Chicken Quesadillas are the best when it comes to a busy evening meal. They come with veggies, meat and lots of cheese that kids will love. Even better, it comes together in 20 minutes!
Love quesadillas? Try our recipe for ground beef quesadillas while you’re at it.

Quesadillas mean “little cheesy thing,” and originated in northern and central Mexico in the 16th century. Corn tortillas were used to stuff cheese and spices inside. As time went on, the quesadilla dish has evolved to include flour tortillas and a variety of fillings inside.
This is not your typical Chicken Quesadilla. This one is full of fresh flavor, vibrant vegetables and a gooey cheesy bite!
Hot Tip: Use our homemade tortillas for this recipe.

How to Make Chicken Quesadillas
Making Chicken Quesadillas is quick and fun. The filling is cooked first, then placed into a tortilla and folded over to cook and voila! Your quesadilla is ready to go!
Follow the steps below to make your Chicken Quesadillas.
- Make the Filling: Preheat a skillet with oil and add chicken and taco seasoning. Add diced peppers and onions. Remove from heat.
- Assemble the Tortilla: Place a tortilla shell on a clean skillet. Cover up half of it with cheese, meat and veggie filling, and more cheese. Fold the tortilla over to close. Cook until golden.
- Serve: Serve while the cheese is melted and the quesadillas warm!
Hot Tip: If you have a panini press, use it for quesadillas! It makes them extra crispy.




Chicken Options for Quesadillas
The great part about Chicken Quesadillas is that you can use almost any option of chicken. Here are some of our favorite types of chicken to use for Chicken Quesadillas.
- Rotisserie Chicken – Feeling lazy? No problem! Pick up a pre-made rotisserie chicken at your local grocery store.
- Instant Pot Chicken – Make this chicken in advance. It’s so easy to prepare.
- Grilled Chicken – This chicken is our favorite, it has incredible flavor and it will take quesadillas to another level.
- Grilled Chicken Kebabs – Chop chicken kebabs up into small pieces, including veggies if they were in the mix, and add to your quesadillas for maximum flavor!
Serving Chicken Quesadillas
There are so many sides that pair well with Chicken Quesadillas. As a start, try serving your dish with guacamole, salsa, or sour cream. Want to kick it up a notch? Spice it up with pickled onions or pickled jalapeños.
FAQ
Do you use butter or oil for quesadillas?
You can use either butter or oil for quesadillas. Oil can handle a higher heat point and you don’t have to watch it as carefully as butter. Whether you choose oil or butter, use a little bit for extra crispiness.
Why are my quesadillas soggy?
Quesadillas can sometimes turn out soggy. This can happen if you use too much oil or butter while cooking them. Another tip to prevent them from turning soggy is to serve quesadillas right away, or let them sit on a wire while you’re waiting to serve.
How to keep chicken quesadillas warm?
To keep quesadillas warm, keep them in the oven at 200°F degrees, until ready to serve. The oven is a good way to keep the quesadillas warm, while maintaining the crispiness, until the rest of the batch is ready.
What is the best cheese for quesadillas?
The best cheese for quesadillas is the Mexican or Monterey Jack shredded cheese. We recommend purchasing the shredded cheese, that way you’ll be prepared to whip up quesadillas with minimum work.
Are quesadillas Mexican?
Quesadillas are considered a Mexican cuisine dish. They consist of a tortilla that is filled with cheese, meats, other fillings, and then cooked on a griddle or stove.

Making Chicken Quesadillas in Advance
Chicken Quesadillas are great for meal planning or when you are hosting a large party. Here are some great prep-aheads to keep your chicken quesadillas ready to serve.
- Make now, cook later – Make a large batch of chicken quesadillas as a meal plan. Stack them together in an airtight container and cook as you are ready to serve.
- Keeping quesadillas warm – Preheat an oven to 200°F and place the quesadillas on a wire rack pan. Make sure to lightly cover with foil on top to prevent them from drying out.
