Description
Chicken Quesadillas are a quick, crispy, and cheesy meal that combines tender shredded chicken with a melty cheese blend inside warm, toasted flour tortillas. Perfect for a satisfying snack, easy dinner, or entertaining guests, this recipe offers flavorful seasoning, simple ingredients, and versatile customization options to suit your taste and dietary needs.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 1 to 1½ cups cooked, shredded chicken breast or thighs
Tortillas
- 4 large flour tortillas
Cheese Blend
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Fat for Cooking
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter (for brushing tortillas and cooking)
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Optional Ingredients
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Sour cream, for serving
- Salsa, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Cook your chicken using your preferred method such as grilling, baking, or pan-searing. Once cooked, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season thoroughly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin to infuse rich flavor.
- Assemble the quesadilla: Lay one tortilla flat on a clean surface. Sprinkle a generous amount of the cheese blend over half of the tortilla. Spread the seasoned shredded chicken evenly on top of the cheese, add chopped fresh cilantro if desired, and then sprinkle another layer of cheese. Fold the tortilla in half carefully to enclose the filling.
- Cook to crispy perfection: Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly brush it with olive oil or butter. Place the folded quesadilla in the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, pressing gently, until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese inside has melted completely.
- Slice and serve: Transfer the cooked quesadilla to a cutting board and allow it to rest for about a minute to prevent the cheese from oozing out. Cut into wedges with a sharp knife or pizza cutter and serve immediately with sour cream, salsa, or your preferred sides.
Notes
- Use shredded cheese for even melting and the perfect gooey texture.
- Don’t overload the quesadilla with too much chicken or cheese to avoid difficulty flipping or sogginess.
- Maintain medium heat during cooking to prevent burning or under-melting the cheese.
- Toast tortillas lightly before filling to achieve extra crispiness.
- Let the quesadillas rest briefly before cutting to keep layers intact.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Pan-searing
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 quesadilla
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: Chicken Quesadillas, crispy quesadilla, cheesy quesadilla, quick dinner, Mexican appetizer, shredded chicken, easy snack