One Pot Fajita Pasta with Chicken
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This hearty one pot Fajita Pasta has all the classic chicken fajita flavors combined with creamy pasta in a perfect weeknight meal! Everything cooks together so each bite is infused with loads of flavor. Yum!!
Fajita Pasta
When it comes to one pot meals, I can’t get enough! There’s something so satisfying about an entire meal cooked with minimal equipment… with no extra pots and pans to wash up after dinner.
Not only is this chicken fajita pasta recipe made entirely in one pot, but it’s also incredibly flavorful!
Creamy and savory, with great texture from the chicken and veggies, this one pot fajita pasta with chicken is sure to be on your weekly rotation.
I’ve also got a delicious steak pasta salad with similar flavors if you’re craving red meat. Or make chicken fajitas without pasta in the crockpot instead!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken – Boneless skinless breast or thigh meat (and even tenderloins!) would work in this chicken fajita pasta recipe.
- Fajita Veggies – Onions and bell peppers are a staple for fajitas! Use any color pepper you like, but stick with red or yellow onions.
- Pasta – I love to use penne, but rotini or cavatappi are great swaps.
You’ll only need half a box (8oz) for one pot of fajita pasta, so don’t accidentally dump it all in! - Canned Diced Tomatoes – Rotel is my top pick — the kind with the added green chiles. This helps form the base of the sauce along with chicken stock and heavy cream.
- Fajita Seasoning – This is my favorite brand, but you could easily use a homemade blend or my taco seasoning instead!
Fajita Pasta Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Keep ingredients similar in size.
Because the chicken cooks in just minutes, the pieces should be uniform so they are ready at the same time.
Same with the veggies for chicken fajitas with pasta. It makes it easier to get a little bit of everything in each bite!
- Adjust the heat level.
In my opinion, this fajita chicken pasta recipe is between a mild and medium heat.
You can make it spicier by using hot diced tomatoes and green chiles or by swapping the bell pepper with jalapeno.
To make it milder, use plain diced tomatoes instead of the kind with green chiles.
- Make it cheesy!
There’s no cheese in this chicken fajita pasta recipe, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add some!
Shred your favorites — cheddar, Colby Jack, or a Mexican blend are my recommendations — and stir in a handful or two when you add the meat and peppers back to the pot.
Prep Ahead
- Cut chicken into pieces
- Slice and chop veggies
- Mince garlic
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Dutch Oven – I love this set and use it all the time. It is perfect for roasts, and I especially love it for my one-pot meals.
- Quality Knives and a big solid Cutting Board make prepping a breeze and are well worth the investment.
- Wooden Spoon – Use this to stir everything together. It’s much better at scraping the tasty bits off the bottom of the pan than plastic utensils.
Serving Suggestions
Another perk of one pot meals is just that — it’s a full meal! With pasta, meat, and veggies, this fajita chicken pasta recipe has everything you need for a balanced plate.
That said, you can never go wrong with a fresh green salad. Or, serve up a side of beans and rice!
In the summertime, I love making refreshing Mexican street corn salad, and a small bowl would be the perfect side for this dish.
Chicken Fajita Pasta Recipe FAQ
If your fajita pasta has too much liquid after the initial 15 minutes, just simmer for a few extra minutes.
Leave it uncovered at this point to help the liquid evaporate! You’ll also want to test a noodle to make sure it’s done.
You bet! Steak or sausage would be just as tasty — but adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Shrimp would make a fantastic addition and will cook in about the same amount of time, making it the easiest swap for this fajita pasta recipe.
Or, skip the meat altogether and simply add more veggies! Mushrooms, zucchini, and corn are my top picks.
By making this fajita pasta recipe, of course! You’ll still get plenty of carb-o-licious flavor in every bite, and it all cooks in one pot!
Storing and Reheating Leftover Fajita Pasta
Allow leftovers to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat fajita pasta with chicken in the microwave or on the stove, adding a splash of chicken stock as needed for moisture.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other One-Pot Recipes
One Pot Fajita Pasta with Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 – 1″ pieces
- 2-3 tablespoons fajita seasoning, taco seasoning works as well
- 1 large yellow or red onion, diced
- 2-3 bell peppers, any variety, sliced into thin 1″ long strips
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 10 ounce can diced tomatoes and green chiles, I used Rotel brand
- 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta, or other short cut pasta
- pinch of salt and black pepper, to taste
- lime wedges, for garnish
- diced green onions, for garnish
- minced fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil to dutch oven or 12″ skillet and heat over MED HIGH heat. Add chicken, sprinkle with half of the fajita seasoning and cook about 2 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over (or give it a good stir) and cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil to dutch oven and add in onions and peppers and remaining fajita seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 4-5 minutes, until softened and slightly charred. Add garlic, stir, and cook about 30 seconds, then remove vegetable mixture to the plate with the chicken and set aside.
- Pour in chicken stock, heavy cream, diced tomatoes and chiles, pasta, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Use a wooden spoon to carefully loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a low boil (usually about a MED LOW heat should work), cover, and cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 15 minutes, most of the cooking liquid should be absorbed. If it’s not, cook another 3-5 minutes. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pot and stir to heat through.
- Serve garnished with diced green onions and minced fresh parsley or cilantro and with a squeeze of a lime wedge.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published January 2018, updated and republished April 2024
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Hmmm, ingredients list uncooked penne, but instructions do not include preparing it or adding to finished dish.
Hi Dargo, it is in the recipe, Pour in chicken stock, heavy cream, diced tomatoes and chiles, pasta, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Enjoy!
This looks so good. I am going to try it this weekend. I will let you know what we thought. Thankssss
Awesome! Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
Can I use half and half instead of heavy cream?
Doesn’t tell you when to put the pasta in ????
Hi Nancy,
You add the pasta in step 3 as stated in the recipe. Pour in chicken stock, heavy cream, diced tomatoes and chiles, pasta, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Hope this helps. Have a great day!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
I love one pot recipes. This fajita pasta one pot is an amazing comfort food and it is pretty simple to make!
We like pasta dishes, but we are people that generally like our pasta dishes with cheese sauce of some sort. However, I figured we would try this out and I could add cheese if I wanted to. To my total surprise – – It didn’t even need it! It was so flavorful and wonderful! I definitely recommend!
I tried it for supper and it was fantastic, the only thing I would change is half of a onion, and I only used 2 tbsps of Taco spice, did not have the fajita spice, its a keeper
Dish was very good however, found there to be too much liquid, would recommend thickening agent.
I use instant potato flakes as thickener.
I made this tonight and it was delicious. Next time I will cut back on the taco seasoning a little bit, because it was a little to spicy for me but I can’t handle a lot of heat.
What can you use in place of heavy cream if you don’t have?
Will try this weekend, sounds good & easy!
I made this and it smells so delicious as I was preparing. Didn’t need to cook the pasta 15 mins as most of the liquid absorbed in about 12 mins cooking at the stated temperature. Depending on your “spicy” level, I was used up to 3 tbs of fajita/taco seasoning. Otherwise I’m glad I stumbled across this recipe.
Hi Myra!
We’re glad you enjoyed!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
Made this tonight and it was amazing ! Followed the recipe exactly and the pasta turned out perfect ! I have tried other recipes that leave the pasta half cooked but this one was perfect ! I garnished with black beans , green onions and sour cream . Superb !
Hi Janet!
We’re so glad you enjoyed!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn