Cheesy Baja Chicken Bell Peppers (Print)
Juicy chicken and tri-color bell peppers tossed in Mexican spices, finished with melted Monterey Jack and cheddar.
# What You Need:
→ 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 and 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
# How To Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 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 extra oil if necessary. Sauté sliced red, yellow, and green bell peppers with sliced red onion until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic. Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Toss vegetables to coat evenly in spices.
04 - Return cooked chicken to skillet. Pour in chicken broth and lime juice, scraping up any browned bits. Stir to combine thoroughly.
05 - Lower heat to low. Sprinkle shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses evenly over chicken and vegetables. Cover skillet and let stand for 3 to 5 minutes until cheese melts and becomes bubbly.
06 - Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- No one has ever guessed how effortless this melty, colorful skillet really is.
- It has just enough spice and enough cheese to satisfy every appetite at the table.
02 -
- If the pan’s too crowded when searing chicken, it turns out soggy instead of golden—do it in batches if needed.
- I learned the hard way that freshly squeezed lime (not the bottled stuff) makes all the difference in the final taste.
03 -
- Dry your chicken strips with paper towels before searing for max browning.
- Browning the veggies well brings out their sweetness and makes the whole dish more vivid.