken breasts. If using two large chicken breasts, they'll take longer to cook but can be easily sliced in half to feed two.
- Cheese - Monterey jack cheese can be substituted with sharp cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese.
- Taco seasoning - Can be homemade or store bought. Use your favorite with a flavor that you enjoy.
- Vegetables - Onion and bell pepper are added to fill the chicken. I don't recommend omitting these ingredients because they serve as the bulk of the filling.
- Oil - Olive oil can be substituted with your favorite cooking oil.
- Lime - Adds a hint of citrus and a bit of acidity to the finished dish.
How to make fajita stuffed chicken
- Saute onions and peppers in an oven-safe skillet.
- Butterfly chicken breasts to create a pocket. Season all over, then stuff with cheese and sauteed veggies.
- Return to skillet and sear on both sides.
- Transfer skillet to the oven to cook chicken through to 165F in the center.
Heather's Top Tip
An instant-read thermometer is an essential kitchen tool. Dry meat happens from overcooking. Use a meat thermometer to test the doneness of your meat and ensure it's cooked perfectly every time.
Tips and tricks
Best pan to use - I recommend using a cast iron skillet or a stainless steel, oven-safe skillet for this recipe. Make sure your skillet doesn't have a plastic coated handle that makes it unsafe for oven use.
Don't have an oven-safe pan? - After searing on the stovetop, transfer your chicken to any oven-safe dish to finish in the oven.
To prepare large chicken breasts - Chicken breasts have become larger and larger in recent years. If you're using very large chicken breasts for this recipe, they may need to be pounded thin before filling to ensure they cook within the listed times in the recipe card. To prepare large chicken breasts, pound to about 1 inch thickness, then butterfly and fill as directed below. If your chicken breasts are large, one can easily be split in half to feed two people after baking.
How to pound chicken thin - Place chicken breasts onto a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper, then top with another piece of plastic wrap or wax paper. Gently pound using a mallet or wooden rolling pin to about 1 inch thickness.
Cooking time may vary - The cooking time for this recipe depends entirely on the size and shape of your chicken breasts as well as the calibration of your oven. I highly recommend using a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Frequently asked questions
Stuffed chicken makes a great meal on its own with your favorite toppings, like sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or pico de gallo. You could also serve your chicken with beans and rice or over a salad.
Chicken turns out dry from overcooking. Use a meat thermometer instead of relying on time alone. Chicken is cooked through and safe to eat at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Chicken cooked to a higher temperature will turn out dry.
The cooking time needed for this recipe depends entirely on the thickness of your chicken breasts and the calibration of your oven. If your chicken breasts are thicker than mine, the recipe will take a few minutes longer. If you skip the step of searing your chicken on the stovetop first, the chicken will take longer to cook in the oven. This is because they're missing that initial 4-6 minutes of stovetop cooking.
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📖 Recipe
Fajita Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 16-20 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
- 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Add diced bell pepper and onion and cook until lightly browned and onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Butterfly your chicken breasts by placing one hand on top and slicing through the side of your chicken breast, leaving the opposite side intact. This creates a pocket to place your filling.
- Season chicken breasts with taco seasoning on both sides. Stuff chicken breasts with bell pepper, onion, and shredded cheese. Optionally, use toothpicks to keep the chicken breasts closed.
- Reheat skillet over medium heat. Add more oil if needed. Add stuffed chicken breasts and sear for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until they're browned and release easily from the pan.
- Transfer skillet to oven to finish cooking for anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165℉ in the center. Baking time depends entirely on how thick your chicken breasts are, so use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
- Slice lime in half and squeeze over finished chicken just before serving.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Ways to serve: Serve your fajita stuffed chicken on its own with your favorite toppings, over a salad, or with rice and beans.
- Optional toppings: sour cream, guacamole, salsa, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, cilantro
- Leftovers: Store leftovers for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
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