Chicken Quesadillas Recipe
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I can’t even begin to tell you how delicious these chicken quesadillas are. The combination of tender salsa chicken and gooey melted cheese inside crispy golden tortillas is just sooo good. Finish it off with a dollop of sour cream and you’ve got a delicious, comforting meal ready to enjoy. This definitely deserves a spot in your meal rotation!
I love classic Mexican dishes. Quesadillas have always been my favorite because they’re quick and easy, endlessly versatile, and make a great grab-and-go meal. Chicken quesadillas are my go-to no-trouble recipe whenever Mexican food cravings hit or when I need something satisfying real quick. The convenience of this recipe lies in its simplicity – just a few basic ingredients and a few minutes, and you can have a hot meal on the table.
I make these cheesy quesadillas whenever I have leftover slow cooker salsa chicken – they’re a great way to repurpose leftovers and prevent food waste! When I have extra time, I saute mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions to add to the filling. I made this recipe super simple so that you can easily customize it to ingredients that you love or what you have on hand.
They make a great lunch, dinner, or snack. They’re also ideal for movie nights, game day, and gatherings because they’re super easy to whip up in batches. Serve them with your choice of dips, toppings, and sides for a filling, super satisfying meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No-fuss recipe: Just assemble, cook, and serve – whip up these delicious chicken quesadillas in 15 minutes or less!
- Simple ingredients: Uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients that you most likely already have in your pantry. Nothing fancy needed here!
- Great flavor: Every bite is the perfect balance of creamy, cheesy, and savory goodness with a touch of spice.
- Perfect for leftovers: This recipe is great for using up leftover meat or veggies in a delicious new way.
- Grab and go snack: Easy to pack up for lunch or on-the-go snacking.
- Customizable: Easy to adapt to ingredients you enjoy eating! Make your own fillings or add your choice of toppings to make your favorite version.
How to Make Chicken Quesadillas
All you need is 5 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes of cook time, and you’ll have dinner ready! It’s so much quicker to make your own chicken quesadillas at home than to go out and get some at a restaurant.
Just add the filling to the tortillas, fry them in the pan quickly, slice, and serve. This recipe is proof that you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen to whip up a delicious homemade meal.
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
- Flour tortillas: I use 10-inch flour tortillas (burrito size), but you can make smaller or larger quesadillas depending on what size of tortillas you have.
- Mexican blend cheese: I recommend shredding the cheese yourself because it melts better compared to the pre-shredded kind.
- Cooked chicken: Shredded chicken or diced chicken work. Use meal prep leftovers or make a fresh batch for this recipe.
- Butter
- Sour cream: For serving. Cool, creamy, and tangy sour cream perfectly complements the flavors of the filling.
- Lime: For serving. It brightens the dish and helps balance the richness of the chicken and cheese.
Step-By-Step Instructions
From here on out, you never have to settle for bland, boring, and dry quesadillas again. Follow the 3 simple steps below to make crispy golden quesadillas that have a flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth filling!
Step 1: Assemble
Lay out all the tortillas and cover ½ of each one with cheese. Divide the chicken evenly between the tortillas and arrange it over the cheese. Fold the tortilla in half to cover the ingredients.
Step 2: Cook
Next, heat the tortillas in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter. Arrange the quesadillas in the pan, cooking 1 or 2 at a time, depending on what you can fit. Cook the quesadillas until the bottoms are golden brown and crispy.
Carefully flip the quesadillas with the spatula and cook on the other side until the tortilla is equally golden and the cheese is melted.
Step 3: Serve
Cut each quesadilla in half or thirds and serve immediately with sour cream on top and lime wedges on the side.
Substitutions
This recipe is super easy to adapt to what you have available in your kitchen, so no worries if you’re missing an ingredient or two. Here are my recommended substitutions!
- Flour tortillas: Substitute flour tortillas with corn or whole wheat tortillas if preferred.
