Quesadillas {Chicken Fajita Style}
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Quesadillas! These are loaded with two kinds of gooey melty cheese and a flavorful, fajita-style chicken and pepper filling. Talk about delicious Mexican comfort food everyone will go crazy for!
Serve them with guacamole, salsa, or pico de gallo to really take them over the top!
Best Quesadilla Recipe
If I had to choose one type of cuisine to eat for the rest of my life, it would probably have to be Mexican food. I mean, could we ever get tired of that fresh, zesty, deliciously seasoned flavor?
Chicken quesadillas are the most satisfying meal that can be light for lunch or made more substantial for dinner. This chicken quesadilla recipe calls for chicken breasts, but you can use chicken thighs or any shredded chicken from any cut. A rotisserie chicken is another easy shortcut!
Quesadilla Video
And quesadillas, who doesn’t want to live on them? When a simple, humble tortilla is layered generously with cheese in the center and pan fried with butter to a crisp golden brown exterior, you get something truly satisfying out of just three simple ingredients.
Then when you want to take it to the next level flavor, you stuff it not only with cheese but with sauteed sweet peppers, onions, and garlic and a seasoned, tender chicken, too. And now we’re talking best quesadilla ever!
Overflowing flavor meets melted cheesy bliss. You’ve got to try these! Let’s take a peek inside….
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken breasts – they’re leaner than thighs, so with the fatty cheese it’s a good balance.
- Chili powder and ground cumin – these are classic Mexican spices that add lots of flavor.
- Salt and pepper – used to season the filling.
- Olive oil – you only need a little to saute the chicken.
- Bell pepper – I like to use a blend of red and green, but any color will work.
- Red onion – yellow onion can be substituted.
- Garlic – use fresh garlic for best flavor.
- Lime – this adds a delicious bright note to the quesadillas.
- Cheddar and Monterey jack cheese – I like this blend for quesadillas. Shredded Mexican cheese will work fine too.
- Butter – this is used for the tortillas, not only for flavor, but it helps them cook up crisp. Salted or unsalted is fine.
- Flour tortillas – use the large burrito-size tortillas; they’ll be able to fit a lot more filling and cheese than the taco-size tortillas. (Corn tortillas will work, but don’t get as crispy.)
How to Make Quesadillas
- Season chicken: toss chicken with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper (about 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper).
- Saute chicken: heat 2 tsp olive oil in 12-inch non-stick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook and turn occasionally until fully cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
- Saute veggies: heat remaining 2 tsp oil in same skillet. Add bell pepper and red onion and saute until tender, about 6 minutes, while adding in garlic during last 1 minute. Transfer to small bowl with chicken, pour in lime and toss.
- Butter tortillas: brush top side of tortillas with melted butter. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels, heat over medium heat. Toss cheeses together.
How to Cook Quesadillas
- Assemble quesadillas in skillet: Transfer one tortilla buttered side down to skillet. Working quickly, sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over one half of the tortilla. Top with about 3/4 cup of the chicken mixture. Fold top half over, repeat with a second tortilla (since you can fit two in the skillet at once).
- Cook: Let heat until golden brown on bottom, then carefully turn to opposite side and continue to cook until golden brown on bottom.
- Repeat process with remaining tortillas, cheese, and filling.
- Cut each quesadilla into 2 or 3 wedges. Serve warm with desired toppings.
How Can I Make an Easy Cheese Quesadilla?
My family loves plain cheese quesadillas for a quick lunch. They can be ready in minutes! To make them with cheese only:
- You’ll need flour tortillas (small or large), butter, and shredded cheese.
- Brush 2 tortillas with melted butter on top side.
- Place one tortilla buttered side down in skillet set over medium-high heat.
- Sprinkle grated cheese evenly over the top.
- Top with second tortilla buttered side up.
- Cook until golden brown on bottom, then flip and cook opposite side is golden brown and cheese has melted through.
What’s the Best Kind of Cheese for Quesadillas?
- Cheddar
- Moneterey jack
- Colby Jack
- Asadero
- Oaxaca cheese
These are semi-hard cheeses that melt perfectly and all have great flavor. Asadero and Oaxaca are more Authentic options for Mexican Quesadillas.
More Quesadilla Filling Ideas:
This chicken and pepper blend is my personal favorite quesadilla filling, but there are endless options. Here are a few ideas:
- Shredded beef
- Grilled chicken (like the chicken used HERE)
- Sweet pork
- Black beans and corn
- Roasted vegetables (replace Italian seasoning with taco seasoning)
- Spinach artichoke (like the filling used HERE)
And don’t forget toppings and dips! Serve with hot sauce, cilantro, diced tomatoes, guacamole, or any other flavor you love!
More Mexican Recipes You’ll Love:
- Tostadas
- Chicken Enchiladas
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
- Refried Beans (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot. These freeze great!)
Follow Cooking Classy
Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tsp olive oil, divided
- 2 cups chopped bell pepper (about 2, I use red and green)
- 2/3 cup chopped red onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 6 (10-inch burrito size) flour tortillas
- 3 Tbsp butter, melted
- 6 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
- 6 oz. monterrey jack cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
- Guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo or salsa, for serving (optional)*
Instructions
- Toss chicken with chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper (about 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper).
- Heat 2 tsp olive oil in 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook and turn occasionally until fully cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
- Heat remaining 2 tsp oil in same skillet. Add bell pepper and red onion and saute until tender, about 6 minutes, while adding in garlic during last 1 minute. Transfer to bowl with chicken, pour in lime and toss.
- Brush top side of tortillas with melted butter. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels, heat over medium heat. Toss cheeses together.
- Transfer one tortilla buttered side down to skillet. Working quickly sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese evenly over one half side of the tortilla then sprinkle with about 3/4 cup of the chicken mixture. Fold top half over, repeat with a second tortilla (you can fit two in the skillet at once).
- Let cook until golden brown on bottom about 2 minutes, then carefully turn to opposite side and continue to cook until golden brown on bottom.
- Repeat process with remaining tortillas, cheese and filling. Cut each quesadilla into 2 or 3 wedges. Serve warm with desired toppings.
Notes
- Guacamole recipe HERE, Salsa recipe HERE. Fresh from the produce section of the store will work great too. Toppings not included in nutritional estimate.
- If you have time use freshly grated cheese as it will have the best flavor, but if you don't have time a pre-shredded Mexican blend cheese will work here as well. Look for a package with the thicker shreds.