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These chicken quesadillas are the best when it comes to an easy meal. They come with veggies, meat, and lots of cheese that kids love. My boys grew up eating these!

Cooked Quesadilla with salsa and lime

Love quesadillas? Try our recipe for ground beef quesadillas while you’re at it.

One of my first jobs was working at a Mexican restaurant. A Ukrainian girl working in a Mexican restaurant — the irony, right? But working there really made me fall in love with Tex-Mex flavors and dishes… and there’s few more well-known than quesadillas.

“Quesadilla” literally translates to “little cheesy thing,” and are thought to have come from northern and central Mexico in the 16th century. Traditionally, they were made from corn tortillas stuffed with cheese and spices, but over time the dish evolved to include flour tortillas and a variety of protein and veggie fillings. As for me and my family — that makes us happy! These fajita-style, gooey, cheesy chicken quesadillas were one of my boys’ favorite foods growing up (I made hundreds of these over the years — no joke) and we still love them today. I fill them with fresh fajita-like flavors and vibrant vegetables and I always feel confident that it’ll be a satisfying, full meal for anyone who may be sitting at my dinner table.

Hot tip: Use these tortillas to add even more fresh, homemade flavor to this chicken quesadilla recipe.

Ingredients for Quesadillas

How to Make Chicken Quesadillas

This chicken quesadilla recipe is quick, fun, and easy. I actually remember my boys helping me make them many times over the years. The fajita-style filling is cooked first, then placed into a tortilla and folded over to cook and voila! They’re ready to go!

  • Cook the filling: Preheat a skillet with oil and add the chicken and taco seasoning. Add diced peppers and onions. Once cooked through, remove from heat.
  • Make the quesadilla: Place a tortilla shell on a clean skillet. Layer half of it with cheese, the meat and veggie filling, and more cheese. Fold the tortilla over to close and cook until golden on both sides.
  • Serve: Serve while the cheese is hot and melty and the quesadillas are warm!

Hot tip: If you have a panini press, use it to make these simple quesadillas! It’ll make them extra crispy!

chicken with taco seasoning
cooked chicken, bell peppers and onion
tortilla with cheese and chicken on a pan
quesadilla in a pan cooking

Cooking the Chicken for Quesadillas

The great part about chicken quesadillas is that you can cook and use almost any cut (and flavor) of chicken. Follow the recipe for one method of cooking the chicken, or try these recipes for a little variety.

  • Rotisserie Chicken: A great option when you don’t have much time to cook but can pick up a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store. Shred and add to the cooked veggie mixture!
  • Instant Pot Chicken: Make this chicken in advance. It’s super simple and crazy easy to prepare.
  • Grilled Chicken: For a grilled, smoky chicken flavor, this recipe is my go-to. This chicken recipe is our favorite to eat as-is, but using it in these chicken quesadillas takes them to another level.
  • Grilled Chicken Kebabs: Chop these chicken kebabs into smaller pieces (remember to include the grilled veggies!). Add them to the quesadilla for maximum flavor!

Chicken Quesadilla Tips & Tricks

I’m serious when I say I’ve made these hundreds of times. As a result, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks along the way and am here to share them with you all, too.

  • Oil the skillet a tiny bit: When making the quesadillas, place a small amount of oil or butter onto the skillet. This helps crisp up the tortilla shell just a smidge. Avoid using too much or the quesadillas may turn out soggy.
  • Use a Mexican-blend cheese: In my experience, the best cheese for these quesadillas is Mexican or Monterey Jack cheese. For less work, opt for pre-shredded cheese, but sometimes the block of cheese you shred on your own melts better.
  • Add a “heavyweight”: If the top half of the quesadilla won’t stay down in the skillet, place something food-safe and heavy on top to weight it down. A smaller cast-iron skillet or a heavy utensil work great!
  • Serve right away: For the crispiest, most tasty result, serve the quesadillas right away. If you have leftovers, they can be re-crisped (see below) but for the first meal, it is best to eat them right away.
Cooked Quesadilla with salsa and lime

Tips for Making Chicken Quesadillas in Advance

Chicken quesadillas are great for meal planning or when you are hosting a large party. Here are a few prep-ahead tips to get your chicken quesadillas ready to serve.

  • Prep now, fully cook later: Prep a large batch of chicken quesadillas up until the point of cooking them on the skillet. Stack them together in an airtight container and keep in the fridge (I use this set of containers for all of my meal prep). Cook right before serving.
  • Keep quesadillas warm in the oven: Preheat an oven to 200°F and place the cooked quesadillas on a baking sheet. Lightly cover them with foil to prevent them from drying out. Keep them in the oven until ready to serve.

Hot tip: I love meals that work well with a ton of sides/toppings. For chicken quesadillas, I always make sure to have a bowl of guacamole, salsa, sour cream, or this amazing tomatillo dressing on the side. Or, give them a tang with pickled onions or pickled jalapeños.

Storing & Reheating Chicken Quesadillas

I rarely have a ton of these quesadillas left over after dinner (especially after the “after-dinner” snacking), but in case you do, here are my tips for storing and reheating them to enjoy again later.

  • Refrigerator: Store leftover quesadillas for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
  • Freezer: Store fully cooled quesadillas in the freezer for 2-3 months in an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
  • Reheating: For the crispiest result, reheat the quesadillas on the stovetop or in an airfryer at 350°F for 3-5 minutes on each side.

More Tex-Mex Recipes

  • Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers – Stuffed bell pepper- Tex-Mex style!
  • Street Tacos – This Mexican dish is always a crowd-pleaser and can be made with only a few simple ingredients.
  • Beef Enchiladas – Made with ground beef and a few more easy ingredients
  • Carne Asada – The type of beef dish that you’ll be coming back for seconds!
  • Chicken Fajitas – Flavorful chicken and colorful veggies, all in one pan.

Recipe

Cooked Quesadilla with salsa and lime

Easy Chicken Quesadillas

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Servings
6 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
These chicken quesadillas are the best when it comes to an easy meal. They come with veggies, meat, and lots of cheese that kids love. My boys grew up eating these!

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 lb chicken breast cut into small pieces
  • 1 tbsp taco seasoning
  • 1/2 large bell pepper diced, any color
  • 1/2 yellow onion diced
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 6 flour tortillas
  • 2 cups Mexican cheese
US Units – Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat a skillet with oil on medium heat. Add in the chicken and taco seasoning. Cook for 4 minutes.
    chicken with taco seasoning
  • Add in the bell pepper and onion, cook for another 5 minutes or until chicken and veggies gain color and are cooked through. Set aside.
    Chicken, bell peppers and onions
  • On a clean skillet, add a bit of butter or oil and place a tortilla on top. Add Mexican cheese and chicken mixture to one half of the tortilla. Top with more cheese. Fold the tortilla over to close.
    tortilla with cheese and chicken on a pan
  • Cook for a few minutes and once the tortilla is golden on one side, flip and cook for a few more minutes until the second side is golden brow. Make sure that the cheese has melted. Repeat with the rest of quesadillas.
    Quesadillas on a pan
  • Serve while the quesadillas are still warm!
    Cooked Quesadilla with salsa and lime
Nutrition Facts
Easy Chicken Quesadillas
Amount Per Serving
Calories 372 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 10g50%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 94mg31%
Sodium 621mg26%
Potassium 393mg11%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 27g54%
Vitamin A 735IU15%
Vitamin C 14mg17%
Calcium 286mg29%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Updated May 6, 2025

About Author

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Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.