Chicken Fajita Cornbread Pot Pie
We still love the original, but this version is our new go-to!
Oooh do you want to know what’s even better than a classic pot pie? A southwestern fajita pot pie, that’s what. While we’ll always love the traditional British dish, full of chicken, peas, carrots that are all coated in that deliciously thick and creamy sauce, then topped with a fluffy, golden layer of pastry…it was time for a little something different. We’re not reinventing the wheel with this tasty dish, but we are switching things up by letting our imagination run wild with a new flavor combination to take the pot pie title.
Fajitas are one of our go-to orders when we get Mexican food, so it was an obvious choice for us to make when we were brainstorming our dinner the other day. All you need to do is whip up a tasty batch of fajitas in your oven-proof skillet – we’re not messing around with individual portions or ramekins here – so that’s chicken, onion and bell peppers, basically, all sautéed up with tons of seasoning, and then top it off with a batch of cornbread and pop it in the oven!
Yup, instead of a fussy pastry dough, we’re spreading a nice layer of cornbread batter on top of our chicken fajitas and then letting it bake to golden perfection in the oven. The sweetness of the cornbread balances out all the spices in the fajitas, so you get the perfect balance of flavor in every bite! What we love about this dish is not just how good it tastes, but how it’s an all-in-one dinner that we can put on the table and not have to worry about other side dishes. It’s packed with protein and nutrients from the chicken and veggies, plus we’ve got your side dish covered…we just baked it into the main course!
Fajita Pot Pie
Ingredients
- Fajitas:
- 1 2/3 cups salsa verde
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed or cut into strips
- 3 bell peppers, different colors, sliced
- 1 small red onion, finely sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Cornbread Topping:
- 2 (8 oz.) packages cornbread mix
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 (8 oz.) can creamed corn
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated, optional
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400º F.
- Prepare cornbread by whisking together cornbread mix, eggs and milk in a large bowl. Once combined, fold in creamed corn and cheddar cheese, if using. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together salsa verde, cumin, chili powder and cayenne pepper, and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, oven-safe pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add cubed chicken.
- Season generously with salt and pepper and brown on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan and add bell peppers and red onion and sauté until softened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, then return chicken to skillet and pour salsa verde mixture over everything. Reduce heat to low and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat and pour cornbread batter on top, smoothing into an even layer.
- Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Transfer to serving bowls and serve hot.
Recipe adapted from Such The Spot