Chicken Fajita Quesadillas

30-Minute Chicken Quesadillas with Onions and Peppers Using Leftover Grilled Chicken (huge time saver!). So fast, so easy, so good!

Why You’ll Love Chicken Fajita Quesadilla

• Weeknight – a family favorite. It’s just one of those miracle weeknight dinners that comes together in just 30 minutes from start to finish. Not to mention, a guaranteed crowd favorite for kids and adults alike, adding all your favorite toppings.
• Repurposes leftover chicken. Using a residue grilled chicken or cooked chicken (without tasting like real leftovers) is a huge time saver here, greatly reducing prep and cooking time.
• Suitable for freezer. Yes, chicken quesadillas are freezer friendly, they keep in the freezer for at least 2 months!
• A flexible, versatile, forgiving recipe. This recipe can easily be changed and adapted as needed by replacing the chicken with shrimp, beef, pork, or even refried beans!

How to make Chicken Fajita Quesadilla

1. Boil the onions and peppers. Cook until tender and lightly charred in a large cast iron pan. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
2. Combine the cheeses. Stir in the sharp cheddar cheese, black pepper cheese, and cilantro until well combined.
3. Cook the quesadillas using the crescent method. Add 1 tortilla to the pan, sprinkling the cheese, chicken, and pepper mixture over one half of the tortilla. Cook until the cheeses are melted, folding them in half.
4. Keep warm. Keep the quesadillas warm in a low oven (200°F) for up to 20 minutes while the rest of the quesadillas bake.
5. Serve. Let the quesadillas rest for 1-2 minutes before serving warm with toppings.

Printing

Chicken Fajita Quesadia

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30-Minute Chicken Quesadillas with Onions and Peppers Using Leftover Grilled Chicken (huge time saver!). So fast, so easy, so good!

course Main dish

kitchen Mexican

Keyword chicken quesadillas

Total time 30 minutes minutes

Portions 6 portions

Equipment

• Cast iron pan

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil separated
• ½ medium sweet onion cut into strips
• 1 medium red pepper cut into strips
• 1 medium green pepper cut into strips
• 2 clove garlic minced meat
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 6 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 6 ounces grated pepper cheese
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 2 cups leftovers grated grilled chicken warmed up

To serve

• 1 cup guacamole
• 1 cup pico de gallo
• ¼ cup cream

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large cast iron pan on medium high heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and slightly charred, about 4-5 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, chili powder, and cumin until fragrant, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the cheese and cilantro.
• Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Working one at a time, add 1 tortilla to pan and sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese mixture in an even layer.
• Top with 1/3 cup chicken and some of the pepper mixture on half the tortilla.
• Cook until cheeses are melted and undersides are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes; gently fold in half, pressing lightly. Keep warm in the oven for up to 20 minutes. Repeat with remaining vegetable oil and tortillas to make 6 quesadillas.
• Serve warm with optional garnish.

Notes

• Make them mini. Use smaller flour tortillas to make them bite-sized, perfect for serving as a party appetizer or after-school snack.
• Use flour tortillas. While corn tortillas can certainly be used, flour tortillas are generally preferred for their flexibility and ease of handling without falling apart.
• Precooked or leftover chicken saves a lot of time. Using pre-cooked chicken will cut down on prep time even more, making this dinner a perfect candidate for those busy, hectic weeknights.
• Don’t overfill. Size matters! Overfilling may sound like a good idea since the filling is the best part, but it can lead to a torn tortilla and overflow. Always spread the filling over half the quesadilla – this will ensure easy folding (think half moon shape) and spill-free handling.
• Freshly grated cheese helps a lot. Prepackaged shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can interfere with its ability to melt smoothly. Freshly grated cheese is best, it melts more smoothly and evenly and makes for a very superior ooey gooey quesadilla filling.
• Grease the pan. Start with 1 tsp. oil in the pan. Adding too much oil will result in soggy, greasy quesadillas.
• Turn up the heat. Add jalapeno slices or your favorite hot sauce for a kick of heat.
• Keep warm in a low oven. Quesadillas can be transferred to a baking sheet and keep warm in a low oven at 200°F until additional quesadillas are made or until ready to serve.
• Reheat in the oven or deep fryer. For best results with leftovers, reheat in oven at 350°F until heated through, about 5-8 minutes, or in air fryer at 350°F until heated through and crisp, about 10 minutes, turning halfway through.

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