Chicken Quesadilla with Cheese (Print Page)

Grilled chicken and melted cheeses combined with sautéed peppers inside a crispy tortilla.

# What You Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked grilled chicken breast, sliced or shredded
02 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
07 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
08 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - ¼ teaspoon salt
10 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Assembly

11 - 4 large (10-inch) flour tortillas
12 - 1 tablespoon butter or additional olive oil for cooking

# Directions:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced bell pepper and onion; sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Remove mixture from skillet and set aside.
02 - Wipe the skillet clean to remove any residue.
03 - Place one tortilla on a flat surface. On half of the tortilla, layer ½ cup grilled chicken, one quarter of the sautéed vegetables, ¼ cup shredded cheddar, and ¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Fold the tortilla in half to enclose the filling. Repeat this process with remaining tortillas and fillings.
04 - Melt butter or drizzle olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook each folded quesadilla for 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing gently, until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese has melted completely.
05 - Transfer cooked quesadillas to a cutting board and let them rest for 1 minute. Slice into wedges and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come together faster than takeout, and no one needs to know you didn't spend hours planning dinner.
  • The cheese gets impossibly melty inside while the tortilla turns golden and crispy, creating this perfect contrast that never gets old.
  • You can customize the filling without thinking twice—swap peppers, add jalapeños, use different cheeses—and it always works out.
02 -
  • Don't skip wiping the skillet between sautéing and cooking—those stuck pepper bits will burn and taste bitter.
  • Medium heat is your friend here; high heat will burn the outside before the cheese melts inside, and I learned that the hard way the first few times.
03 -
  • Shred your own cheese if you can—pre-shredded has anti-caking agents that prevent the smooth, creamy melt you're after.
  • Room-temperature or warm leftover chicken makes assembly easier than cold chicken straight from the fridge.
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