Baked Chicken Fajita Roll Ups (Printable)
Chicken breasts rolled with fajita veggies and melted Monterey Jack cheese, baked to golden perfection.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
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 (4 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
→ Spices & Seasonings
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Garnishes
15 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - Lime wedges
17 - Sour cream
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
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 the vegetables are evenly coated.
03 - Slice each chicken breast horizontally through the center without cutting all the way through, then open like a book. Place each butterflied breast 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 each breast up tightly, tucking in any stray vegetables. Secure with toothpicks to hold the seam closed.
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, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F and the cheese is melted and bubbling.
07 - Remove from the oven and carefully extract the toothpicks. Let rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges and sour cream on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It gives you all the bold personality of fajitas without standing over a smoking skillet, which your smoke alarm will thank you for.
- The cheese melts into the vegetables and creates this golden puddle inside each roll that spills out when you cut into it, and people actually gasp when that happens.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully the next day, which means lunch is suddenly something you look forward to.
02 -
- Do not skip the pounding step, because uneven chicken means some parts dry out while the thick center is still pink, and I learned this the hard way on my first attempt.
- Let the roll ups rest for about five minutes after baking before you slice them, otherwise all that beautiful melted cheese pours out onto the cutting board instead of staying inside where it belongs.
03 -
- Marinate the butterflied chicken in a little olive oil and half the spice blend for an hour or two before assembling, because the flavor penetrates deeper than just sprinkling it on top.
- Use toothpicks that are a contrasting color to the chicken so you do not accidentally leave one behind when serving, which I have done and it was not my finest moment.