Description
This flavorful Chicken Quesadilla recipe features tender, seasoned chicken combined with sautéed bell peppers and onions, layered with creamy Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar cheese between whole wheat tortillas. Quick to prepare in just 30 minutes, it’s a perfect weeknight meal that’s both hearty and satisfying. Serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream or Greek yogurt for a delicious Tex-Mex favorite everyone will love.
Ingredients
Spices and Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Protein
- 2 cups cooked diced or shredded chicken (about 2 medium breasts or 2 to 3 thighs)
Vegetables
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 orange, yellow, or green bell pepper, diced (or 1 cup chopped veggies of choice: baby spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, etc.)
Dairy and Cheese
- 1 1/4 cups shredded pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided (or additional pepper Jack/Monterey Jack)
Others
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 medium whole wheat tortillas
- Oil, butter, or nonstick spray (optional for cooking the quesadillas)
- Hot sauce (optional)
- Prepared salsa (for serving)
- Guacamole (for serving)
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (for serving)
Instructions
- Mix spices and coat chicken: In a small bowl, stir together chili powder, kosher salt, and garlic powder. Place the cooked chicken in a medium bowl and sprinkle with half of the spice mixture. Stir to coat the chicken evenly and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add diced onion and bell peppers (and any additional vegetables except spinach). Sprinkle the remaining spice mixture over the veggies, stirring to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and browned and peppers are crisp-tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. If using spinach, add it in handfuls and cook until wilted. Optionally, add hot sauce to taste for a spicy kick. Transfer cooked vegetables to the bowl with the chicken and stir to combine.
- Assemble quesadillas: Lay a tortilla flat and spread 1/8 of the pepper Jack cheese and 1/8 of the sharp cheddar cheese over half of the tortilla. Top with 1/4 of the chicken and vegetable mixture evenly. Sprinkle another 1/8 portion each of pepper Jack and cheddar cheese on top. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filling, gently pressing to seal. Repeat for remaining tortillas and fillings.
- Prepare skillet for cooking: Wipe out the skillet used for vegetables with a paper towel. Heat it over medium to medium-low heat. Add a small amount of butter or oil if you want crispier quesadillas.
- Cook first side: Place 1 quesadilla with the folded edge down in the skillet. Place a second quesadilla beside it, folded edge in the opposite direction to fit. Press gently on top with a spatula to flatten. Cook until the bottom is golden and crisp, about 4 minutes, adjusting heat to avoid burning.
- Flip and cook second side: Carefully flip each quesadilla and cook the other side for about 2 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Slice and serve: Remove quesadillas from skillet and let cool for a few minutes on a cutting board or keep warm in a 200°F oven. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice each quesadilla into three wedges. Serve hot with prepared salsa, guacamole, and sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Notes
- Use leftover cooked chicken to save time or grill chicken breasts freshly with seasoning.
- Feel free to customize vegetables based on what’s available: spinach, mushrooms, or zucchini work well.
- To make quesadillas crispier, use a small amount of butter or oil while cooking and press down firmly with a spatula.
- Adjust chili powder and hot sauce quantities to control spiciness.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken with sautéed mushrooms, black beans, or grilled veggies.
- Whole wheat tortillas add fiber; however, you can use flour or corn tortillas as preferred.
- Serve with low-fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a healthier option.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing, Pan-frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 quesadilla (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 560mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
