Creamy Chicken Fajita Pasta Skillet

When busy times hit, easy one-pan meals have my heart. Easy to make and cleanup, this dish is packed with flavor and encapsulates the best parts of fajitas and pasta. Rich with protein and calcium from the cheese and chicken, Creamy Chicken Fajita Pasta Skillet is a palette-pleaser. It is as appealing to look at as it is to eat.

This recipe lessens cleaning and can be served straight out of the pan. No sink or dishwasher full of dishes afterward. While this recipe clearly leans toward that warm, decadent comfort foods category, you can shake things up with healthier twists like using protein or vegetable pasta instead, or even adding more peppers.

Prepping the Ingredients

Use the 6-3/4" Petite Carver to trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs then slice them into uniform strips, about a half-inch wide.

Take your 7" Santoku and slice the peppers into thin, even strips.

For easy step-by-step directions for cutting peppers, take a look at Cutco’s tutorial.

With the 4" Gourmet Paring Knife, carefully slice off the top of the jalapeño. Cut it in half lengthwise and, if you prefer less heat, remove the seeds and membrane. Place the halves cut-side down, slice into strips and turn crosswise to finely mince. The compact size and control of the paring knife make it perfect for detailed prep work like this.

Using the 7-5/8" Petite Chef knife, slice off the top of onion, cut in half from root to stem and remove the outer skin. Place the flat side down on your cutting board and cut each half into thin slices so you have half-moons.

Use this same knife to chop the parsley leaves until you have a quarter-cup. Remember to chop a bit of extra parsley to use as garnish.

Putting It Together

In a large oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat, warm a drizzle of oil until shimmering. We found the 12" Gourmet Fry Pan to be the perfect size and material. Add the chicken and sear on all sides until golden brown, about three to four minutes. Add the bell peppers, jalapeño, onion and taco seasoning. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about four minutes.

Stir in the uncooked pasta and broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and the liquid has thickened to a sauce-like consistency, about 12 to14 minutes.

While the pasta cooks, preheat the oven to broil and position the top rack approximately six inches from the heat source.

Once the pasta is ready, remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the chopped parsley, Neufchâtel cheese and one cup of shredded pepper jack. Continue stirring until the cheese is fully melted and the mixture turns creamy, about one to two minutes. Sprinkle the remaining half cup of pepper jack evenly over the top.

Note that Neufchatel cheese has less fat content so it may take a little longer to fully melt. You can substitute regular cream cheese if you desire. Gruyere is a good substitute for the pepper jack cheese if you want to reduce some of the heat. Additionally, three tablespoons was perfect from our view on the taco seasoning for this, but you can cut it down to one or two tablespoons instead. You can also use your favorite pasta noodle, just try to avoid too thick of a noodle (your pasta may not evenly cook).

Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil until the cheese is lightly browned in spots, about three minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and garnish with additional parsley, if desired. Serve straight from the skillet for a warm, melty one-pan meal.

This dish cooks the pasta in broth right in the skillet. Note that the broth won’t cover the pasta completely, but the pasta still cooks evenly, and the pasta water keeps everything tender. Additionally, because the pasta cooks right in the skillet, the starch in it remains and helps thicken the sauce, so once you add the cheese, it’s very creamy.

The beauty of this dish isn’t just in the flavor, it’s in the warmth it brings to the table. Perfect for busy weeknights or relaxed weekend dinners, it’s a crowd-pleaser that hits all the right notes – creamy, cheesy, savory and a little fiery. Best of all, it’s visually vibrant, providing a medley of colors and textures that look as inviting in the pan as they taste on the plate. Your family and friends are sure to return for seconds of this tasty Creamy Chicken Fajita Pasta Skillet. That is, if any remains.