Chicken Quesadillas – Once Upon a Chef

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Winner, winner, weeknight dinner! These melty, crispy chicken quesadillas deserve a spot in your rotation.

I love a good semi-homemade recipe, and these Tex-Mex chicken quesadillas are as easy and delicious as it gets. You begin by seasoning chicken tenderloins with a smoky spice rub and sautéing them in olive oil, which all together takes about 15 minutes. While you shred the chicken, you cook a quick sauce by simmering store-bought chunky salsa with a bit of water. Then you add the shredded chicken to the sauce. That’s your filling — and, bonus, it makes enough to freeze half for another meal. Finally, you assemble the quesadillas with the filling and cheese directly in the pan and cook until they’re crisp outside and gooey inside. Note that while the quesadillas cook quickly, you can only fit one in the skillet at a time, so feel free to get two pans going if you want to speed up the process.

What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Quesadillas

Chicken tenderloins typically have a white tendon attached to them. They can be a little tough to chew, so I like to remove them with kitchen shears before cooking. Just pinch the tip of the tendon with your finger and snip where the tendon meets the chicken.

It’s perfectly fine to use pre-shredded cheese from a bag, but be sure to use a good-quality brand, like Tillamook thick-cut Mexican blend.

Step-by-Step Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and cumin.

Stir to combine.

Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly all over the chicken.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1½ tablespoons of oil until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on the first side, 2 to 3 minutes.

Flip the chicken, reduce the heat to medium, and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a plate or cutting board.

Add the salsa and water to the skillet.

Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat until most of the liquid is evaporated and the sauce has a thick consistency, 7 to 9 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the chicken. (If the sauce is done before you’ve finished shredding the chicken, remove it from the heat.)

Off the heat, add the shredded chicken and any juices that have accumulated on the plate/cutting board to the finished sauce and stir until evenly combined. Transfer the chicken mixture to a plate, reserving half to refrigerate or freeze for another meal. Clean the skillet and return to the stove.

Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium heat. Place 1 tortilla in the skillet and use your hand to swirl it around to coat the bottom evenly with the oil.

Sprinkle ¾ cup of the cheese evenly over top, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges.

Spread about ⅓ cup of the chicken mixture over half of the tortilla.

When the cheese is mostly melted, fold the tortilla over to cover the filling and form a half-moon shape. Cook until the tortilla is crisp and golden and the cheese is melted, adjusting the heat as necessary, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Repeat with the remaining oil, tortillas, cheese, and filling, adjusting the heat as necessary. (Cover the cooked quesadillas lightly with foil to keep them warm.) Let the quesadillas rest a few minutes to allow the filling to set, then cut into wedges and serve with sour cream and lime wedges, if desired.

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