Chicken Quesadilla Recipe
My chicken quesadilla recipe uses a simple trick to make for the cheesiest, crunchiest, most flavorful quesadilla you’ve ever tried!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I’ve easily made thousands of these chicken quesadillas over the years, and they turn out perfectly every single time! You don’t have to be a quesadilla expert to get your ‘dillas to turn out as good as mine. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:
- My secret ingredient and my special method makes the quesadilla crunchy, flavorful, and a breeze to make.
- No messy clean-up. This is an easy dinner from start to wash up!
- It’s infinitely customizable. Vegetarian? Cool, use beans! Like it spicy? Go crazy with the jalapeños. Make these quesadillas your own!
- It’s kid-approved. This recipe has been a lunchbox staple in our house for years—and every time it gets gobbled up!
- This recipe is kitchen-tested for success. I’ve tested hundreds of quesadilla methods and recipes and none of them hold a candle to mine. You can trust this one will turn out perfect every time!
What You’ll Need
These quesadillas are infinitely customizable, so feel free to get creative, but here’s what you’ll need to get started:
- Tortillas: Big burrito-size flour tortillas are a favorite in our house, but gluten-free, corn, and grain-free tortillas work perfectly, too.
- Butter (the secret ingredient!): Yes, butter! Softened butter spread on the outside of the tortillas makes them crisp up, gives them tons of flavor, and keeps them from sticking to the pan.
- Bell peppers, garlic, onion, and jalapeño: This is my favorite combo of aromatic veggies to give the quesadilla a ton of flavor.
- Cooked chicken: This is a great place to use a rotisserie chicken!
- Taco seasoning: Use store bought or make your own taco seasoning at home.
- Shredded cheese: I like a blend of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack. Shred it fresh for the gooiest, creamiest results. But if you’re tight on time, bagged cheese works fine, too!
- Lime wedges, sour cream, guacamole, salsa: Choose your favorite toppings and have them ready to go!
Watch The Video
How to Make Chicken Quesadillas
Follow along with my numbered instructions and step-by-step photos to see exactly how I cook these quesadillas in my home kitchen. If you start with cooked chicken (like from a rotisserie chicken!), these chicken quesadillas come together in about 15 minutes, start to finish. Here’s how to do it:
- Sauté some peppers, onion, and garlic until fragrant. Add the chicken and some taco seasoning to the veggies.
- Butter a tortilla on one side (flour, gluten-free, and grain-free tortillas all work well). A buttered tortilla takes your quesadilla to the next level!
- Drop a tortilla into a hot skillet, butter side down, and sprinkle cheese over the entire tortilla. Then, put the chicken filling on half of the tortilla.
- Cook until the cheese starts to melt, and then fold the tortilla in half and press with a spatula to seal. After a few minutes, flip the quesadilla over to crisp up the other side. Slice and serve!
Variations and Substitutions
One of the great things about quesadillas is how customizable they are. Make them your own!
- Make it vegetarian: swap in seasoned black beans for the chicken.
- Make it vegan: use plant-based butter and cheese, and swap in black beans for the chicken.
- Make it gluten-free: use corn tortillas or gluten-free tortillas (we love Mission’s gluten-free tortillas for this recipe). Make sure you also use gluten-free taco seasoning—storebought sometimes has sneaky gluten-containing ingredients.
- Make it beef: brown some ground beef and use that in place of the cooked chicken. Or just follow our sheet pan beef quesadilla recipe.
Make Ahead and Storage Directions
To prep quesadillas for later meals, just cook them all the way through and refrigerate. When you’re ready to eat, reheat the quesadillas in a skillet for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the cheese is melted again, or warm them in a toaster oven. Quesadillas will last in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
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Quesadilla Tips and Tricks
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you put in a chicken quesadilla?
At it’s most basic, a chicken quesadilla can just be cooked chicken and cheese. I like to spice it up with some aromatic veggies and taco seasoning!
What is the secret to a quesadilla?
My secret ingredient to a crisp, never soggy quesadilla—butter! Slather it on the tortilla before it goes into the pan for the best quesadilla you ever had.
Can you use taco seasoning for chicken quesadillas?
Taco seasoning is a great shortcut for making flavorful quesadillas.
What To Serve With These
It’s easy to make these chicken quesadillas into a full meal. Dip them in:
- sour cream (or cashew sour cream!)
- queso (or cashew queso!)
- pico de gallo
- guacamole
And then serve them with one or more of these:
- a side of sliced avocado
- avocado bell pepper salad
- pickled vegetables
- black bean and corn salsa with chips.
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Chicken Quesadilla Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
- ¼ cup diced green bell pepper
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
- 1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeño pepper optional
- ½ cup chopped cooked chicken a rotisserie chicken works great for this
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning see notes
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 2 burrito-size flour tortillas
- ¾ cup shredded cheese I like a blend of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack
- Fresh lime wedges, guacamole, sour cream, or pico de gallo, for serving
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the ¼ cup diced red bell pepper, ¼ cup diced green bell pepper, 1 clove garlic, 2 tablespoons chopped red onion, and 1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeño pepper (if using). Sauté until just tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the ½ cup chopped cooked chicken, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, and 3 tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer, and cook until just thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove the chicken mixture from the skillet and set aside.
- Wipe the skillet clean. Return the skillet to medium-high heat.
- Working with one tortilla at a time, spread 1 tablespoon of butter on 1 side of the tortilla. Place the tortilla, butter side down, in the hot skillet. Then immediately sprinkle on half of the shredded cheese over the entire tortilla.
- Place half of the chicken mixture onto one half of the tortilla, and cook until the cheese just begins to melt. Using a spatula, flip the side that just has the cheese on it over on top of the chicken mixture. Use the spatula to press down to seal.
- Continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes, and then flip the entire quesadilla over and cook for an additional 2 minutes on the other side—this is to crisp up the tortilla.
- Remove from heat, and immediately cut into wedges using a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Serve with fresh lime wedges, guacamole, sour cream, or pico de gallo.
Video
Notes
- No taco seasoning around? No problem! Whip up your own quesadilla seasoning by combining 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, plus ½ teaspoon salt.
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