Chicken Quesadillas with Peppers and Onions (Printable)
Tender chicken with sautéed peppers, onions, and melted cheese folded into crispy tortillas for a satisfying meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), thinly sliced
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Vegetables
08 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
09 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
10 - 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
→ Assembly
11 - 4 large flour tortillas (10 inches)
12 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
13 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
14 - 2 tablespoons butter, divided
→ To Serve
15 - Sour cream
16 - Salsa
17 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - Lime wedges
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a medium bowl, combine sliced chicken with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until chicken is evenly coated.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken and cook 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked through. Transfer to a clean plate.
03 - In the same skillet, add sliced bell peppers and onion. Sauté over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized. Remove from heat.
04 - Wipe out the skillet and return to medium heat. Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in the pan.
05 - Place one tortilla in the skillet. Sprinkle one-quarter of the combined cheeses over half the tortilla. Top with one-quarter of the cooked chicken and sautéed vegetables. Fold tortilla in half over the filling.
06 - Cook 2-3 minutes per side, gently pressing with a spatula, until golden brown and cheese is melted. Transfer to a warm plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas, filling, and butter.
07 - Slice quesadillas into wedges. Serve immediately with sour cream, salsa, cilantro, and lime wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of two cheeses creates pockets of gooey goodness that stretch beautifully when you pull slices apart.
- These quesadillas have saved countless weeknight dinner emergencies in my home, coming together in just 35 minutes when hunger threatens to derail family harmony.
02 -
- Letting the quesadillas rest even one minute before cutting causes the cheese to firm up too much, so have your cutting board and knife ready before they leave the pan.
- The residual moisture from washing peppers can make tortillas soggy, so be sure to thoroughly pat vegetables dry with paper towels before adding them to the mix.
03 -
- Grate your own cheese rather than using pre-shredded bags, as the anti-caking agents in packaged cheese can prevent that gloriously smooth melt.
- When cooking for a crowd, keep the first batches warm in a 200°F oven on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, which prevents the bottoms from getting soggy.