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I made chicken fajitas the other day. They were fantastic. But as with just about anything I make, my brain instantly asked ‘can I put this inside a baked potato?’. And the answer was ‘yes’. By golly, I sure can. So here are my cheesy chicken fajita baked potatoes. Packed with fantastic fajita flavor. Crispy delicious vegetables. And plenty of cheese. Topped with Mexican crema and well, of course, more cheese!
Full Of Flavor
There’s nothing not to like about these cheesy chicken fajita baked potatoes. Each and every bite is full of flavor. You’ll find yourself taking bite after bite enjoying it more and more as you go.
Don’t be shy with the fajita seasoning as you make the chicken mixture. More is definitely better in this case. I add it to the chicken, to the vegetables, and then I sprinkle the inside of the potatoes with more. Like I said, more is better in this case.
I could not find Oaxaca cheese the day I was in the market. Monterey Jack makes a fantastic substitute.
I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.
Cheesy Chicken Fajita Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
For the fajita mixture
- 4 chicken thighs boneless, skinless, trimmed of any excess fat
- ¼ cup fajita seasoning divided, you might use more or less
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- ½ medium sweet onion sliced
- 1 poblano pepper sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper sliced
- 1 pound Oaxaca cheese shredded (can substitute shredded Monterey Jack), divided
For the baked potatoes
- 4 large Russet potatoes
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- crema to taste (or use sour cream)
- cilantro chopped, to taste
Instructions
For the chicken fajita mixture
- Season the thighs with the fajita seasoning. Don't be shy with the seasoning. Let the chicken set for 15 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Preheat a griddle or large skillet over high heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Add the thighs and cook for 4 minutes per side until lightly charred and cooked to 165 F.
- Remove the chicken to a platter to cool slightly then cut into small cubes.
- Add remaining butter to the skillet and add the onions and peppers. Cook until lightly softened and charred, stirring often.
- Add the chicken to the vegetables. Season with more fajita seasoning and stir to combine.
- Add half of the cheese and mix until melted.
- Reduce heat to low and cover until ready to use.
For the potatoes
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Rinse the potatoes under cold water and brush off any dirt. Dry well with a paper towel.
- Pierce each potato 4 times with a sharp knife.
- Brush potatoes with oil.
- Sprinkle some salt onto a plate and roll the potatoes in the salt.
- Place potatoes directly on the oven center rack. You might want to put a baking sheet lined with foil beneath them to catch any drippings.
- Bake until potatoes are done (210 F internal temperature, or tender all the way through when poked with a knife), 40-60 minutes depending on their size. You can also test for doneness by squeezing the potatoes (with potholders on). If they give easily, they are done.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing.
- Season insides with salt and pepper (or use more fajita seasoning and then divide the chicken mixture between the potatoes. Pile it good and high.
- Top with remaining cheese and place in the oven for 5 minutes to melt.
- Serve topped with crema and chopped cilantro.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
