Creamy Chicken Fajita Pasta

Everything you love about fajitas transformed into the creamiest and tastiest pasta. This spicy pasta makes a great addition to your weeknight routine and is ready in under 30 minutes! 

In case you haven’t noticed, we’re obsessed with Mexican food around here. What’s not to love about this spicy flavorful cuisine. We love tacos, burritos, bowls, and fajita so why not make a chicken fajita pasta?

This chicken fajita pasta is packed with all the flavors of chicken fajitas in a creamy pasta form. Packed with protein, carbs, and veggies, this pasta is the ultimate comfort meal. It comes together in under 30 minutes and will become a dinner staple!

What You Will Need to Make Chicken Fajita Pasta

To make this delicious chicken fajita pasta you will need a few pantry staples that you most likely already have on hand.

Chicken Breasts: This recipe works best with chicken breasts. Boneless chicken thighs will also work. We also like this dish with shrimp to make a shrimp fajita pasta spin to it!

Pasta: Any type of pasta works! I like penne or rotini but any cut even linguine or spaghetti will work with this recipe.

Bell Peppers + Onion: The onions and bell peppers are what make this dish exclusively chicken fajita-inspired. They add lots of flavor and texture.

Fajita Seasoning: A homemade spice blend or store-bought will work. You can also use my delicious homemade taco seasoning or this delicious homemade Mexican Seasoning blend.

Cheese: Cheddar, Mexican blend, Colby, or mozzarella will work. Be sure to shred it yourself at home as the pre-shredded cheese comes with fillers.

Cream: This is what gives the pasta the creaminess and rich flavor. You can use light or heavy cream. Some people like to substitute with half & half for lower calories but if you do, be sure to reduce the heat when you add it because it can curdle.

How to Make Chicken Fajita Pasta

The chicken is first cooked in a load of fajita spices (you can use a store-bought packet or a homemade blend) until crispy and tender. I like to cut them into bite-size pieces. You can also cook the chicken breasts whole by coating them in fajita seasoning and grilling them in the pan then cutting after cooking and returning them to the pasta at the very end.

Next, the bell peppers, onion, and garlic are added and cooked just until they soften.

Al-dente pasta, cream, and cheddar cheese are then added to finish off this easy-to-make flavorful pasta.

The flavors of fajita along with the cheese and cream make the most zesty insane flavor combo that’s to die for. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!

Expert tips

This chicken and pasta recipe is very easy to make but here are some tips so it’s perfect every time!

• Freshly grated cheese: If you have the time, grate your cheese. It not only melts better, but it isn’t filled with preservatives and fillers like grated cheese does.
• Chicken size: It’s best if all of the pieces of chicken are similar in size. This will help them cook evenly and at the same rate.
• Pasta: Be sure not to overcook the pasta in the water as it will continue cooking in the fajita sauce. For best results, cook it al dente. For al dente pasta, you’ll need to drain it about 2-3 min before the time suggested on the packaging. Reserve some pasta sauce and add it to the pasta if you need more moisture.

What else can I add to my chicken pasta?

To make this pasta a bit more nutrition-dense, you can easily sneak in a variety of veggies or your favorite add-ins. I do this for my kids as they don’t seem to mind the veggies in the pasta. The veggies also add a ton of flavor and texture too! Here are a few of my favorite pasta mix-ins:

• Broccoli
• cauliflower
• Mushrooms
• Julienned carrots
• Spinach/Kale
• Zucchini/eggplant

You can also add canned beans or switch up the protein and use shrimp, ground meat, or tofu!

Storing recommendations

Even though we rarely have leftovers of this dish, it’s very easy to store and reheat!

• Store in the refrigerator: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store for a max of 3-4 days.
• Freeze: This recipe will last 6-8 months frozen. Let it thaw in the fridge for a full 24 hours before reheating.
• To reheat: You can reheat portions in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add a splash of cream, or water to loosen the pasta.

More Delicious Chicken Pasta Recipes

• Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta
• Marry Me Chicken Pasta
• 15 Minute Chicken Pasta
• Chicken Pesto Pasta
• Tuscan Chicken Pasta