- Mexican blend cheese: If you can’t find Mexican blend cheese at the store, you can make a homemade blend by combining shredded Pepper Jack, Colby Jack, and cheddar cheese. Alternatively, you can use just shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
- Chicken: To make this shortcut of a quesadilla even more of a shortcut, use a pre-made rotisserie chicken. You can also use grilled chicken, shredded beef, bacon, ham, tuna, or any leftover meat you have available.
- Butter: Use oil to fry the quesadillas instead of butter.
- Sour cream: No sour cream on hand? Use Greek yogurt or guacamole to top your quesadillas instead.
Variations
It’s so much fun to try different fillings and flavors when it comes to chicken quesadillas. You can create endless variations to match your taste, your mood, or the occasion. Try these equally good variations to get you inspired:
- Load up on sautéed veggies like bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, and zucchini for extra flavor and texture. You can also add cooked black beans and roasted corn for a hearty, filling bite.
- Top the quesadillas with a spoonful of your favorite salsa to complement the salsa chicken inside. I love mango, pineapple, peach, or salsa verde!
- Add fresh avocado slices and sprinkle with cilantro for some creaminess and zest.
- Mix in sliced jalapeños to the filling for some heat. This tastes amazing with the cool sour cream on top!
- Use shredded chicken breast seasoned with salt and pepper and add fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, and sliced tomatoes for an Italian-inspired version. Drizzle with balsamic glaze to round out the flavors.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overstuff: Less is more when it comes to filling. Overstuffing can make the quesadilla hard to flip and cause the filling to spill out.
- Cook on medium heat: Cooking your quesadillas on medium heat ensures the tortillas get crispy while giving the cheese enough time to melt without burning.
- Press down lightly: After flipping the quesadilla, press it down with a spatula to help make sure that the cheese melts evenly inside and binds the ingredients well.
- Keep the quesadillas crispy: Don’t use too much butter or oil while cooking them; otherwise, they will get greasy and soggy. Also, serve them right away or let them sit on a wire while you’re waiting to serve to maintain their crispiness.
How to Store This Recipe
Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Re-crisp the tortillas in a skillet over medium heat or reheat, wrapped in foil, in the oven at 350 F for 10 minutes.
What to Serve with Chicken Quesadillas
Chicken quesadillas are best enjoyed with toppings or dips like sour cream, salsa, guacamole, queso, and pico de gallo. Serve them alongside a fresh, crisp salad, refried beans, jalapeño poppers, grilled corn on the cob, or some chips and dip.
More Chicken Recipes To Try
If you make these chicken quesadillas, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and review comment!
15-Minute Chicken Quesadillas Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large flour tortillas burrito-size, 10-inch diameter
- 3 cups shredded Mexican Blend or Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 cups salsa chicken or other cooked shredded or diced chicken
- 2 teaspoons butter or cooking oil
- ½ cup sour cream for serving
- 1 whole lime cut into wedges for serving
Instructions
- Lay out all the tortillas and cover ½ of each one with cheese. Divide the chicken evenly between the tortillas and arrange it over the cheese. Fold the tortilla in half to cover the ingredients.
- Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter. Arrange the quesadillas in the pan, cooking 1 or 2 at a time, depending on what you can fit. Cook the quesadillas until the bottoms are golden brown and crispy.
- Carefully flip the quesadillas with the spatula and cook on the other side until the tortilla is equally golden and the cheese is melted.
- Cut each quesadilla in half or thirds and serve immediately with sour cream on top and lime wedges on the side.
Notes
- Less is more when it comes to filling. Overstuffing can make the quesadilla hard to flip and cause the filling to spill out.
- Cooking your quesadillas on medium heat helps make sure that the tortillas get crispy while giving the cheese enough time to melt without burning.
- After flipping the quesadilla, press it down with a spatula to ensure the cheese melts evenly inside and binds the ingredients well.
- Don’t use too much butter or oil while cooking the quesadillas, or they will get greasy and soggy. Also, serve them right away or let them sit on a wire while you’re waiting to serve to maintain their crispiness.
