Chicken fajita macaroni and cheese

This blog post has been compensated by Borden® Cheese. All opinions are mine alone. #BordenCheeseLove #CollectiveBias #Ad

Cook up a big pot of this chicken fajita macaroni and cheese for the perfect weeknight family meal. This recipe is filling and delicious. Best of all, it comes together in about 45 minutes or less.

One day, your picky toddler turns his nose up at everything you put on his plate. You wonder how he’s ever going to grow without food, and yet he will. Seemingly overnight, that tiny tot becomes a preteen who eats everything in the house and asks for more.

This chicken fajita macaroni and cheese is the perfect weeknight family meal. It’s loaded with cheesy goodness from Borden® Cheese Finely Shredded Cheddar Jack Shreds and Borden® Cheese Finely Shredded Four Cheese Mexican Shreds – plus and a few of your favorite southwest flavors.

Best of all, it makes enough to feed a small army – or a family of four that includes two teens.

While I make my fajita seasoning from scratch, you could substitute a store-bought blend if you don’t usually have these spices on hand. We do a lot of scratch cooking, and my husband’s favorite “secret ingredient” is garlic powder.

Anytime the kids ask what’s in something he cooked, he tells them it was made with love, so now when he says that, one of the kids usually says, “So you mean garlic powder?”

Chicken fajita macaroni and cheese recipe

Ingredients

• 1 recipe chicken fajita seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pounds chicken breasts {about 3 pieces}
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 white onion
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 16 ounces dried pasta
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups Borden® Cheese Cheddar Jack Shreds
• 2 cups Borden® Cheese Four Cheese Mexican Shreds
• 1 avocado {optional}

Instructions

Start by mixing all the fajita seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. If you use store-bought seasoning, use 3-4 tablespoons.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.

While you’re waiting for the water to boil, dice the chicken, bell pepper, and onion into bite-sized pieces. Season the chicken with the fajita seasoning.

Heat a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. My husband and I absolutely love cooking with cast iron, especially when it comes to fajitas, but any type will do. Saute the chicken until lightly browned all over and add the peppers and onions. Continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are soft.

Turn off the heat, and set the chicken and vegetables aside. When the water starts to boil, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. I used elbow noodles and cooked them for 7 minutes.

Drain the pasta and leave it in the colander.

Return the large pot to the stove over low heat. Melt the butter, then add the milk and both cheeses. Stir to combine until the cheese is completely melted, then turn off the heat.

Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to coat. Add the chicken and vegetables and stir.

Serve immediately. Top with diced avocado if you like.

My kids – currently 10 and 13 – devoured this chicken fajita macaroni and cheese.

There’s something so wonderful and comforting about a big bowl of cheesy pasta that every kid loves. Mac and cheese isn’t just for kids, though! This recipe has delicious and just-a-hint-of-spicy flavors that adults will enjoy too.

I purchased my Borden® Cheese here in DFW at Fiesta Mart, but check out this store locator to find Borden® Cheese near you. Look for the red package with the smiling cow.

Yield: Serves 4-6

Chicken fajita macaroni and cheese

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pounds chicken breasts {about 3 pieces}
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 white onion
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 16 ounces dried pasta
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups Borden® Cheese Finely Shredded Cheddar Jack Shreds
• 2 cups Borden® Cheese Finely Shredded Four Cheese Mexican Shreds
• 1 avocado {optional}
• 1 recipe chicken fajita seasoning
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

1. Start by mixing all the fajita seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. You could also skip this step and use 3-4 tablespoons of your favorite store-bought fajita seasoning.
2. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
3. While you're waiting for the water to boil, dice the chicken, bell pepper, and onion into bite-sized pieces. Season the chicken with the fajita seasoning.
4. Heat a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. My husband and I absolutely love cooking with cast iron, especially when it comes to fajitas, but any type will do. Saute the chicken until lightly browned all over, and add the peppers and onions. Continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are soft.
5. Turn off the heat, and set the chicken and vegetables aside. When the water starts to boil, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. I used elbow noodles and cooked them for 7 minutes.
6. Drain the pasta and leave it in the colander.
7. Return the large pot to the stove over low heat. Melt the butter, then add the milk and both cheeses. Stir to combine until the cheese is completely melted, then turn off the heat.
8. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to coat. Add the chicken and vegetables and stir.
9. Serve immediately. Top with diced avocado if you like.