Best Chicken Quesadillas and what to serve with them!
We love Mexican food! And it doesn’t have anything to do with me being a former Spanish teacher. I have eaten Mexican food my entire life growing up and even now when we decide to go out for a meal, Mexican food is at the top of the list. I’m going to teach you how to make the best chicken quesadillas and what to serve with them! That way you can make one of the most beloved Mexican dishes around in your home from scratch!
This recipe contains all of the great things that we love about Mexican food!
You have the melted cheese, the seasoned chicken, and of course, those crispy flour tortillas fried in butter. (I’ve seen some people skip the butter step, but I have found that the flour tortilla dries out without that moisture in the pan while frying.) Plus, who would want to skip the delicious flavor of butter??
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I also love how versatile quesadillas are. They are truly a vehicle for whatever you are craving. The possibilities are endless as to what you can place inside your quesadillas. If you want something for earlier in the day, try a breakfast quesadilla! You can stuff it with fluffy scrambled eggs, melty cheese, and crumbles of bacon or sausage.
If you need to satisfy your sweet tooth, make a dessert quesadilla. Layer chocolate chips and strawberry slices for a tasty treat. Or spread the tortillas with Hazelnut spread, marshmallow cream, and a sprinkling of graham crackers for a play on S’MORES. A warm peanut butter jelly quesadilla might be the perfect after-dinner snack for your little one!
The possibilities are truly endless! If you can imagine it and if you like a flavor combination, then go for it!
Where does the QUESADILLA come from?
Plus, they are small enough that they can be made for individuals. For example: My husband doesn’t like seafood. I could make myself a seafood quesadilla and then turn around and make him a different delicious quesadilla like this chicken one. In other words, we don’t have to like the same proteins to be eating the same meal at the table! That’s a dish that is perfect for families with picky eaters…
and BOY do I have some PICKY EATERS in my HOME! (HA)
Another great idea is to get your family in the kitchen to help you make the different variations. I don’t know why this is the case, but I have found it to be true with my kiddos. If they have a hand in making something in the kitchen, then they are more likely to taste it and like it!
This is the perfect dish to let them jump into and make it their own. Let them be creative with their ingredients and toppings, with your watchful eye of, course. (I’m not a fan of food waste, so I make sure that their creations don’t get so out of hand that they wouldn’t eat them.)
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And since we are on the topic of Mexican food, tacos are another favorite in the family. They just so happen to be the one Mexican food that we never order out but love to make at home. And yes, I try to make sure that this meal always lands on Tuesday = TACO TUESDAY! And I don’t use beef for my tacos. I don’t use beef in any of my recipes at all.
We are a venison/deer-eating family. I prefer deer meat because it is so much leaner but doesn’t sacrifice flavor. And since that is my husband’s favorite sport, it’s a win-win all the way around and a great way to use his harvests to feed our family. Deer tacos are a huge hit!
Another Mexican dish that is favored among my peeps is chicken enchiladas. These are not traditional by any stretch of the imagination, but they have a creamy texture, topped with melty cheese, and delicious! This recipe comes from one of my inlaws and it’s been a favorite in my house ever since.
Now back to our main idea, chicken quesadillas! Another reason that quesadillas are a popular choice for families with kiddos is because they are cut into cute triangles and are easy to eat for little hands. They are basically a finger food in Mexican cuisine! (Although I have a feeling that these are truly more American than traditionally Mexican… that’s beside the point.)
And speaking of kiddos and cooking, they aren’t very patient! (HA) This means that family dinners need to be quick, fast, and in a hurry! This recipe takes little time to put together and is more of an assembling situation after you’ve cooked the chicken of course.
If you wanted to cut down on time even more, you could always use rotisserie chicken.
One of the tricks I came up with to keep my quesadillas from being dry, is to make a sauce and layer that on the inside of the flour tortillas before topping each side with meat and cheese. This sauce is made with two simple ingredients. It’s just sour cream and taco sauce. (We like to use the Taco Bell sauce) I just mix those two ingredients and slather them on each flour tortilla. This makes such a big difference in the result. The chicken and cheese don’t dry out on you and it also offers a delicious flavor and creaminess.
This is one of my husband’s favorite meals of all time!
