Baked Chicken Fajita Roll Ups (Printable View)
Juicy chicken rolled with sautéed peppers, onion and melted cheese — baked until golden and bubbly.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Cheese
06 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
→ Spices and Seasonings
07 - 1 tbsp olive oil
08 - 2 tsp chili powder
09 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
11 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
12 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
13 - 1/2 tsp salt
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Garnishes
15 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - Lime wedges
17 - Sour cream
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced bell peppers and red onion with olive oil, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
03 - Slice each chicken breast horizontally without cutting all the way through, then open like a book to create a butterfly cut. Place between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
04 - Divide the seasoned vegetable mixture and shredded Monterey Jack cheese evenly among the flattened chicken cutlets. Lay the filling across the center of each piece, then roll up tightly and secure with toothpicks to hold their shape.
05 - Place the chicken roll-ups seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle any remaining fajita seasoning blend over the tops.
06 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F and the cheese is melted and bubbling.
07 - Remove the toothpicks from each roll-up. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve alongside lime wedges and sour cream.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Rolling the filling inside the chicken means every single bite is loaded with flavor, not just the bites that happen to catch a piece of pepper.
- Cutting the carbs by skipping the tortilla lets the actual fajita seasonings and vegetables shine in a way they never could when buried under wraps.
- Cleanup is minimal since everything bakes in one dish, which matters more than people admit on busy nights.
02 -
- Do not skip pounding the chicken because uneven thickness means part of the roll dries out before the thickest section finishes cooking.
- Toothpicks are not optional if you want the rolls to hold their shape during baking, so insert them at an angle to keep everything tucked in tight.
03 -
- Let the seasoned vegetables sit for ten minutes before filling the chicken so the salt draws out moisture and the peppers soften slightly, making them easier to roll inside tight spaces.
- Marinating the butterflied chicken in a little olive oil and leftover fajita seasoning for an hour before assembling adds another layer of flavor that permeates the meat itself rather than just the filling.