Description
This Baja Chicken Skillet is a vibrant and flavorful one-pan dish featuring juicy, marinated chicken breasts cooked with sautéed bell peppers, jalapeños, and red onions. Topped with melted pepper jack cheese and fresh cilantro, it offers a perfect balance of citrusy tang, mild heat, and smoky spices for a delicious and easy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 orange, juiced
- 2 limes, juiced (use juice from 1 lime for marinade, reserve 1 lime for sauté)
- 1 jalapeño, minced or sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt (for marinade)
Sautéed Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (plus splash for cooking)
- 1 jalapeño, minced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 lime (juice for sautéed vegetables)
- Pinch of salt (for vegetables)
Spices and Topping
- 1 teaspoon salt (for seasoning chicken)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 slices pepper jack cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Place chicken: Place chicken breasts into a casserole dish or large mixing bowl ready for marination.
- Prepare marinade: Juice the orange and 1 lime into a bowl. Add minced garlic, sliced jalapeño, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Marinate chicken: Pour the marinade over the chicken breasts. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to absorb the flavors.
- Preheat skillet and sauté vegetables: About 10 minutes before the chicken finishes marinating, preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a splash of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.
- Cook vegetables: Add minced jalapeño, diced yellow and orange bell peppers, diced red onion, and minced garlic to the hot pan. Sauté for 5 minutes, then juice the remaining lime over vegetables, add a pinch of salt, and continue to sauté for 3 more minutes.
- Remove vegetables: Remove vegetables from skillet and set aside temporarily.
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Season chicken: Remove chicken from marinade. In a small bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Season both sides of each chicken breast evenly with this spice blend.
- Sear chicken: Add a splash of olive oil to the hot skillet. Sear the chicken breasts over high heat for 4 minutes on each side until nicely browned.
- Add vegetables back: Place the sautéed vegetables on and around the chicken breasts in the skillet.
- Bake: Place a slice of pepper jack cheese on top of each chicken breast. Transfer the skillet to the center rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from oven and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. Serve hot and enjoy your flavorful Baja Chicken Skillet.
Notes
- For best flavor, marinate chicken for the full 2 hours, but you can marinate for 30 minutes in a pinch.
- Use a cast iron skillet for even heat and great searing, but oven-safe skillets or casserole dishes work too.
- If you prefer less heat, reduce or omit the jalapeños and red pepper flakes.
- Serve with rice, tortillas, or a fresh salad to complete the meal.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Marinating, Sautéing, Searing, Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with vegetables and cheese
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 43g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: Baja Chicken Skillet, chicken recipe, Mexican chicken skillet, pepper jack chicken, skillet dinner, easy chicken recipe