(And that’s saying something because he is one of the pickiest eaters I know!) He has always been a big chicken eater, whereas I grew up eating mostly beef. And in my opinion, chicken can get boring quickly if you don’t get creative. You need to season it well and cook it properly to avoid bland, dry, overcooked chicken.
This recipe is anything but that! The chicken is flavorful and juicy! The sauce is spicy and creamy. And the tortilla, fried in butter, is crispy and perfect! (I can see how I won him over with this one)
Later in the post, I’m going to tell you about some of the best side dishes to serve with these delicious quesadillas to make a complete meal that is both satisfying and filling. (Don’t stop scrolling now!)
Health Restrictions? Do you need Gluten-free options? Keto, low-carb, or low-calorie diet?
- If you are on a Gluten-Free diet, no worries, swap out the flour tortillas in the recipe for corn tortillas and you can partake in this popular Mexican dish too!
- Swap out the regular flour tortillas for carb-friendly versions. There are lots of options in grocery stores now.
Make the Best Chicken Quesadillas with me on YouTube!
Best Chicken Quesadillas and what to serve with them! Ingredients:
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 8 Flour tortillas (Medium size)
- 3 Tablespoons butter (For cooking chicken)
- 3 Tablespoons butter (For cooking quesadillas)
- 8 Tablespoons sour cream
- 4 Tablespoons taco sauce (I use Taco Bell sauce)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 Tablespoon Tony’s seasoning
- 1/4 Tablespoon Chili powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon Garlic powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon Onion powder
- 1/4 Tablespoon Cumin
Best Chicken Quesadillas and what to serve with them! Instructions:
How to make chicken for quesadillas:
- First, clean any fat off of the chicken breasts.
- Second, lay the chicken breasts on a cutting board to season.
- Third, season one side of the chicken breasts with garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, and Tony’s.
- Next, put butter in a cast iron skillet, or non-stick skillet and let it melt on medium heat.
- Then, place the seasoned side of the chicken breasts into the hot skillet with melted butter.
- Season the other side of the chicken breasts in the pan with garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, and Tony’s.
- Flip the chicken over when it has gotten a nice color/crust. Be sure to not let it burn.
- Once the chicken has a nice color/crust on the second side, add 1/2 water to the hot skillet and place a lid on it. This will ensure that your chicken is completely cooked on the inside but still juicy. Let the chicken cook with the lid on until done.
- Finally, take the cooked chicken out of the skillet, place it on a clean cutting board, and slice or shred it.
Putting the best chicken quesadillas together:
- First, lay out tortillas to assemble.
- Second, put 1 tablespoon of sour cream on each tortilla.
- Third, place 1/2 tablespoon of taco sauce on each tortilla.
- Next, using a spoon, mix the sour cream and taco sauce onto each tortilla. It will turn a pretty pink color.
- Then, add cheddar cheese 1/4 cup cheddar cheese to each tortilla.
- Next, place your cooked and shredded/chopped chicken in only ONE tortilla in each group to be made. (The other tortilla is the lid and doesn’t need meat on it.)
- Finally, put the “lid” tortilla on the tortilla that has the chicken on it.
Cooking the best chicken quesadillas:
- First, place butter in a cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet and let it melt.
- Second, cook the quesadillas on medium heat to make sure they don’t burn before the cheese has time to melt.
- Third, place the quesadilla in the skillet and let a nice crust/color develop on one side.
- Then, flip the quesadilla over. (Before flipping the quesadilla to the other side, I always add a little more butter)
- Next, place a lid on the skillet for the second side to cook. By the time it has developed a nice crispy crust, the lid will trap the heat needed to melt the cheese and warm the chicken inside.
- Then, take the crispy quesadilla out of the skillet once it is golden brown and place on a cutting board.
- Finally, use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut it into whatever shape you desire. I cut my quesadillas into 4 equal parts.
- Serve immediately with your favorite sides! (ideas listed below)
Other Quesadilla Recipe Ideas:
- Fajita Deer Steak Quesadillas
- Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Quesadillas
- Chocolate/strawberry Quesadillas
- Ham and Cheese Quesadillas
- black bean quesadillas with Monterey jack cheese
- Vegetable quesadillas with sauteed bell peppers and onions
- Quesadilla Burgers with ground beef
What perfect side dish to serve with them?
