Chicken Quesadilla - The Recipe Rebel [VIDEO] (2024)

The Recipe Rebel / Dinner

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 63 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 8 quesadillas

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Last updated on March 13, 2024

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This Chicken Quesadilla is an easy dinner idea! Tortillas layered with juicy bites of chicken, melty cheese, and veggies — kids and adults love them!

Chicken Quesadilla - The Recipe Rebel [VIDEO] (2)

Craving more chicken recipes? Take a look at my 40 Chicken Dinner Ideas, these Easy Crockpot Chicken Breast Recipes or my 30+ Shredded Chicken Recipes!

Table of Contents

  • Ingredients Needed:
  • How to Make a Quesadilla
  • Chicken Quesadilla FAQs
  • Chicken Quesadilla Variations
  • Serving Suggestions
  • More Quesadilla Recipes to Try
  • Chicken Quesadilla Recipe

This Chicken Quesadilla recipe is one of those classic meals that just never gets old.

It’s made with a crispy, golden tortilla that’s layered with cheese, tender bites of chicken, peppers, and onions, and folded over to create a perfect little pocket of cheesy flavor.

The kids are ecstatic anytime they hit the table!

It’s loaded with protein and veggies and is super customizable!

Use freshly cooked chicken or make it with any leftover chicken you’ve got on hand. (Just don’t forget to season it!) Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, Air Fryer Chicken, or Baked Chicken Breast all work great.

We love to serve them with Homemade Salsa and a refreshing glass of Easy Homemade Pink Lemonade!

Need a vegetarian option? Try my classic Cheese Quesadilla.

Ingredients Needed:

Chicken Quesadilla - The Recipe Rebel [VIDEO] (3)
  • Chicken Breast: you’ll need two boneless and skinless chicken breast cut into small pieces, or about 1 lb of meat. Using leftover Crockpot Shredded Chicken or Juicy Instant Pot Chicken Breast also works great!
  • Seasonings: we’re seasoning the chicken with a combination of chili powder, garlic powder, salt, dried oregano, onion powder. You can also use a store-bought taco seasoning.
  • Veggies: diced red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and red onion give the Chicken Quesadilla some extra texture, color, and flavor. Feel free to mix these up and add in others you enjoy!
  • Shredded Cheese: I use shredded mozzarella cheese, but other types of melty cheese will work as well, from Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, to a blend of cheddar and others you might find in a taco cheese mix.
  • Tortillas: I use medium flour tortillas. Corn tortillas are an easy way to make these gluten-free.
  • Salsa and Sour Cream: for serving.

How to Make a Quesadilla

These easy Chicken Quesadillas takes just 15 minutes to prep making it the perfect weeknight dinner!

  1. Cook the chicken: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, spray with cooking spray, then add in the chicken and seasonings. Cook until heated through, then remove from the pan.
  2. Cook the veggies: add the peppers and onions and cook until softened.
  3. Assemble: Wipe the skillet out with a paper towel, then add a tortilla. Layer it with cheese, peppers, and chicken.
  4. Cook: Fold the tortilla over to form a semi circle, then cook until golden-brown and melty. Flip halfway through.
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Chicken Quesadilla FAQs

What is a Chicken Quesadilla made of?

At its simplest, a cheesy Chicken Quesadilla is a simple dinner made up of tortillas, melted cheese, and chicken. However, quesadillas are totally customizable and can be layered with any other ingredients you like. In this case, we’re adding bell pepper and onion to spruce things up a bit!

Are quesadillas better with oil or butter?

While either one technically works, I prefer to use oil. It has a higher smoking point than butter, so the quesadilla has a better chance of getting crispy without burning. If you do decide to use butter, keep a close eye on it!
I use canola oil but olive oil will also work. Keep in mind it has a stronger flavor.

How to store:

Quesadillas are best hot off of the skillet, but leftovers will last for up to 4 days in the fridge. To reheat, warm over medium heat in a skillet until the cheese is melty and the tortilla is re-crisped.

