Classic Chicken Quesadillas Recipe
When craving Mexican food, there's no doubt that one of the easiest and most delicious items you can make is a quesadilla. And when it comes to this tasty main course, there are plenty of choices tasty, protein-packed fillings. That said, chicken is always a classic go-to that's healthy and filling. But rather than just make a plain ol' chicken breast with little flavor, this particular recipe features a tasty chicken breast marinade, which adds plenty of flavor to the quesadilla. Pile on cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, and you have one of the best quesadillas with little hassle and mess.
Recipe developer Eric Ngo of Frenchie the Toast came up with this tasty recipe that is sure to be a staple in your recipe rotation. "I like how easy it is to make! It's a good lunch or snack dish," he says. You can make a single serving for yourself or make it for a crowd by doubling or even tripling the recipe. Trust us, the possibilities are endless and it will please any quesadilla addict.
Gather the ingredients for classic chicken quesadillas
You'll need to take a trip to the grocery store to get things started. Pick up some smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, black pepper, vegetable oil, chicken breasts, tortillas, lime, mozzarella cheese, and cheddar cheese.
Once you have these items, you can get to work on making these classic chicken quesadillas.
Marinate the chicken
Take out a bowl and add your chicken breast. Then, toss in the smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, black pepper, and vegetable oil. Mix together until the breasts are fully coated, then pop the chicken into the fridge for about 30 minutes, allowing all the flavors to soak in. Ngo describes the marinade as "peppery and spicy!"
"I think in order to get the maximum flavor from a chicken quesadilla, you need to marinate the meat overnight," Ngo says. "Other than that, making fresh tortillas with lard would elevate this dish to the next level. Also, if you want to spice it up a bit, adding a few jalapeño slices is the way to go!"
Cook the chicken and cut it into strips
Once your chicken has marinated, toss the chicken breasts into a frying pan. Turn the heat to medium and cook until the chicken is cooked through. They should reach an internal temperature of 155 F.
Once you remove the chicken from the pan, cut it into thick strips and set it aside.
Heat the oil in a pan and start building the quesadillas
Place a frying pan on the stove and add a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Keep the heat on low and place a flour tortilla in the pan, layering it with ½ cup mozzarella cheese and about half of the chicken breast. Keep the cheese and chicken on just half of the tortilla, leaving the other half empty. Continue cooking until the cheese begins to melt.
Add more chicken and cheese, and fold
Once the cheese begins melting, add the cheddar cheese on top of the chicken and fold the tortilla in half. Flip the quesadilla to melt the cheddar cheese.
When the cheese is melted, remove the quesadilla from the skillet and repeat the steps to make the second quesadilla.
Serve and enjoy
When the quesadillas are ready, cut them into wedges and serve them as you wish. Plenty of things pair well with this tasty main, including tortilla chips and salsa. "I think this is great with a side of guacamole and sour cream," Ngo adds.
Anything left? "Leftovers are good for another day, and it is best to reheat on low heat on a frying pan or via the microwave for 1 minute, 30 seconds," Ngo shares.
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 chicken breast
- 2 flour tortillas
- 1 lime
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Marinate the chicken breast with the smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, black pepper, and vegetable oil in a bowl. Mix until the chicken breast is fully coated, and store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Cook the chicken breast on medium heat in a skillet until fully cooked. (The internal temperature should reach 155 F).
- Cut the chicken breast into thick strips and set aside.
- Heat the frying pan with a tablespoon of vegetable oil on low heat.
- Place a flour tortilla in the pan and layer it with ½ cup mozzarella cheese and chicken breast. Cook until the cheese starts to melt.
- Top the chicken with cheddar cheese and fold the tortilla in half.
- Flip the quesadilla over to melt the cheddar cheese.
- Repeat with the second tortilla.
- Slice the quesadillas into wedges and serve immediately.
| Calories per Serving | 1,112 |
| Total Fat | 72.3 g |
| Saturated Fat | 36.5 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.9 g |
| Cholesterol | 284.6 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 32.4 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 3.4 g |
| Sodium | 1,761.1 mg |
| Protein | 82.3 g |
