Chicken Fajita Hotdish

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings
  • Total: 1 hr 10 min (includes pickling time)
  • Active: 40 min
This hotdish is a combination of chicken fajitas and quesadillas, held together with a tangy cream cheese cream sauce, topped with flour tortillas and sprinkled with cheese (the quesadilla-esque part). This dish is incredible and incredibly easy.
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Ingredients

Mornay Sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups 2% milk, at room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese

Kosher salt

Chicken Fajitas:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or neutral oil

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

Kosher salt

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (from about 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

One 4-ounce can diced green chiles

Juice of 1/2 lime

Freshly ground black pepper

Ten to twelve 6-inch flour tortillas

Vegetable oil cooking spray, for the tortillas

3 ounces shredded mozzarella or white Cheddar

Toppings:

A handful of fresh cilantro leaves

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced, optional

Pickled Red Onions, recipe follows

Salsa verde

Lime wedges

Pickled Red Onions:

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion

Directions

  1. Place an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. To make the mornay: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue to cook, whisking, for about 2 minutes to toast the flour. Whisking continuously, add the milk gradually (to avoid lumps), in 3 to 4 additions, ensuring that each addition thickens before adding the next. Once all of the milk has been added, continue to heat until the mixture begins to bubble gently. Whisk in the cream cheese a few plops at a time, making sure each addition is melted and incorporated before adding more. Add a pinch of salt, taste and add more salt if desired. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  3. To make the chicken fajitas: Heat the oil in a large, oven-safe braiser or deep heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and a pinch of salt and cook until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and onion powder and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, seasoning it with a couple of good pinches of salt, if needed, and stir to incorporate (and heat through if it’s not hot). Add the diced green chiles, lime juice and the mornay sauce. Stir until evenly combined and coated in the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
  4. Cover the top with loosely folded tortillas, spritz with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake until the tortillas are browned and the cheese is melted; begin checking at 18 minutes. Top with desired toppings such as fresh cilantro, jalapeno, Pickled Red Onions, salsa verde and lime wedges and serve.

Pickled Red Onions:

  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and 1/4 cup water. Heat, stirring, until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Pour the mixture over the red onions in a medium bowl and let sit for about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Let's Get Cooking!

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