This One Pan Fajita Rice Casserole recipe has all the familiar flavours of fajita night without the assembly! All of your ingredients cook at the same time in one pot – even the rice – making this the perfect weeknight meal for when you want dinner to cook itself.
I love an easy one-pan weeknight recipe. This casserole is loaded with veggies and protein, along with complex carbohydrates from rice, making it a balanced meal all in one pan.
Make this recipe for dinner or as a base for fajita bowls for your lunch this week! It reheats well – all you need are your fajita toppings.
Ingredients you’ll need for One Pan Fajita Rice Casserole
Fajita spices: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper.
Onion, peppers: I like using yellow onion and different coloured bell peppers for a more colourful dish.
Long grain white rice: this has been tested with the recipe. You can swap for a different type of rice but this may change the cooking time and liquid needed.
Chicken broth: this will add a boost of flavour to the rice and act as your cooking liquid.
Chicken breast: your protein source for the recipe.
Shredded cheese: this will be added in the last five minutes of baking. You may also want extra for serving.
Additional toppings (optional): avocado, salsa, plain Greek yogurt (as a swap for sour cream), cilantro, lime juice – whatever you love adding to your fajitas will work well here!
Looking for more one pan recipes? Check out my favourite Sheet Pan and One Pot recipes here!
How to make it:
In a large bowl, add sliced chicken, peppers, and onion. Drizzle with olive oil and lime juice, then add spices. Mix until fully combined.
In a 13 x 9 casserole dish, add rice and chicken broth. Add the chicken mixture on top. Cover and bake for ~35 minutes.
Note: this recipe took a lot of trial and error to get the rice to cook at the same time as the other ingredients. The actual cooking time and liquid: rice ratio may differ depending on the casserole dish you use and the temperature of your oven. I suggest checking on your recipe a couple of times the first time you make it to ensure everything is cooking properly.
After ~35 minutes, remove the cover and sprinkle the casserole contents with cheese. Bake for another ~5 minutes.
Divide into bowls and serve with your favourite fajita toppings.
One Pan Fajita Rice Casserole recipe
One Pan Fajita Rice Casserole
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Description
This One Pan Fajita and Rice Casserole recipe has all the familiar flavours of fajita night without the assembly! All of your ingredients cook at the same time in one pot – even the rice – making this the perfect weeknight meal for when you want dinner to cook itself.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp lime juice
½ onion, sliced
3 bell pepper, sliced
1 cup long grain rice
1.5 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breast, sliced
1 cup shredded cheese
Fajita toppings (optional): avocado, Greek yogurt, lime juice, cilantro, salsa, cheese, diced tomato
Instructions
- Using a large bowl, add chicken, peppers, and onion. Drizzle oil and lime juice over the mixture, then add the spices. Mix until spices are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- In a 13 x 9 casserole dish, add rice and chicken broth. Place chicken and pepper mixture on top of the rice. Cover and bake at 350F for ~35 minutes (there should be little broth left and chicken/rice should be fully cooked).
- Remove cover, sprinkle cheese over the casserole contents and bake uncovered for another ~4-5 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
- Serve with additional fajita toppings (optional)
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Entree
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: one pan dinner, fajitas, casserole, peppers, onion, rice, cheese
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Hi there! I am a registered dietitian and I ? food! I am passionate about making it easier for busy people to eat well by sharing quick and healthy recipes. Healthy cooking at home can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. I love helping people uncomplicate weeknight dinners and reduce stress around meal time, so I’m so glad you’re here!