More of Mexican Recipes
- Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers – Your favorite toppings, wrapped in crunchy bell peppers.
- Street Tacos – This authentic Mexican dish is always a crowd-pleaser and can be made with a few simple ingredients.
- Carne Asada – This is not just beef, it’s the type of dish that will make you come back for seconds!
- Chicken Fajitas – This is the perfect one-pan meal. The chicken is juicy and flavorful and is loaded with a ton of colorful veggies.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 flour tortillas
- 2 cups mexican cheese
- 1 lb chicken breast cut into small pieces
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 large bell pepper diced, any color
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
Instructions
- Preheat a skillet with oil on medium heat. Add in chicken and taco seasoning. Cook for 4 minutes.
- Add in bell pepper and onion, cook for another 5 minutes or until chicken and veggies gain color. Set aside.
- On a clean skillet, add a bit of butter and place a tortilla on top. On half of the tortilla add cheese, the chicken mixture, and cover with more cheese. Fold the tortilla over to close.
- Once the tortilla is golden, flip it over and cook for a few more minutes until that side is golden also. Make sure the cheese has melted. Repeat the same steps with the rest of quesadillas.
- Serve while the quesadillas are still warm!
Just made them. My grandkids loved them we put cherry tomatoes and onions on the fajitas then put into oven. We used chipped turkey lunchmeat. That’s now only way I’ll make them thank you for the recipe
Hey Barry, I'm glad they were such a success!
Can leftover filling be frozen?
Hi Carol, I personally have not tried freezing it, but it can be. The texture of the veggies might change after freezing them though.
Thank You for Sharing, Excellent!
Carla, absolutely, so happy you are enjoying it.
Easy, tasty, inexpensive. I increased the amount of chicken, and fed 5 adults these tacos and a side of Spanish rice tonight. Everyone had full bellies, and told me to make these again!
Hi Patricia, Sounds like a successful dinner! I hope you guys will enjoy it again soon!
These were excellent. Will be having them again.
Hi Amanda, Thank you for sharing your feedback. Happy to hear you found a recipe that you will enjoy again!
This is a new family favourite. My toddler cleared his plates and had his dad’s. Will definitely be making it again.
Hey Moriamo, It's a great compliment when toddlers love the food! So happy to hear your family loved it. Thanks for sharing.
Super easy to modify a recipe like this! I used just thin chopped onion and minced garlic, no peppers, and used leftover chicken cut up. Fairly quick and easy, and the whole family enjoyed it, thank you!
PS the hint about the oven at 200 to keep warm was definitely appreciated!!
Hey Kristy, We love recipes that are easy to modify! Perfect for everyday life. So happy to hear your family loved it!
Natayla,
How does the recipe change in step one if I grill my chicken first instead of dicing up raw chicken as shown in the recipe?
Hi Michele- Just proceed with cooking the onion and bell pepper in step 2, add in the chicken and taco seasoning once the veggies are nearly cooked. Then proceed with the recipe as written. Enjoy!
Great recipe wanted something quick to fix and eat. Will make again.
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for sharing Randy!
This recipe is so fun to make. I love cooking so anything that is actually as satisfying to make as it is to eat is the beez-kneez! Thanks agsin!
Hi Joe, I am glad to hear this. Nothing like a freshly made quesadillas. Enjoy
Yum! Yum yum yum!!! Will be in the rotation of favorites for this family! Easy, quick and delicious which is exactly what I need with 6 other mouths to feed. Thank you for this recipe!
Ashleigh, I am happy to hear this feedback. I can see this been a staple for the whole family. Do you have any other favorites?
Excellent! Will definitely make again and again.
Hi Diane, I am thrilled to hear that! Thank you for sharing your feedback. Enjoy!
What size tortillas? 10"or 12"
Hi Carolyn, this recipe will work well with either size. However I think it's easier to handle the 10 in tortillas. Thank you for reaching out!
Made as directed, delicious!
Hi Gene, I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a success!! Thank you for sharing your feedback. Enjoy!!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a breeze!
