Cheesy Baja Chicken Bell Peppers (Printable Format)
One-pan Baja-style chicken with bell peppers, smoky spices and melted cheese for a quick, flavorful weeknight dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Spices
07 - 1 and 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Dairy
13 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
14 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
→ Pantry
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
16 - 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
17 - Juice of 1 lime
→ Fresh
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken strips and sauté until just cooked through and lightly golden, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.
02 - Add additional olive oil to the same skillet if necessary. Sauté red, yellow, and green bell peppers along with red onion until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Sprinkle chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper over the vegetables. Toss to evenly coat.
05 - Return cooked chicken to the skillet. Pour in chicken broth and lime juice, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Stir to fully combine all ingredients.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses evenly over the top of the chicken and vegetables.
07 - Cover skillet and allow cheese to melt and become bubbly, about 3 to 5 minutes.
08 - Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The final sprinkle of cheese brings everything together in creamy, melty perfection that never fails to make people grin.
- Cleanup is a breeze with only one skillet to wash, leaving more time for lingering at the table.
02 -
- Once, I rushed and dumped in all the veggies with the chicken—the pepper colors dulled, and nothing tasted distinct, so always sauté them separately for the best result.
- I learned the hard way not to skip the squeeze of lime at the end; it wakes up every bite.
03 -
- If cheese ever looks oily on top, let the skillet sit uncovered off-heat for a minute—it settles down quickly.
- Use thicker-cut peppers for more crunch, or slice thinly to let them melt into the dish; both ways are delicious.