Delicious Creamy Chicken Fajita Pasta

When I saw this recipe for Creamy Chicken Fajita Pasta on Chef Dennis’ “Ask Chef Dennis” blog, I thought it would work well for our Friday get together so on the menu it went.  To increase the number of servings, I increased the ingredients by 50% except for the pasta amount but the original recipe along with excellent how-to pics can be found by clicking on the link.  Dennis’ son, Chef Ryan Littley, says “This creamy chicken fajita pasta brings together juicy chicken, sizzling peppers, and bold Tex-Mex flavors in one easy skillet dinner.  Ready in about 35 minutes, it's a family favorite that's as quick as it is delicious.”

Creamy Chicken Fajita Pasta – Adapted from Ask Chef Dennis

Ingredients:

1.5 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs

1 pound penne pasta or your favorite shape

1.5 cup green bell pepper sliced

1.5 cup red bell pepper sliced

1.5 cup sweet onion sliced

3 tablespoons garlic finely chopped

1.5 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

1.5 teaspoon chili powder

0.75 teaspoon oregano

0.75 teaspoon sugar

0.75 teaspoon black pepper or to taste

0.75 teaspoon cumin

0.75 teaspoon smoked paprika

0.38 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional

6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided

0.75 cup sharp cheddar cheese

0.75 cup cotija cheese (Larry used Parmesan)

1.13 cup sour cream

.25 - 0.75 cup heavy cream or milk (optional for a creamier sauce)

Instructions:

Take the chicken out of the refrigerator half an hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.

Clean the bell peppers under cold water and peel the onion.

Slice the sweet onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper.

Remove the chicken from its packaging and pat it dry with a paper towel.

Place the breasts on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Gently pound the breasts flat to about ½ inch thickness (Larry used a Jaccard).

Slice the chicken breast into thin 1/2" slices lengthwise, set aside until needed.

Place a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add half of the butter (2 tablespoons) to the pan, stirring the butter around the pan to melt.

Add the onions and bell peppers to the pan and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring periodically. Season with S&P.

Remove the peppers and onions from the pan and place them on a clean plate, and tent loosely with aluminum foil.

Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to the pan. Stir until the butter has melted.

Add the chicken strips to the pan.

Add the salt, black pepper, paprika, oregano, cumin, sugar, and cayenne pepper (optional) to the pan. Stir to combine

Cook the chicken over medium heat for 4-6 minutes. Or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.

Add the garlic to the pan, and stir together to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Add the peppers and onions back into the pan. Stir to combine.

At this point, Larry altered the cooking instructions.

Reduce the temperature to low and add the cotija cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, and sour cream to the mixture. Stir until the cheese has melted. 

*For a creamier sauce, add heavy cream or milk to the mixture.

Drain the pasta and return to the pan.

Add the sauce to the pasta and mix well.

Plate and serve - my second helping.

The Verdict:

This meal got rave reviews from our Friday evening group so I’m sure it’s a keeper and we liked keeping the pasta at just one pound for the increase in everything else.  I thought it could use even more peppers and onions and next time I'll use my 12" saute pan rather than a 12" skillet.  Many recipes call for adding the pasta to the sauce but I prefer to return the pasta to the cooking pot and pour the sauce over it.

Photos can be slightly enlarged by clicking on them and the blue words are links.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

10/10/25 event date