These easy cheesy chicken quesadillas are stuffed with melty cheddar and mozzarella cheese, chicken, bell peppers, and onion. Perfect for dinner, lunch, or as an appetizer!
Why this recipe works
This chicken quesadilla isn’t your typical plain cheese and tortilla thrown together. It’s packed with both cheddar and mozzarella cheese, chicken, bell peppers, and onion folded into an extra large tortilla that’s cooked to crispy and golden on the outside and melty on the inside.
We absolutely love quesadillas around here. They are incredibly easy to make and take no time at all. Add a little bit of chicken and you have yourself a satisfying meal that appeals to even the pickiest eaters. Today we’re cooking it on a skillet, but we can also show you how to grill a chicken quesadilla.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CHEESE – We used mozzarella and cheddar cheese, however, you can play around with the cheeses you use if you want to switch it up. A blend of Monterey jack, cheddar, and mozzarella is always a solid choice for Tex-Mex flavor. Seasoned cheese such as jalapeno pepper cheese would also add great flavor to this chicken quesadilla. I would always suggest using a block of freshly shredded cheese over store-bought. Store-bought shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents which prevent them from melting well and can sometimes cause the cheese to have a grainy texture. The cheese you use should be at room temperature so that is not too cold to melt.
VEGGIES – Red bell pepper, red onion, and green onion add plenty of flavor to this quesadilla. Feel free to add green or orange bell pepper as well or in place of red bell pepper.
CHICKEN – If you’d rather not cook your own chicken breasts, you can shred, slice, or cube a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
How to Make a Chicken Quesadilla
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels. Butterfly the breasts and cut in half to make thinner cutlets.
- Season chicken with garlic salt and black pepper. Cook chicken however you like. We cooked ours on the grill but you can cook them straight in the skillet you’ll be using to make the quesadilla.
- Slice chicken into thin 2-inch long strips. Set aside.
- Cook bell pepper and onion. We grilled ours by cutting the bell pepper in half and removing the pith and seeds and slicing the onion into thick rings. Once cooked, chop the vegetables.
- Brush one side of tortilla with butter. Place tortilla, butter side down, on a wire rack. Add a handful of cheese to one side of the tortilla, enough to cover.
- Add some chicken, bell pepper, red onion, and green onion over the cheese.
- Cover chicken and vegetables with more cheese.
- Fold tortilla over to encase the fillings.
- Butter a large heavy bottomed skillet, enough the coat the bottom and sides, and heat over medium.
- When skillet is hot, add folded tortilla to the skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes. You want the cheese to begin melting and the tortilla to brown.
- Flip the quesadilla over and cook an additional 2-4 minutes until nicely browned and cheese is melted. If you need to flip more than once, that’s okay too!
- Remove to a cutting and slice into 4 triangles.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Yes, traditionally quesadillas are made with corn tortillas so if you would prefer it then go right ahead. You can use either flour or corn, just note that flour tortillas will likely hold the ingredients better as they are sturdier than corn and will not tear or break as easily.
For a spicier chicken quesadilla, try adding a dash or two of paprika or cayenne pepper as well as diced jalapeno. Other additions include black beans, corn, or sauteed mushrooms. The possibilities are endless.
Serving Suggestions
Serve as an appetizer for football, game nights, and parties or enjoy for lunch and dinner. Optionally top your quesadillas with sour cream, guacamole, salsa verde, salsa fresca, or corn salsa (or serve them on the side for scooping and dipping).
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Chicken Quesadillas
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 4 extra large flour tortillas 12 inch tortillas
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tablespoon garlic salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 medium red bell pepper chopped
- 1 small red onion chopped
- ½ cup green onions sliced
- 1 Tablespoon butter or margarine. well softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Things You’ll Need
- Fish turner or regular large spatula for flipping
Before You Begin
- If you have a flat top grill or skillet it is easier to use than a regular skillet.
- Using medium heat is best so that you don’t cook the outside of the tortilla before the cheese has a chance to melt.
- Cheese should be at room temperature so that is not too cold to melt.
- I would always suggest using a block of freshly shredded cheese over store-bought. Store-bought shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents which prevent them from melting well and can sometimes cause the cheese to have a grainy texture.
Instructions
- Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels. Butterfly the breasts and cut in half to make thinner cutlets.
- Season chicken with garlic salt and black pepper. Cook chicken however you like. We cooked ours on the grill.
- Slice chicken into thin 2-inch long strips. Set aside.
- Cook bell pepper and onion. We grilled ours by cutting the bell pepper in half and removing the pith and seeds and slicing the onion into thick rings. Once cooked, chop the vegetables.
- Brush one side of tortilla with butter. Place tortilla, butter side down, on a wire rack. Add a handful of cheese to one side of the tortilla, enough to cover.
- Add some chicken, bell pepper, red onion, and green onion over the cheese.
- Cover chicken and vegetables with more cheese.
- Fold tortilla over to encase the fillings.
- Butter a large heavy bottomed skillet, enough the coat the bottom and sides, and heat over medium.
- When skillet is hot, add folded tortilla to the skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes. You want the cheese to begin melting and the tortilla to brown.
- Flip the quesadilla over and cook an additional 2-4 minutes until nicely browned and cheese is melted. If you need to flip more than once, that’s okay too!
- Remove to a cutting and slice into 4 triangles.
Nutrition
Chef Antoine Davis
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