Cheesy Baja Chicken Skillet (Print)

One-pan Baja-style chicken with sauteed bell peppers, cumin-chili spice, lime and melted Monterey Jack.

# Ingredient list:

→ 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 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

# Directions:

01 - Heat 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 chicken from skillet and set aside.
02 - In the same skillet, add additional oil if necessary. Sauté the red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, green bell pepper, and red onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper, stirring to evenly coat the vegetables.
04 - Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Pour in chicken broth and lime juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir to combine all ingredients.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese evenly over the chicken and vegetables. Cover the skillet and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
06 - Remove the skillet from heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get a generous heap of flavor and melty cheese with barely any cleanup to worry about.
  • The colorful veggies and punchy spices make it feel like you’re eating out, but you barely had to think.
02 -
  • If the veggies crowd together too much, they’ll steam and go limp; give them space for char and snap.
  • I used to skip the lime but trust me: it brightens every bite and balances the richness of the cheese.
03 -
  • Let your cheese come to room temperature before sprinkling—it melts and bubbles faster without seizing up.
  • For deeper flavor, brown the chicken in batches to avoid steaming, even if it means an extra step.

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