This Cheesy Fajita Baked Chicken with Cream Cheese features chicken breasts that are seasoned with a blend of spices and topped with cream cheese, mini sweet peppers, and shredded mozzarella cheese. It can be made in only 30 minutes and is a great choice for weeknight family dinners!
If you’re in need of a quick, easy, and filling weeknight dinner, this recipe is ideal!
It takes minimal time to prepare, and the end result is a filling chicken dish that everyone will enjoy.
There’s no need to dirty any extra pots or pans – just one baking dish is all you need. Serve with a simple side salad or some steamed broccoli for a complete meal.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- Family-friendly.
- Ready in 30 minutes.
- Low-carb, keto-friendly, and gluten-free.
- Easy to find ingredients.
Ingredients
How to make this chicken fajita bake with cream cheese
Fill a large mixing bowl with warm water and salt to create brine. Using a spoon, stir to combine until most of salt is absorbed before adding chicken breasts to bowl. Set aside to brine while prepping other ingredients, about 10 minutes.
Arrange oven rack on middle rack, preheat oven to 450 degrees, and coat 9×13-inch baking pan with nonsticking cooking spray.
Remove chicken breasts from brine, rinse with cold water, then pat dry with paper towels.
In a small mixing bowl, mix all spices until well-combined.
In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken breasts, avocado oil, and about 3/4 of spices, keeping some for seasoning the peppers.
Using tongs, toss together until chicken is coated in spices.
Transfer chicken to prepared baking pan and spread cream cheese on top.
Place peppers atop chicken.
Sprinkle remaining spices on top.
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella atop peppers.
Transfer pan to oven to bake until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 15-17 minutes.
Move oven rack to highest rack, turn on oven broiler, and broil until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to ensure it doesn’t burn.
Remove pan from oven, top with optional garnishes, and serve.
Ingredient substitutions
- Chicken Breast: Chicken thighs can be substituted in place of the chicken breast.
- Avocado Oil: You can substitute olive oil at a 1:1 ratio for avocado oil.
- Cream Cheese: You can use vegan cream cheese or, if you consume nuts, almond milk cream cheese at a 1:1 ratio should work.
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: Shredded white cheddar cheese would be your best option here.
Keep in mind any changes you make to this recipe will likely modify the overall nutrition info of the dish.
FAQs
Can I use taco seasoning instead of all the spices listed in the recipe?
Yes, note that some taco seasonings contain extra additives you may choose to stay away from (just be sure to check your labels).
I can also not say whether storebought taco seasoning will have a higher or lower salt content than what this recipe calls for, so keep that in mind if you do decide to sub.
At what temperature do I know that the chicken is done?
Cook all chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You can check the temperature with a meat thermometer.
What should I serve with this dish?
We typically have a side salad or some low-carb steamed vegetables (I like the microwaveable frozen vegetable bags that can be steamed in the microwave in ~5 minutes).
How do I store this low-carb chicken fajita bake in the refrigerator?
In an airtight container, you can store this baked cheesy fajita chicken in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
For best results when reheating, put the chicken bake back in the oven at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes. If you want to reheat just a single serving, you can pop it in the microwave for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the wattage of your microwave.
Can I freeze cheesy keto fajita chicken?
Absolutely! Store the prepared and ungarnished dish in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Allow the dish to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating in the microwave or oven.
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Cheesy Chicken Fajita Bake
Ingredients
Chicken Brine (Start Brining Before Prepping Other Ingredients – See Instruction Step #1):
- 4 cups warm water
- ¼ cup salt
- 1 ½ pounds thin boneless, skinless chicken breasts (~4 chicken breasts)
Fajitas:
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 ¼ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1/16 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 5 ounces cream cheese, softened to be easily spreadable
- 150 grams (6-10 peppers) mini sweet peppers, assorted colors, sliced thinly lengthwise
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional Garnishes (Not Included In Nutrition Info):
- Finely chopped green onions
- Sour cream
- Salsa
Instructions
- Fill a large mixing bowl with warm water and salt to create brine. Using a spoon, stir to combine until most of salt is absorbed before adding chicken breasts to bowl. Set aside to brine while prepping other ingredients, about 10 minutes.
- Arrange oven rack on middle rack, preheat oven to 450 degrees F, and coat 9×13-inch baking pan with nonsticking cooking spray.
- Remove chicken breasts from brine, rinse with cold water, then pat dry with paper towels.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix all spices until well-combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken breasts, avocado oil, and about ¾ of spices, keeping some for seasoning the peppers. Using tongs, toss together until chicken is coated in spices.
- Transfer chicken to prepared baking pan and spread cream cheese on top. Place peppers atop chicken. Sprinkle remaining spices on top. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella atop peppers.
- Transfer pan to oven to bake until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 15-17 minutes. Move oven rack to highest rack, turn on oven broiler, and broil until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to ensure it doesn't burn.
- Remove pan from oven, top with optional garnishes, and serve.
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