This Chicken Quesadilla is an easy dinner idea! Tortillas layered with juicy bites of chicken, melty cheese, and veggies — kids and adults love them!
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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 Breast: you’ll need two boneless and skinless chicken breast cut into small pieces, or about 1 lb of meat.
- 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!
- 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.
- Cook the veggies: add the peppers and onions and cook until softened.
- Assemble: Wipe the skillet out with a paper towel, then add a tortilla. Layer it with cheese, peppers, and chicken.
- Cook: Fold the tortilla over to form a semi circle, then cook until golden-brown and melty. Flip halfway through.
Chicken Quesadilla FAQs
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!
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.
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.
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
Chicken Quesadilla
written by Ashley Fehr
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
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
Nutrition Information
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Debbie says
I’m not a big quesadilla fan, but these look delicious and I will be making them tomorrow!
The Recipe Rebel says
Enjoy Debbie!
Craig Bartholomew says
Easy & tasty. First time making quesadillas and they turned out perfect.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Craig! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!