This Easy Cheesy Baked Fajita Chicken makes a great dinner idea. The boneless chicken breasts are stuffed with cheese and vegetables before being baked in the oven on a sheet pan. The Mexican seasonings give the chicken so much flavor and the cheese and vegetables keep it moist whilst it bakes. Serve it with tortillas, avocado, and sour cream or with rice and extra veg.
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Ingredients
4chicken breastsboneless and skinless
1tablespoonolive oil
1green bell pepper -see note 1
1red bell pepper- see note 1
1onion- see note 1
1teaspooncumin
1teaspoongarlic powder
1teaspoonsmoked paprika
¾teaspoonsalt
½teaspoondried oregano
¼teaspooncayenne pepper/red pepper flakes
6slicespepper jack cheese- see note 2
1tablespoonolive oil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC
To Butterfly the chicken
Place the chicken breast on a chopping board with the fattest part of the breast facing the blade of your knife.
Keep the knife flat and parallel to your chopping board and horizontally through the chicken breast. Use your other hand to slowly open the chicken up like a book. You will be left with a heart shaped piece of chicken.
Cover the chicken with a sheet of parchment paper and using a fry pan to lightly pound the chicken.
Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts
To make the filling
Slice the bell peppers into thin strips and peel and slice the onion into similar sized strips.
Place a large heavy fry pan over a high heat and allow it to get hot. (see note 3)
Add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and then fry the veg for 3-4 minutes until lightly charred and starting to soften.
Remove from the heat and add in the cumin, garlic powder, salt, chili powder, smoked paprika and oregano. Stir to combine.
To construct your chicken
Stread ¼ of the mixture over two of the flattened chicken breasts and then top each with 3 slices of cheese. Divide the remaining veg over the top and sandwich shut with the last two chicken breasts.
Using the same pan you cooked the veg in, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and gently sear one side of the chicken stacks. Carefully flip the chicken and place the fry pan into the oven.
Bake for 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the chicken is cooked through.
If your fry pan isn't oven proof then carefully transfer the chicken to a lined baking sheet.
Serve with flour wraps, avocado and sour cream. Or with mexican rice.
Notes
The beauty of this baked chicken dish is you can use any veg you like as long as it has been cut up into thin strips, you will need 4 cups in total. Bell peppers (in a variety of colours) Onion (red or white) Mushrooms Zucchini Corn Pumpkin Asparagus Green beans Carrots
Alternative cheeses: Monetary jack Mozzarella Cheddar Cheddar Jack.
If you have one, use a fry pan that can be placed in the oven, this will save you washing an extra sheet pan later.