Crispy Chicken Quesadillas
Warm flour tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken, melted cheese, and sautéed peppers, then pan-fried until golden and crispy. Serve with salsa and sour cream for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 625
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 4 count large flour tortillas
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar or oaxaca cheese
- 1 count bell pepper (any color)
- ½ count yellow onion
- ½ cup salsa (fresh or jarred)
- ¼ cup sour cream
Instructions
- 1
Place the bell pepper on a cutting board with the stem end facing up, then cut it in half lengthwise from top to bottom. Scoop out the white seeds and ribs inside, then discard them. Slice each half crosswise into thin strips about 1/8 inch wide.
- 2
Cut the onion in half from the root end to the tip, then place the flat side down on the cutting board. Slice it lengthwise (root end to tip) into thin strips about 1/8 inch wide.
- 3
Gather the shredded chicken and break up any clumps by pulling it apart with your fingers until it is evenly separated and loose.
- 4
Place a 12-inch skillet on the stove and set the heat to medium-high. Wait about 90 seconds, then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil — it should shimmer and slide quickly when you tilt the pan.
- 5
Pour the sliced bell pepper and onion into the hot oil and stir with a wooden spoon once every 30 seconds until the onion becomes soft and translucent and the edges of the pepper look lightly browned, about 4–5 minutes.
- 6
Add 1.5 cups of shredded chicken to the skillet and stir it into the peppers and onions until everything is mixed evenly, about 1 minute.
- 7
Pour in 0.5 cup of salsa and stir the chicken mixture until the salsa is evenly distributed and the mixture looks slightly wet, about 30 seconds.
- 8
Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully pour the chicken mixture onto a plate, leaving the oil in the skillet (you will reuse it).
- 9
Place one flour tortilla on a clean, dry cutting board. Spread one-quarter of the chicken mixture in the center of the tortilla, leaving a 1-inch border around all edges.
- 10
Sprinkle one-quarter of the shredded cheese (about 6 tablespoons) evenly over the chicken mixture in a single layer covering it completely.
- 11
Fold the tortilla in half by lifting one edge up and over the filling, pressing it gently against the other edge so the two halves align; you now have a half-moon shape.
- 12
Repeat steps 9–11 with the remaining three tortillas, chicken, and cheese so you have four quesadillas total.
- 13
Set the skillet back on the stove over medium-high heat. Wait about 60 seconds until the oil shimmers, then carefully slide one quesadilla onto the hot oil.
- 14
Cook the quesadilla undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until the bottom surface turns golden brown and looks crispy like a pancake.
- 15
Using a wide spatula, slide it under the quesadilla to lift it gently, flip it over, and return it to the hot oil to cook the other side.
- 16
Cook the second side for another 2–3 minutes until it is also golden brown and crispy.
- 17
Slide the cooked quesadilla onto a clean plate and cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil to keep it warm.
- 18
Repeat steps 13–17 with the remaining three quesadillas, cooking them one at a time in the same skillet.
- 19
Place all four quesadillas on a cutting board and cut each one in half diagonally from corner to corner, creating two triangles per quesadilla.
- 20
Arrange the quesadilla triangles on a serving plate and place a small bowl of sour cream and a small bowl of salsa on the side for dipping.
Tools you’ll need
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- 12-inch skillet
- wooden spoon
- plate
- wide spatula
- aluminum foil
- small bowls (2)
- serving plate
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