Chicken Quesadilla
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Make the best Chicken Quesadilla at home with this easy recipe! This quesadilla is filled with seasoned, grilled chicken, fajita veggies, and plenty of cheese, creating an incredibly flavorful, extra cheesy quesadilla that’s simple and easy to make in just 30 minutes.
Serve it with guacamole, salsa, and copycat Taco Bell quesadilla sauce for a delicious trio of dipping sauces!
Table of contents
If you love ordering a chicken quesadilla at Taco Bell, Chipotle, or your favorite Mexican restaurant, then you’re really going to love this homemade chicken quesadilla recipe! It tastes so much better than what you would get at a fast food chain, and it’s easy to make at home.
You can even grill the chicken and prepare the fajita veggies in advance and make this recipe in just 10 minutes! This quesadilla is super cheesy and loaded with flavor from the perfectly seasoned grilled chicken, to the delicious mix of fajita veggies.
Make it your own by serving the quesadilla with any and all of your favorite sauces on the side for dipping. From chipotle sauce and guacamole, to salsa and sour cream, this quesadilla pairs well with all of the Mexican-style sauces and dips, and is perfect for serving as a party appetizer or game day snack!
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts – for this recipe, I like to grill boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you could also use boneless chicken thighs.
- Olive oil – or another neutral vegetable oil to rub on the chicken and cook the fajita veggies.
- Fajita vegetables – I like to use a combination of one red bell pepper and one green bell pepper, a red onion and one jalapeno pepper. Feel free to use the same combination or switch up the colors of the bell peppers or onion.
- Fajita seasoning – to season the chicken and fajita veggies. I always recommend my homemade seasoning blend. It’s easy to make in 5 minutes, and it combines a delicious mix of pantry staples like chili powder, ground cumin, salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Click the link for the recipe. Or purchase premade fajita seasoning on the spice aisle at the grocery store.
- Cheddar cheese + pepper jack cheese – this quesadilla recipe is very cheesy. After all, it’s a quesadilla, it should be cheesy! I always recommend grating the cheese at home, instead of buying pre-shredded cheese at the grocery store. The bags of shredded cheese contain anti-caking additives, which means the cheese won’t melt nearly as well as freshly grated cheese. This cheese grater is my favorite! It grates cheese so quickly and easily, and it’s only $12.
- Large tortillas – for this recipe you’ll want “burrito size” tortillas, which are 10 inches wide. This will make two large quesadillas, enough to feed 4 people. If you want to make 4 smaller quesadillas, instead of two large quesadillas, I recommend using 6 inch “fajita size” tortillas.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Season the chicken. Slice a pound of chicken breasts in half through the middle. This will make them easier to grill quickly, for more tender and flavorful chicken. Coat the chicken breasts in olive oil, then season them on all sides with fajita seasoning.
- Grill the chicken. Preheat a grill over medium-high heat. Once the grill is hot, add the seasoned chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest on a cutting board while you prepare the veggies.
- Cook the fajita veggies. Heat olive oil in a large skillet, or pan, on the stove over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add sliced bell peppers and jalapenos, then season the vegetables with fajita seasoning and cook for 6-8 minutes.
- Dice the grilled chicken, then toss it in with the fajita veggies and remove the pan from the stove.
- Make the quesadillas. Heat a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Wait for the skillet to get hot. This is important to make sure that the tortilla is browned on the outside and the cheese is melted on the inside. Spray one side of a tortilla with cooking spray, then place the sprayed side of the tortilla down in the skillet.
- Add the filling. Add about one cup of shredded cheese to the tortilla. Spread the cheese around so it’s in an even layer. Add about 1 ½ cups of the fajita veggie and chicken mixture in an even layer on top of the cheese. Add another cup of shredded cheese in an even layer on top of the chicken and veggies. Top with another large tortilla and spray the top of the tortilla with cooking spray.
- Cook and flip. Allow the quesadilla to cook for 3-4 minutes. Carefully flip the quesadilla over. I use two large spatulas to do this at home. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove the quesadilla from the skillet and repeat one more time with another quesadilla. Cut each chicken quesadilla into 4 quarters or 8 triangles for serving. Optionally sprinkle fresh cilantro on top as a garnish.
What to serve it with
This quesadilla is delicious with all of the dips and sauces! Try it with any of these options to recreate a chicken quesadilla from your favorite restaurant. Or pair the quesadilla with your favorite Mexican-style sauce!
- Taco Bell Quesadilla Sauce – this copycat recipe for creamy jalapeno sauce from the fast food chain is easy to make in 5 minutes and delicious paired with this chicken quesadilla!
- Guacamole – my authentic guacamole recipe is easy to make in 10 minutes, and is the perfect quesadilla pairing for all of the avocado-lovers!
- Dragon Sauce – this is a popular sauce at Chipotle, where people combine their Tomatillo Red Chili Salsa with sour cream. If you want to make it at home, use my 10 minute restaurant-style salsa recipe and combine it with sour cream.
- Pico de Gallo
- Chipotle Sauce
- Poblano Sauce
- Cilantro Lime Sauce
- Creamy Avocado Salsa
If you’re looking for a side dish to serve with the quesadillas, try this Mexican Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, or Mexican Street Corn.
Recipe notes
- If you’d like to make four smaller quesadillas, instead of two large quesadillas, you have two options. Either use one large “burrito size” tortilla, and only add the cheese, chicken, veggies and cheese to one half of the tortilla, then fold the other half of the tortilla over the fillings. This will make a “half quesadilla” instead of the whole quesadilla you see pictured throughout this post. You can also use 8 small “fajita size” tortillas and make them as described in this recipe, but only use half of the cheese and filling in each quesadilla.
