Chicken Quesadillas are a great meal; quick, easy and the perfect way to use leftover chicken!

This recipe combines cooked chicken and cheese with seasoning and veggies! Simply tuck your favorite ingredients into a tortilla and pan fry until melted and crisp!

Chicken Quesadilla with green onion

Ingredients (and Variations)

Easy to find ingredients make up the base of a Quesadilla (you probably have most of it on hand).

    • Chicken – Cooked chicken breast or shredded chicken makes this extra easy. Leftover chicken will work for this recipe from baked chicken to chicken thighs. You can also use diced chicken breast.
    • Cheese – Use your favorite, 3 cheese, Tex Mex, Jalapeno Jack, Nacho… or a combination. For most recipes using melted cheese I suggest shredding your own but pre-shredded works just fine in this recipe!
    • Seasoning – A combination of fajita seasoning or taco seasoning adds lots of lavor to quesadillas! Extra salsa can  be added instead, be sure to cook out the liquid so your quesadillas don’t get soggy.
    • Veggies – Peppers, onions, spices (all the same things we add to chicken fajitas are great in quesadillas).

Open Chicken Quesadillas on a baking sheet

How To Cook Chicken For Quesadillas

Frying Pan:

Dice chicken into small pieces and panfry with a touch of oil, salt and pepper and seasonings (this is the same way I prepare chicken for tacos). *Tip: Cut chicken while still slightly frozen, it is so much easier!

Shredded:

I often make a batch of slow cooker shredded chicken but you can also poach the chicken and shred it.

Leftover Chicken:

Use any type of leftover chicken (or beef/pork) and either chop or shred.

Chicken Quesadillas stacked on a plate

How To Make Chicken Quesadillas

  1. If using veggies, cook until tender. Prepare chicken with seasonings (per recipe below).
  2. Top each tortilla with a generous portion of cheese and a scoop of the chicken and veggies if using.
  3. Fold in half and panfry or bake until crisp and the cheese is melted.

Easy right? Once cooked, allow to cool a few minutes so the cheese doesn’t leak out.

Reheating Chicken Quesadillas

These can be reheated in the microwave but the tortilla will get soft. To keep the tortilla crisp, reheating in the oven/toaster oven at 375°F for about 10 minutes or on medium-low in a non-stick skillet.

More South of the Border Faves

When making a Mexican inspired feast I love to serve up the classic like tacos (beef and chicken!), a classic quesadilla, or make a casserole full of enchiladas.

No matter what I am serving I always have an assortment of toppings to go with it! Some of my favorites include a restaurant-style salsa, a classic Pico de Gallo, guacamole, or this delicious pineapple guacamole which is amazing on chicken!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text
Chicken Quesadilla with green onion
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Chicken Quesadillas

A cheesy chicken filled tortilla is pan-fried until crisp for a quick meal.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
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Ingredients  

  • 4 large flour tortillas
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra as needed
  • 1 small bell pepper red or green
  • cup finely diced onion
  • 1 ½ cups cooked shredded chicken or chopped chicken
  • 1 ounce taco seasoning 1 packet, or fajita seasoning
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese or shredded Mexican cheese blend

Instructions 

  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook onions 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add bell peppers and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
  • Stir in chicken, seasoning and ¼ cup water. Simmer 3-4 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
  • Lay out the tortillas and sprinkle with ½ cup cheese on one half of the tortilla. Add ¼ of the chicken mixture. Fold half of the tortilla over the filling. Brush the outside of each tortilla with olive oil.
  • Heat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat (or a griddle). Lightly brown each quesadillas 3-4 minutes per side or until golden and cheese is melted.
  • Cool 2-3 minutes and cut each tortilla into 3 pieces.

Notes

To Use Raw Chicken
Cut two boneless chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. Season with salt & pepper and cook over medium heat until no pink remains. Proceed with recipe as directed.
To Bake Quesadillas for a Crowd
Prepare as directed. Brush each quesadilla with olive oil on each side. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 8-12 minutes or until cheese has melted and tortillas are crisp.
5 from 61 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 346 | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 743mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 810IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 463mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Chicken, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Pieces of Chicken Quesadilla with writing
Open Chicken Quesadilla on a baking sheet

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. This was a big hit for my boys and I. I’ll be doubling the batch next time so that there’s leftovers the next day.

    Thank you for a super easy recipe for when I’m too tired to cook anything!5 stars

  2. This was just delicious! I never made Quesadillas before- now I love them. I had cooked chicken breast in the refrig. that I cooked last night. It was easy to shread it the next day. I made them according to the recipe- next time, I might add a little jalapeno pepper to the onion/peppers. I served them with sour cream and taco sauce on the side. Just plain yum!!! Thank you for this recipe, it is a keeper for sure!!!5 stars

  3. Really good quick easy and economical. Made it with spend with Pennie’s left over beer can chicken recipe which is also fabulous.5 stars

  4. These were excellent! They were made using leftover smoked chicken and I also used the Fajita Seasoning from this site. When I make these in the future, I will place them on a rack in a lined cookie sheet to make the bottom side crispier. (I baked them without using a rack this first time)5 stars

  5. I will never do quesadillas on stovetop again. The oven version is just fabulous. Thanks so much.

  6. Happy Cinco de Mayo! My quesadillas turned out fantastic! I made several variations – cheese & veggies, cheese, veggie & chicken and cheese & beans. So tasty and easy!5 stars

  7. Made this last night and it was delicious! A definite keeper, thank you for the recipe, so easy and so good!5 stars