Baked Chicken Fajita Noodle Casserole

This Baked Chicken Fajita Noodle Casserole includes peppers, onions, chicken breast, noodles, cheesy goodness, and tastes like a fajita! Great to serve the family or to make ahead for the week’s lunches.
Jump to Recipe

During recipe development, I was trying to think of ways to make the prep time on this recipe a bit shorter. Long recipe short, this one calls for cooking the components before putting it all together for a final baking. Here was my thought process for cooking each of these components and their necessity:

1. Noodles – need them. Also need them to be cooked.
2. Chicken – MEAT. Can use pre-cooked meat, but we don’t always have that ready to go.
3. Peppers and onion – Vital for fajita-ness.

So, yeah, I couldn’t leave anything out. In another world, I see a futuristic version of this casserole made with rice that cooks INSIDE the casserole during the final baking phase. But – I wanted noodles, and I wanted them in this Chicken Fajita Casserole.

While it may be a little time consuming, this recipe just comes down to cooking a few basics and adding a few spices. Step 1: Cook the chicken. I like to use the same pan for the chicken as I will use for the casserole itself to save dishes.

Step 2: Cook your favorite kind of noodles according to the package. I cook mine to the minimum required time since they’ll cook a little more in the oven. Note: Some brands of brown rice noodles really suck. I use the Trader Joe’s Organic Brown Rice Fusilli because it seems to dry out the least, compared to other brands I’ve tried. I also like Jovial Organic Brown Rice Fusilli too.

Step 3: Cook the veggies. Also not that difficult. And super easy Step 4: Combine with remaining ingredients and bake!

A couple more casserole dinner ideas:

• Veggie Loaded Rotisserie Chicken Casserole
• Creamy Pesto Pasta Chicken Bake with Peas
• Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Kale Casserole

Did you make this? I want to see how it turned out! Tag me in your social media post @projectmealplan and use #projectmealplan when you share!

Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

Baked Chicken Fajita Noodle Casserole

Yield: 9x13 casserole 1x

Print Save Rate it

Prep: 10 minutesCook: 60 minutesTotal: 1 hour 10 minutes

All the best chicken fajita flavors with peppers and onions, in casserole form!

Scale: 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (3–4 breasts) (can sub any leftover pre-cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken)
• 3 cups dry brown rice noodles (can sub any noodles)
• 4 tablespoons olive or avocado oil (separated)
• 1 red bell pepper, stem/seeds removed, cut into 1.5–2 inch strips
• 1 green bell pepper, stem/seeds removed, cut into 1.5–2 inch strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper, stem/seeds removed, cut into 1.5–2 inch strips
• 2 jalapeños, stem and seeds removed, diced
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1.5–2 inch long strips
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for a little extra spice)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup whole fat greek yogurt
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar jack (or blend) cheese, separated
• salt/pepper

Toppings: cilantro, avocado, salsa, olives, etc

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 9×13 inch casserole dish with aluminum foil.
2. Place chicken breasts in the dish, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, flip and sprinkle with another 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes (time will vary depending on thickness of chicken). Move on to next steps while chicken is cooking. When the chicken has reached 165 degrees F inside, set aside to cool. Shred or chop into 1 inch cubes when cooled.
3. While the chicken is cooking, prep all vegetables. Remove seeds, stem, and chop jalapeños. Remove seeds and stem from bell peppers, and cut into 2-inch strips. Cut onion into 2-inch strips.
4. Heat a salted pot of water at high heat until boiling. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Strain and set aside to cool when done. Drizzle with olive oil and stir to avoid sticking while cooling.
5. In a large deep skillet or Dutch Oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. When hot, add all vegetables to the skillet. Add lime juice, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Cook for 9-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onions begin to turn translucent. Turn off the burner but leave the skillet on the hot burner.
6. Add cubed or shredded chicken, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and black pepper. Stir until well mixed and seasoning is evenly dispersed. Add cream cheese, greek yogurt, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until well mixed.
7. Remove the foil from the 9×13 casserole dish. Leave any leftover chicken juices. Dump entire mixture into the casserole dish. Top with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
8. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown. Optional – broil for 3 minutes at the end to crisp the top. Watch it carefully.
9. Top with avocado, cilantro, salsa, or your favorite fajita toppings.

Equipment

Lodge 6 qt Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Buy Now →

OXO Utility Cutting Board

Buy Now →

(affiliate link!)

Notes

Prep ahead for this recipe by cooking chicken, chopping veggies, and pre-measuring your spices a day before. This recipe reheats very easily in the microwave. Perfect for lunches or dinners. Inspired by Chicken Fajitas Recipe from Stupid Easy Paleo. Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1/8 of casserole
• Calories: 399
• Fat: 17g
• Carbohydrates: 27g
• Protein: 33g

© Author: Danielle

Method: Baked

I hope you love the Baked Chicken Fajita Casserole! Use #projectmealplan on social media if you make this yummy recipe! And follow me on Pinterest for meal inspiration every single day.