Loaded Mexican Chicken with Chorizo
This loaded Mexican chicken consists of a perfectly seasoned chicken breast topped with chorizo, fajita vegetables, and melty cheese. A delicious skillet or griddle chicken recipe if you love Mexican food!
Servings: 4 chicken breasts
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts *Or substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Mexican-style or fajita seasoning of your choice *See notes.
- 1 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil
- 1 lb chorizo
- 1 bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 8-10 oz Mexican-style melting cheese, like quesadilla or Oaxaca
Instructions
- Heat griddle to about 350-375 degrees F.
- Either butterfly the chicken breasts into thinner pieces or pound out any fatter areas of the chicken, so that the breasts are uniform in thickness and cook evenly on the griddle. Then, season the chicken with your fajita or Mexican-style seasoning.
- Cook the chorizo on the griddle, breaking it apart into crumbles as it cooks. When chorizo is done, transfer to a bowl.
- After removing the chorizo, sauté the bell peppers and onions until tender to your liking. Season the vegetables with your favorite all-purpose seasoning or salt and pepper.
- While the vegetables cook, in a separate area on the griddle, add about 1 tablespoon of oil and spread it around with your spatula. Place the seasoned chicken breasts on the oiled surface, and cook on the first side until halfway cooked through. *The cooking times will vary based on the temperature of your griddle and the size of your chicken. Flip to the second side and continue to cook.
- When the chicken reaches about 150-155 degrees F, add the cooked chorizo to the top of the chicken, then the sautéed vegetables. Top with shredded cheese. The cheese should take about 4-6 minutes (depending on your griddle temps) to fully melt, during which time the chicken can finish cooking. *If needed, you can use a melting dome to melt the cheese and/or elevate the chicken on a wire rack on the griddle surface.
- When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, remove the breasts from the griddle and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve your griddle Mexican chicken with your favorite toppings like guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, or hot sauce.
Notes
- Cooking chicken breasts on the griddle - Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, you may need to cover the chicken with a dome on the griddle to speed up the cooking time. If your chicken breasts are thicker, you’ll need to flip them more than once to prevent the seasoning from burning on either side. You can also elevate the chicken breasts on a wire rack, and cover with a dome to help prevent the chicken breasts from burning on the griddle while the cheese melts on top.
- Seasoning options - Pick your favorite fajita-style or Mexican seasoning. I would NOT use a packet of taco seasoning, because those often contain flour or other thickening agents. Test your seasoning for saltiness to ensure you don't add too much.
- Cheese options – Feel free to experiment with different cheeses in this recipe. We like a Mexican-style melting cheese like Quesadilla cheese or Oaxaca, but you can substitute cheddar, pepper jack, etc.
- Instant read thermometer – Always use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of your chicken breasts. Chicken is done cooking at 165 degrees F. A thermometer can help you to not overcook your chicken breasts.