Chicken Quesadilla Recipe

My Chicken Quesadilla recipe is a mouthwatering combination of tender, juicy chicken, gooey melty cheese, bell peppers, sweet onions, and farm-ripe tomatoes. This classic Mexican dish is a perfect fusion of textures and tastes that your whole family will love. And it takes less time to make than picking up takeout.

Elevate your culinary experience with this simple, easy-to-make recipe that promises to satisfy your cravings. My chicken quesadilla makes a delicious snack, lunch, or dinner. It’s perfect for your next game day or a busy weeknight dinner.

There is something magically delicious about chicken quesadillas; they’re easy to make and easy to adapt using ingredients you enjoy eating.

If you love quesadillas, make sure to check out our smoked salmon quesadilla recipe. And if you’re a fan of Mexican recipes, try our blackened chicken taco bar and grilled chicken fajita bar. I promise they will become family favorites.

Ingredients to make Chicken Quesadilla

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients needed to make my easy chicken quesadilla recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

I used sweet Vidalia onions to make this dish, but you can use red onion, green onion, or Spanish onions to make the chicken quesadillas. If you’re not a fan of onions or peppers, feel free to leave them out.

I used a combination of white meat and dark meat for my recipe, but you can use all chicken breasts or chicken thighs. It’s also a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken.

You can add a sprinkle of garlic powder, taco seasoning, or chili powder to the cooked chicken to boost the flavor. If you’d like to add a touch of heat, use a little cayenne pepper.

Flour tortillas are traditionally used to make quesadillas, but you use corn tortillas if you prefer.

How to make a Chicken Quesadilla

• Add the Colby Jack cheese and sharp cheddar cheese to a medium bowl and mix to combine.
• Find a frying pan or large skillet big enough to fit large flour tortillas flat in the pan (alternatively, you could use smaller flour tortillas).

• Place the pan over medium heat, and when the pan is hot, add a teaspoon of butter to the frying pan, spreading the melted butter on the pan. Then, place the flour tortilla flat on the pan so one side of the tortilla is in contact with the buttered pan.
  *Olive oil can be substituted for the butter.
• Add ½ cup of chopped cooked chicken (or shredded chicken) to the flour tortilla.
• Add half of the cheese mixture over the cooked chicken on each of the quesadillas.
• Add half of the peppers, tomatoes, and onion on top of the cheese.
• Fold the tortilla in half and cook quesadillas on each side for 2 minutes, allowing for the cheese to melt and all ingredients to cook together.

*Be careful not to let the quesadilla burn. If the pan is too hot, remove it from the heat for one minute, then return it to the heat. You want the tortilla golden brown, not burnt.

Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the chicken quesadilla into four sections, then serve with my quesadilla dipping sauce, sour cream, hot sauce, guacamole, or homemade salsa. It’s a party on a plate!

Store any leftover chicken quesadillas refrigerated in an airtight container for 1-2 days.

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