Description
Crispy, golden quesadillas loaded with seasoned chicken and gooey melted cheese. Ready in just 20 minutes, these cheesy chicken quesadillas are perfect for easy weeknight dinners, quick lunches, or game day snacking!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Filling:
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (about 1 lb)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (or cheddar/Monterey Jack)
- 1 medium bell pepper, diced (any color)
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (or 1 teaspoon each: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For Assembly:
- 4 large flour tortillas (10–12 inch burrito size)
- 2–3 tablespoons butter or oil (for cooking)
For Serving:
- Sour cream
- Salsa or pico de gallo
- Guacamole or sliced avocado
- Fresh lime wedges
- Extra cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken with taco seasoning, mixing well to coat evenly. If your chicken is cold from the fridge, you can warm it slightly in the microwave for 30 seconds—this helps everything melt together better. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Sauté Vegetables (Optional but Recommended): Heat 1 tablespoon of butter or oil in your skillet over medium heat. Add the diced bell peppers and onions, cooking for 4-5 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized. Season with a pinch of salt. Remove from the skillet and set aside. If you’re short on time, you can skip this step and add raw vegetables directly to the quesadilla, but sautéing them first adds much better flavor.
- Assemble the Quesadillas: Lay one tortilla flat on a clean surface or plate. On one half of the tortilla, layer ingredients in this order: a handful of cheese (about 1/4 cup), half of the chicken mixture, sautéed peppers and onions, cilantro if using, and another handful of cheese on top. The cheese on top and bottom helps everything stick together. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filled half, creating a half-moon shape. Press down gently. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Cook the Quesadillas: Heat your skillet over medium heat. Add about 1/2 tablespoon of butter, letting it melt and coat the pan. Carefully place one assembled quesadilla in the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side, pressing down gently with your spatula occasionally to help everything meld together. You’ll know it’s ready to flip when the bottom is golden brown and crispy.
- Flip Carefully: Using a wide spatula, carefully flip the quesadilla to the other side. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown, crispy, and the cheese is fully melted. If the tortilla is browning too quickly but the cheese isn’t melted, reduce the heat to medium-low and give it more time.
- Keep Warm and Repeat: Transfer the cooked quesadilla to a cutting board or baking sheet. If you want to keep them warm while cooking the rest, place them in an oven set to 200°F. Add more butter to the skillet and repeat the cooking process with the remaining quesadillas.
- Slice and Serve: Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut each quesadilla into 3-4 wedges. Serve immediately while hot and crispy with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and lime wedges on the side.
Notes
- Rotisserie Chicken Shortcut: Using store-bought rotisserie chicken saves tons of time and adds great flavor. Just remove the skin and shred the meat.
- Cheese Melting: Don’t overstuff with cheese or it will ooze out. About 1/2 cup per quesadilla is perfect.
- Heat Control: If your tortillas are burning before the cheese melts, lower the heat. Medium to medium-low is ideal.
- Crispiness: For extra-crispy quesadillas, brush the outside of the tortilla with butter before cooking instead of adding butter to the pan.
- Even Cooking: Press down gently with your spatula while cooking to ensure even contact with the pan and better melting.
- Gluten-Free: Simply use gluten-free tortillas to make this recipe celiac-friendly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 quesadilla (2 wedges)
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 75mg