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Chicken quesadillas are one of those easy meals that come in handy when you need dinner on the table without much planning. They’re a great way to use leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken. Add a few simple sides, and dinner is pretty much taken care of.
I like these for busy weeknights, but they’re just as good for game day or an easy lunch. Serve them with Mexican Street Corn Salad for a simple meal, or just put out salsa, guacamole, and sour cream and let everyone help themselves.
Here’s Why This Chicken Quesadilla Recipe Works
Great for leftover chicken: This is one of my favorite ways to turn leftover shredded chicken into a completely different meal. Rotisserie chicken makes it just as easy.
Plenty of flavor without much work: Sautéed peppers and onions, green chiles, taco seasoning, and salsa give the chicken plenty of flavor without a long ingredient list or a lot of prep.
Crispy outside, cheesy inside: Cooking the quesadillas in a little butter gives the tortillas a crisp, golden exterior while Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar make the filling extra melty.
Easy to make your own: Swap the cheese, adjust the taco seasoning, leave out the peppers, or add whatever you happen to have on hand. Quesadillas are pretty forgiving.
Ingredient Notes
Shredded cooked chicken: Slow cooker shredded chicken works perfectly here, but rotisserie chicken is an easy shortcut.
Bell pepper and onion: Dice them small so the filling spreads evenly and does not make the quesadillas bulky.
Roasted green chiles: Drain them well before adding them to the skillet. They add mild heat and a little smoky flavor.
Taco seasoning: Use 1 tablespoon for a milder filling or 2 tablespoons for a bolder chicken quesadilla. Homemade taco seasoning or store-bought both work.
Salsa: Use a thicker salsa if possible. Watery salsa can make the filling loose.
Flour tortillas: Eight-inch tortillas are easy to fold and flip. Larger tortillas work too, but you may need a little more filling and cheese.
Monterey Jack and cheddar: Freshly shredded cheese melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
Recipe Tips
Cook over medium heat: The tortillas need time to crisp before they brown too much, and the cheese needs time to melt.
Do not overfill: About ⅓ cup of chicken filling per quesadilla keeps them easy to fold and flip.
Start with cheese across the tortilla: A layer of cheese over the whole tortilla helps hold the folded quesadilla together.
Keep finished quesadillas warm: Transfer each one to a baking sheet in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest.
Skip the microwave for leftovers: It warms quesadillas quickly, but it softens the tortillas. A skillet or oven brings the crispness back.
Make Ahead and Freezing
Make the filling ahead: Prepare the chicken filling up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Freeze for later: Let the cooked quesadillas cool completely, then wrap them individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat them from frozen in a 350°F oven until hot and crisp, or thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a skillet.
For the crispiest results: I prefer freezing the quesadillas after cooking rather than assembling them with the filling and freezing them uncooked. They’re easier to store and can go straight from the freezer to the oven.
Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas
These quesadillas are cheesy, crisp, and practical. Use leftover shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken, keep the heat steady, and you’ll get golden tortillas with a warm, flavorful filling every time.
Serve them with homemade guacamole, a side of black beans, and pico de gallo.
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Chicken Quesadillas
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Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bell pepper, diced, any color
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, or rotisserie chicken
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1 to 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, homemade or store-bought
- ¼ cup salsa
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water, if needed
For the Quesadillas
- 8 flour tortillas, 8-inch
- 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 to 4 tablespoons butter, divided
For Serving
- salsa
- sour cream
- guacamole
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°F and set a baking sheet in the oven. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened.
- Add the shredded chicken, green chiles, taco seasoning, and salsa. Stir until the chicken is evenly coated and heated through. If the mixture seems dry, add a bit of water. Remove from the heat.
- Melt about ½ tablespoon butter in a large skillet or on a griddle over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet. Sprinkle a handful of cheese over the entire tortilla. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds, or until the cheese begins to melt.
- Spread a generous ⅓ cup of the chicken filling over one half of the tortilla, then fold the other half over the filling. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until the tortilla is golden and crisp and the cheese is fully melted.
- Transfer the cooked quesadilla to the warm baking sheet in the oven while you cook the remaining quesadillas. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, adding more butter to the skillet as needed.
- Slice the quesadillas into wedges. Serve warm with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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