- Always make sure the skillet is hot before adding the tortilla and assembling the chicken quesadilla in the skillet. If the skillet isn’t hot, the tortilla will not become golden brown and crispy. And it will take a long time for the cheese to melt. This will compromise the overall texture of the quesadilla.
- You can make the grilled chicken and fajita veggies ahead of time. Feel free to cook these up to 2 days in advance. Store them in the fridge until you’re ready to make the quesadillas. I recommend reheating the chicken and veggies in a hot skillet on the stove for 2-3 minutes before preparing the quesadillas. They will reheat in the quesadilla, but not all of the way through during the quesadilla cook time.
- You don’t have to add the fajita veggies. If you just want a cheese and chicken quesadilla, simply omit the fajita veggies and double up on the chicken.
- If you don’t have a grill, you can cook the chicken on the stovetop instead. Use a cast iron skillet or grill pan, if you have one available. If not, use the heaviest bottom, largest skillet you have. Turn the stove on to medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from the skillet and rest for 10 minutes before slicing and dicing.
- To make this recipe gluten free, use 8 small corn tortillas to make 4 small quesadillas, instead of using the burrito size flour tortillas.
- This recipe is mild on the spice scale. If you don’t want any spice at all, omit the jalapeno. Replace the pepper jack cheese with Monterey jack cheese or Oaxaca cheese. If you want to spice things up, add 1-2 sliced serrano peppers to the fajita veggies.
Storage and reheating
I highly recommend only making as many quesadillas as you plan on eating in that setting. You can always store any leftover chicken and fajita veggies in the fridge and make a fresh quesadilla in less than 10 minutes.
If you do find yourself with prepared chicken quesadilla leftovers, I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can reheat them in a skillet on the stove over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side. You can also reheat them in an air fryer at 400°F for 4-6 minutes.
More Mexican recipes
If you love this chicken quesadilla recipe, I guarantee that you’ll love the other 200+ Mexican recipes on the blog. Let’s start with these fan favorites, then work our way through the rest!
Chicken Quesadilla
Make the best Chicken Quesadilla at home with this easy recipe! This quesadilla is filled with seasoned, grilled chicken, fajita veggies, and plenty of cheese, creating an incredibly flavorful, extra cheesy quesadilla that's simple and easy to make in just 30 minutes. Serve it with guacamole, salsa, and copycat Taco Bell quesadilla sauce for a delicious trio of dipping sauces!
Ingredients
Grilled chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning, click link for the recipe
Fajita veggies
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
- 2 teaspoons fajita seasoning
Quesadillas
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded (or monterey jack cheese)
- 4 large tortillas, burrito-size
- Cooking spray
Instructions
Grilled Chicken
- Preheat a grill over medium-high heat.
- Slice a pound of chicken breasts in half through the middle. Rub the chicken with olive oil, then coat in the fajita seasoning.
- Place the seasoned chicken directly on the the hot grill. Grill the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes.
Fajita Veggies
- While the chicken is resting, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add bell peppers, jalapeño, and fajita seasoning, cook for an additional 6-8 minutes.
- Thinly slice the chicken into strips, then dice it up and toss it in with the sauteed veggies. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Quesadillas
- Spray one side of a tortilla with cooking spray, then place the sprayed side of the tortilla down in the skillet.
- Add about one cup of shredded cheese to the tortilla. Spread the cheese around so it’s in an even layer.
- Add about 1 ½ cups of the fajita veggie and chicken mixture in an even layer on top of the cheese. Add another cup of shredded cheese in an even layer on top of the chicken and veggies. Top with another large tortilla and spray the top of the tortilla with cooking spray.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the quesadilla from the skillet and repeat one more time with another quesadilla.
- Cut each quesadilla into 4 quarters or 8 triangles for serving.
Notes
- Optionally serve the quesadilla with guacamole, salsa, Taco Bell copycat quesadilla sauce, sour cream, Pico de Gallo, or Chipotle Sauce for dipping.
- If you’d like to make four smaller quesadillas, instead of two large quesadillas, you have two options. Either use one large “burrito size” tortilla, and only add the cheese, chicken, veggies and cheese to one half of the tortilla, then fold the other half of the tortilla over the fillings. This will make a “half quesadilla” instead of the whole quesadilla you see pictured throughout this post. You can also use 8 small “fajita size” tortillas and make them as described in this recipe, but only use half of the cheese and filling in each quesadilla.
- You can make the grilled chicken and fajita veggies ahead of time. Feel free to cook these up to 2 days in advance. Store them in the fridge until you’re ready to make the quesadillas. I recommend reheating the chicken and veggies in a hot skillet on the stove for 2-3 minutes before preparing the quesadillas. They will reheat in the quesadilla, but not all of the way through during the quesadilla cook time.
- You don’t have to add the fajita veggies. If you just want a cheese and chicken quesadilla, simply omit the fajita veggies and double up on the chicken.
- If you don’t have a grill, you can cook the chicken on the stovetop instead. Use a cast iron skillet or grill pan, if you have one available. If not, use the heaviest bottom, largest skillet you have. Turn the stove on to medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from the skillet and rest for 10 minutes before slicing and dicing.
- To make this recipe gluten free, use 8 small corn tortillas to make 4 small quesadillas, instead of using the burrito size flour tortillas.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 877kcal (44%)Carbohydrates 39g (13%)Protein 57g (114%)Fat 55g (85%)Saturated Fat 26g (130%)Polyunsaturated Fat 4gMonounsaturated Fat 19gCholesterol 179mg (60%)Sodium 1390mg (58%)Potassium 758mg (22%)Fiber 4g (16%)Sugar 7g (8%)Vitamin A 3058mg (61%)Vitamin C 84mg (102%)Calcium 925mg (93%)Iron 4mg (22%)
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