I placed an (empty) cast iron skillet on top while they were cooking and I found they held together better & browned up more that way. Sort of a poor man’s paninni press!
Hi Amber, I am so thrilled that the recipe was a success. Thank you for sharing your awesome tip and feedback! Enjoy!!
Yo this tbh is really simple i really like it for the low amount of ingredients 9/10
Hi Adel, I am so thrilled to hear it! Thank you for your feedback, enjoy!!
Made this two nights ago, and we loved it! Dipping in guacamole and sour cream. We had the leftovers today for lunch, wasn’t going to let it go to waste for sure!
Hi Terri, that makes me so happy! Thank you for sharing that. Enjoy!
Can these be made in the oven instead of a frying pan? I have to make alot.
When I make quesadillas for several people, I make two at a time and put them on a cookie sheet in a low oven until all are done.
Hi Rhonda, that is such an awesome hack! Thank you so much for sharing that!
Hey there Linda, I have not done that, but I think it would absolutely work! Its actually a pretty great idea! Good luck! Let me know how it goes.
Perfection! And soooo easy. Thank you!
Thank you! We love an easy and delicious recipe. Thanks for giving ours a try!
I made these tonight with leftover chicken and added sliced jalapeños to the veggie mix. Put the salsa and sour cream right in with cilantro and salsa on top with a squeeze of lime. Devine!!!🙌🏼
Hi Kim- Oh yum! Sounds like a fantastic meal. Thanks for sharing with us!
Sooo quick and easy! Made the chicken mix ahead to take for lunch at our girls weekend. Then everyone built and cooked their own quesadillas. Served with salsa and sour cream, a Spicy Mexican Salad and a fruit salad with a strawberry yogurt/cool whip dressing. Lunch was a huge hit 😋
Hi Susan, That all sounds so delicious! Making my mouth water. Thanks so much for sharing!
I have to admit I was skeptical of how this would taste but it was super delicious! I added extra salt to the chicken and about 1/8 Trappey's Bull hot sauce for a little flavor and used Mozzarella and Sharp Cheddar Cheese. I didn't have bell peppers. I served with sour cream. It was a super easy, quick and yummy dinner that I will be an addition to my regular rotating dinners!
Hi Ruth- love that! Thank you for giving this recipe a try 🙂
What a delicious recipe I made taco seasoning from scratch also and it was awesome our quesadilla recipe moving forward 👍
Hi Joann- so thrilled to hear that! Thank you for the feedback.
Very easy recipe to follow, shredded chicken was available at the deli which made it even better
Family loved it
Hi Rita- ooh how awesome that you found the shredded chicken readily available! I'm happy to hear your family enjoyed these quesadillas. 🙂
This is the first time I’ve ever left a comment for a recipe but I think this recipe is worth the effort. These are AMAZING! And easy!! My boyfriend loved them and he doesn’t love quesadillas. I made them Monday for dinner and here I am making them again only 4 days later lol! Thank you for such a great recipe! They’re delish!
Reading your comment made me smile! So glad you both enjoyed them, Shelly! Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback.
Thank you so much for the chicken quesadillas recipe. I made it today for dinner and they were delicious 😋. This was my first time making quesadillas and the process was easy, thanks to your recipe.
Mary, thats awesome that you loved it! Its such an easy dinner, on rotation here around here!
This was Devine !!! So filling and cheese grated from a brick really made a difference
So cheesy and good
Having leftovers for lunch tomorrow 💕👍
Woohoo! Amazing to hear. These are for sure some of our absolute favorites for snacking and appetizers. Glad you enjoyed, Leigh.
That is very good will definitely make this again, thank you for the recipe!
Hi Melvin- thank you for sharing! I'm glad you enjoyed these quesadillas.
I made my family some today and they loved them!! Easy and great meal!! Thanks for the tips
Glad your family enjoyed the quesadillas, Chad! Thanks for sharing.
So delicious, and the whole family loves them! The chicken is so tender.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Katie! Thank you for your feedback!