- The Best Guacamole with Tortilla Chips: Ripe avocados, lime juice, cherry tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, garlic, and seasonings.
- Mexican Street Corn Salad: Sweet corn with a smoky flavor from the grill, cut off the cob, and mixed with a delicious, creamy sauce.
- Pico de Gallo: White or red onions, jalapeno, tomatoes, and cilantro chopped and mixed well.
- Flavored Rice: Spanish Rice, Mexican Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice
- Refried Beans: Pinto beans are soaked, drained, boiled, sauteed, seasoned, and mashed to perfection.
- Chips and Salsa: Tomatoes, lime, onion, garlic, and more are blended until smooth and served with salty chips!
Dips and Toppings:
- Hot Sauce
- Salsa Verde
- Taco Sauce
- Sour cream
Storage for the Best Chicken Quesadillas:
- Leftover quesadillas can be kept in a Ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 3 days.
What are the Macros for the Best Chicken Quesadillas?
Makes 4 servings (Nutritional information below is for 1 serving = 1 quesadilla)
- Calories – 743.5
- Protein – 61.55 grams
- Carbs – 13.8 grams (net)
- Fat – 48.3 grams
Check out some of my other Mexican-inspired recipes!
The most delicious Pina Colada
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Best Chicken Quesadillas and what to serve with them!
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or Non-stick skillet and a lid
- Spatula
- Pizza cutter or sharp knife for cutting
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 8 Flour tortillas Medium size
- 3 Tablespoons butter For cooking chicken
- 3 Tablespoons butter For cooking quesadillas
- 8 Tablespoons sour cream
- 4 Tablespoons taco sauce I use Taco Bell sauce
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 Tablespoon Tony’s seasoning
- 1/4 Tablespoon Chili powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon Garlic powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon Onion powder
- 1/4 Tablespoon Cumin
Instructions
How to make chicken for quesadillas:
- First, clean any fat off of the chicken breasts.
- Second, lay the chicken breasts on a cutting board to season.
- Third, season one side of the chicken breasts with garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, and Tony’s.
- Next, put butter in a cast iron skillet, or non-stick skillet and let it melt on medium heat.
- Then, place the seasoned side of the chicken breasts into the hot skillet with melted butter.
- Season the other side of the chicken breasts in the pan with garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, and Tony’s.
- Flip the chicken over when it has gotten a nice color/crust. Be sure to not let it burn.
- Once the chicken has a nice color/crust on the second side, add 1/2 water to the hot skillet and place a lid on it. This will ensure that your chicken is completely cooked on the inside but still juicy. Let the chicken cook with the lid on until done.
- Finally, take the cooked chicken out of the skillet, place it on a clean cutting board, and slice or shred it.
Putting the best chicken quesadillas together:
- First, lay out tortillas to assemble.
- Next, put 1 tablespoon of sour cream on each tortilla.
- Then, place 1/2 tablespoon of taco sauce on each tortilla.
- Using a spoon, mix the sour cream and taco sauce onto each tortilla. It will turn a pretty pink color.
- Add cheddar cheese 1/4 cup cheddar cheese to each tortilla.
- Next, place your cooked and shredded/chopped chicken in only ONE tortilla in each group to be made. (The other tortilla is the lid and doesn’t need meat on it.)
- Finally, put the “lid” tortilla on the tortilla that has the chicken on it.
Cooking the best chicken quesadillas:
- First, place butter in a cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet and let it melt.
- Second, cook the quesadillas on medium heat to make sure they don’t burn before the cheese has time to melt.
- Next, place the quesadilla in the skillet and let a nice crust/color develop on one side.
- Then, flip the quesadilla over. (Before flipping the quesadilla to the other side, I always add a little more butter)
- Place a lid on the skillet for the second side to cook. By the time it has developed a nice crispy crust, the lid will trap the heat needed to melt the cheese and warm the chicken inside.
- Then, take the crispy quesadilla out of the skillet once it is golden brown and place on a cutting board.
- Finally, use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut it into whatever shape you desire. I cut my quesadillas into 4 equal parts.
- Serve immediately with your favorite sides! (ideas listed below)
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