How to freeze a Chicken Quesadilla:

To freeze your quesadillas, assemble and cook as directed, then cool completely. Line the cooled quesadillas on a baking sheet and flash freeze them until solid. Once hardened, transfer them to an airtight container or ziplock bag and store them for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw in the microwave or overnight in the fridge, then warm in a skillet until heated through.

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Chicken Quesadilla Variations

  • Use pre-cooked chicken. Save time by using leftover rotisserie chicken or Shredded Chicken or this Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos Recipe instead of fresh.
  • Try another meat. Swap the chicken out for diced steak or ground beef instead.
  • Use another cheese. Any type of melty cheese works great. I love mozzarella, but you could also use sharp cheddar, Monterey jack, Chihuahua, etc.
  • Make them vegetarian. Simply leave out the chicken! Feel free to layer in some cooked beans or extra veggies to bulk your meatless quesadillas up.

Serving Suggestions

I love to serve these Chicken Quesadillas with salsa and sour cream for dipping.

Quesadillas are plenty of filling on their own, but feel free to bulk your meal up with a side of chips and guac, Southwest Potato Salad, rice and beans, you name it.

More Quesadilla Recipes to Try

Dinner

Chicken Alfredo Quesadillas

Dinner

Honey Lime Chicken Quesadillas

Breakfast

Make Ahead Breakfast Quesadillas 4 Ways + VIDEO

Chicken Quesadilla - The Recipe Rebel [VIDEO] (12)

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Chicken Quesadilla

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 63 votes

This Chicken Quesadilla is the perfect kid and adult friendly meal! It's layered with juicy bites of chicken, melty cheese, and veggies!

Chicken Quesadilla - The Recipe Rebel [VIDEO] (14)

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Cuisine American, Mexican

Course Main Course

Servings 8 quesadillas

Calories 264cal

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb) cut into small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 red bell pepper (finely diced)
  • 1 green bell pepper (finely diced)
  • 1 small red onion (finely diced)
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 8 medium flour tortillas
  • salsa and sour cream for serving

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and spray with non stick spray.

  • Add chicken and sprinkle with chili powder, garlic powder, salt, oregano and onion powder. Stir to coat and cook until cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

  • Add the peppers and onions, cooking and stirring until softened and beginning to brown, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from the skillet.

  • Use a wet paper towel to wipe out the skillet (don't burn your fingers!). Spray with non stick spray or use a drizzle of oil.

  • Place tortillas in the skillet, and top half of each tortilla with 2-3 tablespoons of cheese, peppers, chicken and 2-3 more tablespoons of cheese. The amounts you use will depend on the size of your tortillas and your preferences.

  • Fold each tortilla over to form a semi circle. Cook until golden brown and cheese is melted, flipping half way, about 3 minutes per side.

  • Repeat until all quesadillas are cooked. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Notes

Storage:

Quesadillas are best hot off of the skillet, but leftovers will last for up to 4 days in the fridge. To reheat, warm over medium heat in a skillet until the cheese is melty and the tortilla is re-crisped.

To freeze your quesadillas, assemble and cook as directed, then cool completely. Line the cooled quesadillas on a baking sheet and flash freeze them until solid. Once hardened, transfer them to an airtight container or ziplock bag and store them for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw in the microwave or overnight in the fridge, then warm in a skillet until heated through.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 264cal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 799mg | Potassium: 271mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 890IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 255mg | Iron: 2mg

Keywords chicken quesadilla

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Debbie says

    I’m not a big quesadilla fan, but these look delicious and I will be making them tomorrow!

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Enjoy Debbie!

      Reply

  2. Craig Bartholomew says

    Easy & tasty. First time making quesadillas and they turned out perfect.

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Craig! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!

