Chicken cheese quesadilla. Think spiced chicken and veggies in hot crispy tortilla. While the warm spices add a touch of extra flavor to the dish, the crispy golden tortilla is guaranteed to blow your mind. Classic Mexican can’t get better than this!
What makes Mexican quesadillas so popular? In my opinion, the totally customizable feature of the delicious fillings. If you have caught yourself dreaming about crispy delicious meal with utterly delicious fillings, this recipe is for you. The good news is that you can customize the filling with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Thank me later!
Spice Mix for Chicken Quesadilla
The unique spice mix that you’ll be using to marinate the chicken in this recipe adds some zest to these quesadillas. It includes ground cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, onion powder and ground black pepper.
How to Make Chicken Cheese Quesadilla
The first and foremost step is tossing chicken in the ground spices. While it’s marinating in the refrigerator, quickly sauté bell peppers (capsicum), onions and garlic in a little oil. Season with a little salt and pepper, and wait until the bell peppers are tender.
Now, transfer this to a plate, and stir fry chicken. Once done, remove chicken from the pan and wipe clean with a paper towel.
I highly recommend using large burrito-style tortillas in this recipe as they can hold more filling. To make the chicken quesadilla, heat up a little oil and warm the tortilla. Top with chicken and bell peppers, fold and cook until both sides are crispy and golden.
If you’re feeling fancy, try your favorite veggies and protein in the filling. It’s all about adapting the recipe to modern easy cooking without losing the classic touch.
So why not give it a go? This classic chicken cheese quesadilla recipe is worth a try. Oh, and don’t forget your favorite avocado salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole or avocado dip!
More Quesadilla Recipes:
Chicken Cheese Quesadilla | Video
Ingredients
Spice mix:
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Filling:
- 1 kg boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into strips
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 medium bell peppers capsicum, sliced, approximately 2 cups
- 1 large onion sliced
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic garlic paste
- ½ cup grated sharp cheddar
- ½ cup Monterey Jack
- Salt and pepper to taste
Quesadilla:
- 4 teaspoons oil
- 4 large burrito-style flour tortillas see notes
To serve: (optional) (choose one or two)
- Avocado salsa
- Sour cream
- Pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Coriander cilantro leaves
- Avocado yogurt sauce
Instructions
Spice mix:
- Combine together ground cumin, onion powder, dried oregano, paprika, ground black pepper and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Filling:
- Place chicken in a bowl. Add spice mix. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and store in refrigerator until ready to use.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers (capsicum), onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-8 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
Make chicken quesadillas:
- Wipe pan clean with a paper towel.
- Add 1 teaspoon oil. When hot, place one tortilla in the pan. When one side is warm, flip over to warm the other side. Top half of tortilla with vegetables, chicken and ¼ cup cheese (cheddar and Monterey Jack). (I used mozzarella in this recipe).
- Fold other half of the tortilla over and cook 3 minutes on each side until the tortilla is crispy, golden and the cheese has melted through.
- Transfer to a cutting board. Cut in halves.
- Serve with your favorite salsa or dip.
Video
Notes
- Large burrito style tortillas hold more filling. However, you can substitute them with corn tortillas for a gluten free version.
Nutrition
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