Cheesy Baja Chicken Bell Skillet (Printable Version)
Juicy chicken and colorful bell peppers cooked with Mexican spices, finished with melted Monterey Jack and cheddar.
# 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 fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
# How-To:
01 - Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken strips and sauté until just cooked through and lightly golden, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
02 - In the same skillet, add more olive oil if necessary. Sauté the sliced red, yellow, and green bell peppers with the red onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper over the vegetables. Stir to evenly coat.
04 - Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Pour in the chicken broth and lime juice, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Evenly sprinkle the shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses over the mixture. Cover the skillet and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
06 - Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- This is your secret weapon for a one-pan dinner that bursts with color and comfort in every bite.
- You get all the flavor of a restaurant meal but with easier cleanup and total freedom to tweak the spice levels.
02 -
- If you rush and pile the chicken on too close together, it will steam rather than brown—space is flavor.
- Waiting until the last minute to add cheese keeps it beautifully melty and stops it from drying out.
03 -
- Shredding your own cheese means a meltier, creamier finish every time.
- Deglazing the skillet thoroughly after the veggies caramelize scoops up every bit of flavor you worked so hard for.