Chicken Quesadilla

On a busy night, there’s nothing quite like the delicious simplicity of cooking crispy, cheesy Chicken Quesadillas for dinner. And in addition to being quick and easy to make, this meal is just downright tasty.

quesadilla made with chicken and cheese on board with salsa in background

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you already know that quesadillas are very popular in my house. On any given week, it’s likely that either I or my boys will be trying out a new variation of one of our quesadilla recipes.

This particular version is inspired by our chicken bacon ranch quesadilla, which my youngest son has been making weekly (usually very late at night) for the last year. With this recipe, I wanted to keep the flavor and texture of the hearty, tender chicken quesadillas we love, while making them even easier to pull together.

From start to finish, making these quesadillas takes less than 10 minutes. Often, I’ll make a large batch of quesadillas for the whole family, and within 15-20 minutes the whole crew is fed. And because quesadillas are an easy-peasy one-pan meal, cleanup is a snap.

I like to serve these with chips and salsa, some vegetables and ranch for dipping and maybe some guacamole. There are never any complaints on this one.

close up of chicken quesadilla on board with salsa

Ingredients and Substitutions

The Tortillas – Flour tortillas are my go-to for making quesadillas. I love the flavor and texture of flour tortillas and I use them exclusively.

The Meat – I use pre-cooked chicken for this recipe, out of convenience. Rotisserie, grilled chicken, or pretty much any leftover baked chicken will work well.

The Cheese – While I prefer to use Pepper Jack or a Mexican blend cheese for this recipe, since it’s what I most often have on hand, whatever shreddable cheese you have on hand should work.

Butter – A very thin layer of butter allows the tortilla to brown evenly in the pan.

Green Onion – Green onions lend a mildly sharp flavor to this quesadilla.

Cilantro – Although it’s optional, fresh chopped cilantro will finish out the quesadilla by adding a refreshing, slightly citrusy flavor.

Notes on Equipment

Nonstick frying pan or skillet
Spatula
Chef’s knife

chicken, cheese, cilantro on tortilla in skillet

How to Make a Chicken Quesadilla

Warming the Skillet – I start by heating a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Prepping the Ingredients – If I haven’t prepped them in advance, I grate the cheese, if needed, and chop the chicken, green onions, and cilantro.

Buttering the Tortilla – I lightly butter one side of the tortilla. Then, I place it in the hot pan, butter-side down.

Building the Quesadilla – You’ll want to sprinkle half of the cheese on top of half the tortilla side touching the pan. Then, layer the chicken, green onions, and cilantro across the cheese on half of the tortilla. Finally, top with the remaining cheese.

Folding in the Cheese – Once all the filling ingredients have been added to the quesadilla, you’ll want to fold the tortilla over on itself and let cook for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese has begun to melt and the bottom tortilla is browning slightly.

Flipping and Finishing: I carefully flip it over in the pan, and let the second side cook for 2-3 minutes, until crispy. The cheese should be fully melted by the time both sides finish cooking.

Serving – Once all the cheese has melted and the tortilla is crisp around the edges, I transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board and slice into wedges before serving.

Expert Tip

You’ll find that “medium heat” means something different on every single stove. Gas ranges tend to run hotter and respond quickly to changes, while electric coils take longer to heat and cool. This is why I stress the importance of temperature control. You want it hot, so that you get a crispy brown exterior. But, too much heat will char the outside of the tortilla before the cheese has a chance to melt.

Chop Chop Chop – One of the most important tips I can give you for ensuring that every bite has just the right taste and texture is chopping your ingredients finely. Aim for uniform, bite-size pieces of chicken (I usually chop the meat into ½” pieces).

Distributing the Filling – To make sure that your quesadilla cooks evenly, you’ll want to avoid overfilling the tortilla. It’s better to just make multiple smaller quesadillas than realize too late that you’ve started making a gigantic quesadilla that can’t easily be flipped.

Manage the Heat – Remove the pan from the heat if the tortilla is getting too dark, too fast. You can also cover the pan with a lid to trap heat, or add a splash of water on the outside edge of the pan to create steam. Both the lid and that splash of water will help the cheese melt faster.

Serving Immediately – If you plan to serve these quesadillas immediately after cooking, I recommend waiting a minute or two before eating. Giving the cheese a moment to cool will help the ingredients stay in the quesadilla when slicing and eating it.

sliced chicken quesadilla on cutting board next to dish of salsa

Serving Suggestions

When I’m serving chicken quesadillas for a family meal, I like to pair them with a Harvest House Chop Salad or an Orange Parsley Salad. Both of those salads are a terrific contrast to the rich cheese and chicken of the quesadilla. And if it’s strawberry season? You can bet that a Strawberry Spinach Salad is just as likely to be in the rotation.

To fill out an even heartier dinner spread, Spanish Rice and some Pico de Gallo or Queso Dip are great additions to the meal as well.

Make Ahead & Storage

Make Ahead: While this quesadilla recipe can be made in advance, I would not recommend it. However, quesadillas are a great way to use up any leftover chicken you might have on hand.

How to Store: Quesadillas are best served hot from the stove! But, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

How to Reheat: Warm up leftover quesadillas on a nonstick skillet or grill top pan. Leftovers also reheat nicely in the airfryer. Heat until the cheese softens and the edges re-crisp.

quesadillas with chicken stacked on wooden board with towel in background

More Quesadilla Recipes

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I flip the quesadilla without spilling?

Getting better at temperature control and not overstuffing the tortilla made this less of an issue for me. As the cheese melts, it binds the other ingredients in place. Then, it’s just a matter of running a spatula around the edges to make sure nothing is stuck and you should be able to flip it without spilling anything.

What if the cheese isn’t melted yet but the tortilla is browning too fast?

If the tortilla is beginning to brown but the cheese hasn’t melted yet, that’s a matter of heat management. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet with a lid for about a minute. You’ll want to keep a close eye on the quesadilla, to keep it from steaming rather than crisping as the cheese melts.

How can I make sure the tortilla browns evenly?

Spreading butter directly on the tortilla gives you way more even browning than greasing the skillet. It guarantees that perfect golden crispy texture all the way around. (Thanks to my sister Jenny for teaching me this trick!)

Warm a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lightly butter one side of the tortilla and place it in the hot pan. Sprinkle half the cheese on one half of the tortilla and top with the chicken and the green onions. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the chicken.
Fold the tortilla over on itself and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. When the cheese has begun to melt and the bottom tortilla is browning slightly, flip the folded quesadilla over to cook the other side.
Continue to cook until all the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crisp around the edges. Using a spatula, transfer the quesadilla back to a cutting board and cut it into wedges while it is hot. Serve warm.