Honey Lime Chicken Quesadillas are filled with chicken, peppers, onions and cheese and are the perfect easy weeknight or summer meal!
So my almost-4-year-old has sworn off of chicken and turkey since Thanksgiving.
It’s the strangest thing, and we are the kinds of parents who make her eat whatever we’re eating, or at least try it if it’s something really spicy or is more of an acquired taste. But even so, it’s hard enough getting through dinner time with a 1 year old and an almost-4-year-old without any extra, shall we say, “preferences”.
Any time I’m cooking chicken or turkey, unless it’s ground or shredded until she can’t actually tell what it is, I fully expect there to be a colossal fight at dinner time.
But I made these quesadillas for this month’s 30 Minute Thursday (where friends and I bring you all the 30 minute meals you need for your busy life, like this One Pot Chicken Chow Mein, Pizza Pitas, and this 20 Minute Ham and Pineapple Rice), and I finished photographing them a bit earlier than normal (i.e., before the husband is home from work, and sitting at the table, anxiously watching the clock and wondering if he should make himself a sandwich so he can eat before he has to go back), so I decided to polish one off before he got there.
Sure enough, when the kids know you’re in the kitchen eating something you’re never alone for very long. In come the girls, demanding to also be fed. The almost-4-year-old takes a bite and exclaims how good it is, and comes back for more.
There is no fight when we sit down for lunch.
There’s no weird, crinkly faces when she sees what we’re eating (and as you can see, there are pretty obvious large pieces of chicken in the quesadillas!). And when she’s almost polished hers off she says, “it’s so good with just chicken in it”, because she’s eaten all of her peppers and onions already.
These quesadillas are so easy and pack a citrusy punch from the lime, but the spices are mild. If you like things spicy, feel free to drizzle some sriracha on them or add some cayenne pepper when they’re sauteeing. They are a great 27 minute (yes, I timed myself!) meal, including slicing and shredding, that the whole family will indeed love!
To make ahead: you can easily cook up the filling when you’re doing your meal prep for the week, and then just stuff and heat for a quick, 5 or 10 minute meal later on!
Honey Lime Chicken Quesadillas: 30 Minute Thursday
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 2 large whole wheat tortillas about 10″
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 chicken breast thinly sliced
- 1/2 red pepper thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- juice and zest of 1 lime about ¼ cup juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium high heat. Cook chicken for 1-2 minutes per side, until lightly browned on the outside. Add peppers and onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender-crisp. Combine lime juice, zest, garlic, honey, paprika and salt and pour into the pan, cooking another 2-3 minutes until chicken is completely cooked.
- Remove chicken, peppers and onions from the pan with a slotted spoon and wipe out pan. Return to the stove and heat over medium high heat.
- Spray the pan with non-stick spray and add one tortilla to the pan. Sprinkle half with cheese, spread with half of the chicken, peppers and onions. Fold over, cook 2-3 minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
- Repeat with remaining ingredients to make second quesadilla. Slice each tortilla into 2-4 wedges.
Nutrition Information
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Cait says
I made these for the family tonight and they turned out fantastic.
I subbed lemon for lime (just what we had in the fridge.) I would 100% make these again!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Cait!
Melanie says
I’m thinking of making these soon, with some variations based on what I have in my cupboard. Do you think the flavours would change too much and be odd if I added chipotle powder to the chicken?
Ashley Fehr says
I think it would add some spice for sure but that would be great if you like things a little spicy!
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel says
Hooray for chicken success!! LOL. Picky kids will definitely kill me some day, since I love EVERYTHING and just don’t understand it! These quesadillas sounds amazing. I make honey lime chicken enchiladas every once in a while, but these sound a LOT easier. Can’t go wrong with 30 minute meals!
Kristine | Kristine's Kitchen says
Isn’t it the best when you find a new meal that the kids love?! I think these quesadillas would be a hit in my house… well, the kids might not eat all of the peppers and onions but I sure would! The honey-lime flavor sounds delicious!
Stacey @ Bake Eat Repeat says
Quesadillas are a huge favourite around here, my kids love them. Although they would probably make faces at the onions, not the chicken! These look amazing though, maybe I could hide the onions somehow! 🙂
Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven says
My family are HUGE quesadilla fans and I seriously can’t wait to put these on the dinner menu! My 5-year old sister goes through these spurts where she flat-out haaaaates certain things, but within a few days she’s eating them again like nothing even changed. Haha! Kids are so funny. 😀
Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze says
Yay she ate it and loved it!! That’s a winner! My 8 year old daughter is so picky about her dinners too, so I totally understand the battles. I just love how easy and delicious these quesadillas sound. I need to make them for dinner soon.
Zainab says
My niece didn’t eat ‘chicken’ for a long time even though we would pretend it is pork at dinner and she would eat it. Kids!! This will be a hit in our house for sure.
Ashley Fehr says
Haha! That is so funny! I’ll have to keep that in mind… 😉
marcie says
I remember battling it out at dinner time with my oldest boy when he was younger and it was so difficult! He didn’t eat meat without a struggle until he was 6 and now that’s all he wants to eat! haha These quesadillas definitely look like they would be a winner in my house and I love the honey lime flavors in the chicken!
Ashley Fehr says
Kids can be so unpredictable when it comes to food! I’m hoping this means things are on the way up, but you just never know! Lol. Thanks Marcie!
Hafsa says
Honey lime chicken looks delicious. I will try this for sure. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you Hafsa! Let me know how you like them!
Rachel @ Bakerita says
Yay for 27 minute meals, haha! I LOVE lime so so much, especially in savory dishes, and ESPECIALLY Mexican food. This just may have to be my Cinco de Mayo lunch since I have everything on hand 🙂 YUM!
Ashley Fehr says
Haha! I have loved lemon for so long, and I am just starting to obsess over lime the same way! It adds SUCH a punch of flavor!
Liz @ Floating Kitchen says
Oh the science nerd in my just loves that you timed yourself. You are so cute. Glad these were a hit with everyone in your house. I can certainly see why!
Ashley Fehr says
Lol! I usually try to for our 30 minute Thursdays just so I KNOW! And my 30 minutes usually involves rescuing one kid or another or both from some fiasco soooooo…. if I can do it anyone can do it! Lol
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Ashley! These quesadillas sound delicious, we love all things inside tortillas! My son refused to eat jarred baby food, not even fruits! I had to make all his food from scratch! It was probably better for him, but at that time my daughter was five and I was working full time so it was one more thing to add to my already hectic life.
Ashley Fehr says
My second girl wouldn’t eat any pureed food at all! We ended up just giving her whatever we ate, just in teeny tiny pieces and it worked for us. You just can never know with those little ones! Thanks Dorothy!
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Kai hasn’t eaten chicken or any meat in months…he’s just impossible!! I need to try these quesadillas, because if your daughter gobbled them up, then maybe there’s hope? They look delicious, and I love the flavors!
Ashley Fehr says
Haha, maybe! I just tested another chicken recipe out this week that she totally devoured, so I’m hoping we’re on the way up. It is crazy! Lol.
Jen | Baked by an Introvert says
Quesadillas are the best when you need a quick meal. Honey lime chicken sounds so good right now!!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Jen! We love stuffing them with everything!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I’m so glad your daughter came to her senses about chicken! 🙂 Kids have the strangest tastes sometimes. I would definitely devour these in no time, too…I love the honey lime flavor. And quesadillas just happen to be a favorite in my house, so these are perfect!
Ashley Fehr says
Right?! I don’t understand it! It was so random and now is purely psychological. Because chicken is delicious!