Description
This Chicken Fajita Pasta is a quick and flavorful dish combining tender sautéed bell peppers and onions with a creamy, spicy sauce made from Rotel tomatoes, fajita seasoning, and cream cheese. Tossed with perfectly cooked pasta and juicy cooked chicken, this meal is a delicious fusion of Tex-Mex and comfort food that comes together in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta
Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, sliced or chopped
- 2 bell peppers (assorted colors), sliced or chopped
Sauce & Seasoning
- 1 (10 fluid ounce) can Ro-tel diced tomatoes & green chilies with juices
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 (1 ounce) packet Old El Paso Fajita Seasoning
- 1/4 cup cream cheese
Protein
- 1.5 cups cooked chicken (rotisserie works great)
Seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soften Cream Cheese: Remove the cream cheese from the fridge at least 30 minutes before starting to let it soften, or microwave for about 20 seconds to speed up the process.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and bell peppers, sautéing for about 5 minutes until they are tender-crisp. Stir frequently to ensure even cooking.
- Make Sauce: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add Rotel tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, fajita seasoning, and softened cream cheese to the skillet. Stir well until the cream cheese melts completely and the sauce thickens, which is aided by the cornstarch in the fajita seasoning.
- Add Chicken and Combine: Stir in the cooked chicken and warm it through. If the sauce becomes too thick, thin it with some reserved hot pasta water. Once heated, add the drained pasta directly into the skillet and toss everything together to coat evenly.
- Season and Serve: Taste the pasta and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Soften the cream cheese beforehand to help it blend smoothly into the sauce.
- The fajita seasoning contains cornstarch which helps thicken the sauce quickly.
- If the sauce looks too thick after adding the chicken, add reserved pasta water gradually until desired consistency is reached.
- You can use any shaped pasta such as penne, rotini, or shells.
- Rotisserie chicken is a convenient shortcut, but cooked diced chicken breast or thighs can be used instead.
