Chicken Quesadillas
Crispy Chicken Quesadillas with a perfectly seasoned filling of shredded chicken, bell pepper, onion, and spices, loaded with melty Mexican cheese blend and cooked in butter until golden and crispy. Ready in 30 minutes. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.
Servings: 4
Calories: 479kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded or diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheese cheddar or Mexican blend
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sliced bell pepper and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the 2 cups cooked chicken and stir to combine. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through, then remove from heat.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt a little of the 2 tablespoons butter. Place 1 flour tortilla in the skillet. Sprinkle about ¼ cup shredded cheese over half of the tortilla. Add about ½ cup of the chicken mixture over the cheese, then top with another ¼ cup shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden and crispy and the cheese is melted.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas, chicken mixture, and cheese, adding more butter to the pan as needed. Slice and serve warm.
Notes
- Rotisserie chicken: The ultimate shortcut here. Already cooked, already seasoned, just shred and go. Dinner in 20 minutes.
- Cheese: Mexican blend is the go to for melt and stretch factor. Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or a mix of cheddar and mozzarella all work well. Avoid pre-shredded cheese with anti-caking agents if you can, it doesn't melt as cleanly.
- Butter in the pan: Don't swap this for oil. Butter is what gives you that golden crispy exterior and we are not compromising on this.
- Don't overfill: Half a cup of filling per quesadilla is the sweet spot. Too much and it won't seal properly and everything falls out when you flip it.
- Cheese on both sides: Sprinkle cheese on the tortilla first, then filling, then more cheese on top. The melted cheese acts as the glue that holds everything together.
- Medium heat only: Too high and the tortilla burns before the cheese melts. Patience.
- Rest before cutting: Let the quesadilla sit for 1 minute before slicing. The cheese needs to settle or everything slides out.
- Make ahead: The filling keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cook the quesadillas fresh when you're ready to serve.
- Freeze: Cool completely, wrap individually in foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a skillet or oven at 375°F. Do not microwave unless you enjoy a soggy tortilla.
- Leftover filling: Serve over rice, use as taco filling, stuff into a baked potato, or toss into a salad. Nothing goes to waste.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 971mg | Potassium: 365mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1913IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 352mg | Iron: 3mg
