Baked Chicken Fajita Roll Ups (Printable)
Chicken breasts stuffed with peppers, onions, and cheese, rolled and baked with smoky Tex-Mex spices.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lb)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Dairy
05 - 4.2 oz shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
→ Spices & Seasonings
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 tsp chili powder
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
10 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
11 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
12 - 1/2 tsp salt
13 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
→ Garnishes
14 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - Lime wedges
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.
02 - In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir until evenly blended.
03 - Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound using a meat mallet or rolling pin to an even 3/8-inch thickness.
04 - Drizzle the pounded chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle both sides of each breast with half of the prepared spice blend.
05 - Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the sliced red and yellow bell peppers along with the red onion until just tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with the remaining spice blend.
06 - Lay each seasoned chicken breast flat. Spread an even layer of the sautéed pepper and onion mixture over the surface, then sprinkle generously with shredded cheese.
07 - Roll each chicken breast up tightly and secure with toothpicks to hold the filling in place. Arrange the rolls seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. The cheese should be melted and the juices should run clear.
09 - Allow the roll ups to rest for 5 minutes before removing the toothpicks. Slice into pinwheels and serve garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Everything you crave about fajitas gets rolled into a tidy, fork friendly package that stays juicy inside the oven.
- Clean up is almost nothing since the baking dish does all the heavy lifting after a quick skillet saute.
02 -
- Do not overcook the peppers in the skillet or they will turn completely mushy inside the chicken during baking.
- Letting the roll ups rest before slicing is the difference between a beautiful pinwheel and a hot cheesy mess falling apart on your cutting board.
03 -
- Toothpicks are not optional here unless you enjoy watching your beautiful roll ups unravel in the oven, so use two per roll and angle them slightly for a tighter hold.
- The spice blend doubles easily, so make extra and keep it in a jar for the next time you want fajita flavor on anything from roasted vegetables to scrambled eggs.