      Reply

Leave A Reply

Chicken Quesadilla - The Recipe Rebel [VIDEO] (2024)

FAQs

What is the TikTok quesadilla hack? ›

Simply slice a tortilla halfway through, add different fillings to each of the four quadrants, do some folding, brown it in a pan and voilà! You have a delicious, healthy lunch ready in minutes.

How to make a quesadilla without burning the tortilla? ›

Flour tortillas absorb a lot of oil, so you only want to lightly coat the pan with oil. Use canola--olive oil is too much of an overpowering flavor. Tortillas burn easily, so you want to fry your quesadillas on medium heat.

What sauce is on a chicken quesadilla at Taco Bell? ›

Taco Bell Quesadilla Sauce (aka Creamy Jalapeno Sauce)

In case you don't already have some, pickled jalapenos are found in a jar typically where you'll find pickles at your local grocery store. The jalapeno juice required for this quesadilla sauce is just the juice (brine) in the jar.

What does Taco Bell put on their cheese quesadillas? ›

The Cheese Quesadilla is a purist's meal: a simple flour tortilla, a hefty portion of melted three-cheese blend, creamy jalapeño sauce, and absolutely zero bells and whistles.

What does it mean to make a quesadilla dirty? ›

Diners have the option to "make it dirty," as well, which roughly translates to encrusting your quesadilla in fried cheese.

What is the best melting cheese for quesadillas? ›

Sometimes the best cheese for quesadillas is whatever you have in the fridge when the craving strikes. Cheddar and Monterey Jack are standards of American-style quesadillas. But if you are planning ahead, consider that freshly grated cheese such as cheddar or Monterey Jack makes the meltiest quesadillas.

Should I fry quesadilla in oil or butter? ›

The oil promotes even browning and makes the tortilla nice and crispy. You could use butter but it has a tendency to burn. If you want the flavor of butter on your quesadillas melt a tablespoon in the microwave, stir in a little cooking oil and brush it on your tortillas.

Why are my quesadillas not crispy? ›

Too much fat will make your quesadilla soggy instead of crispy. Use just enough to coat the bottom of your skillet — about 1/2 teaspoon of butter or oil. Warm it in the skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the tortilla and top with cheese.

How unhealthy is Taco Bell chicken quesadilla? ›

Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla (1 each) contains 37.2g total carbs, 34.6g net carbs, 27g fat, 25.6g protein, and 497 calories.

What size tortilla is best for quesadillas? ›

Here's a quick rundown of which tortillas might work best with which food: Tacos: 8-inch corn tortillas. Burritos: 10-inch (or larger) flour tortillas. Quesadillas: 10-inch tortillas.

What is on the chicken quesadilla at Taco Bell? ›

A grilled flour tortilla is packed with a melted mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend, grilled chicken and our creamy jalapeno sauce. Meal is served with either Mexican fries or Nacho Chips and a beverage.

Does Taco Bell quesadilla have mayo? ›

Grilled soft tortilla filled with your choice of protein, creamy jalapeno mayo and extra melted cheese. Toasted to perfection and served with your choice of chips and a drink.

Is creamy chipotle sauce the same as creamy jalapeno? ›

Jalapeno sauce and chipotle sauce are very similar, with the biggest difference being the pepper used to make them. Chipotle peppers, used in chipotle sauce, are ripe red jalapeno peppers which are then smoked and dried to give them a smoky, deeper flavor than standard jalapenos.

What is the Chipotle quesadilla hack on the app? ›

The quesadilla hack consists of ordering a steak quesadilla with extra cheese and fajita veggies. Some claim it tastes just like a Philly cheese steak.

What's in the viral Chipotle quesadilla? ›

What Is The Chipotle Quesadilla Hack? TikToker Alexis Frost shared the now-viral order, which is a quesadilla made with steak, extra cheese, and fajita veggies, on December 20.

What is the TikTok tortilla challenge? ›

The loser of rock paper scissors gets slapped with a tortilla — but the real challenge is keeping the water in your mouth for the duration of the game and subsequent slap.

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