Mexican Chicken Quesadillas
“Easy yet delicious Mexican chicken quesadillas loaded with cheese, vegetables and chicken wrapped in a tortilla plus choices of dipping sauces, makes it a great meal for sharing!”
This Mexican chicken quesadilla is very easy to prepare at home. Just top a tortilla with generous cheese, vegetables and chicken filling, then fold it in half and cook until the tortilla is crispy and the cheese is melty. That’s simple. If you are a fan of cheese, this dish is very good for you.
What is a quesadilla
Quesadilla is a Mexican delicacy prepared from cheese folded inside of a corn or flour tortilla. It is not only popular in Mexico but in all parts of the world. Though it is a Mexican dish, its name came from a Spanish word that means “cheesy tortilla”.
Traditionally, corn tortillas are being used. But flour tortillas are popular as well, especially in the states. Also, the original quesadilla recipe is stuffed with cheese, however, in recent years, it has undergone variations outside of Mexico and now is stuffed with ingredients other than cheese. Some stuffing being used are mushrooms, spinach, beans, sausages, chicken, beef, ham, bell peppers, sour cream, avocado, olives, eggs, bacon, guacamole, salsa, and many others.
Another factor that enhances the flavor of this dish is the quesadilla sauce. The dish is usually served with a special sauce prepared from mayonnaise, sour cream, jalapeno, and many other spices.
What we used in this chicken quesadilla recipe
In this chicken quesadillas recipe, we use a combination of Monterey jack and cheddar. But you can substitute any melty cheese you prefer such as Mozzarella cheese. Our biggest piece of advice: Don’t worry about cheese spilling onto the pan. Those crispy, verging on burnt bits (aka frico) add an unparalleled salty, fatty crunch.
We also included some vegetables that are healthy and easy to find that also add color to the dish. This includes mushrooms, red and green bell peppers, and onions. You can choose to put your favorite vegetables, as much or as little as you like. It is up to you!
Adding chicken gives some protein content to the meal, making it a full meal. While marinating the chicken provides more flavor to the chicken, but if you are out of time, you can skip the marinating process. Just cook it as normal after combining all the spices and seasonings.
Some dipping sauce suggestions
Aside from the quesadilla sauce, you can also serve quesadilla with other dipping sauces such as guacamole and salsa. Though the quesadillas are delicious by themselves, the guacamole and salsa add refreshing flavors to them. Aside from that, they are also easy and simple to prepare and healthy as well.
Most people think that to enjoy the traditional flavor of quesadillas one has to go to a Mexican restaurant, as preparing it at home can be very difficult and time-consuming, which is not really the case.
Try out this Mexican chicken quesadilla with dipping sauces that are delicious and easy to prepare at home. Happy tummy!
Watch on YouTube: Mexican Chicken Quesadillas
Mexican Chicken Quesadillas
Equipment
- Skillet/ cooking pan and turner
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade:
- 450 grams skinless chicken breast, sliced into strips
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Vegetables:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 5 pieces mushroom, thinly sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 large green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Tortillas:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 5 medium corn/ flour tortillas
- 2 cups Monterey jack, shredded — or Mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Quesadilla Sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
- 3 tablespoons pickled jalapeno, minced
- 3 tablespoons pickled jalapeno juice
Guacamole:
- 2 ripe avocados
- 3 tablespoons pickled jalapeno, seeds removed and finely diced
- ¼ cup onion, minced
- 1 medium tomato, seeds and pulp removed, diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
Salsa:
- 1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine chicken, chili, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well until combined. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- In a large wok/ skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add mushroom, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, around 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil In the same wok/ skillet and put marinated chicken. Cook while stirring occasionally, until golden and cooked through, around 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- In a skillet, sprinkle olive oil and add 1 tortilla. Top half of the tortilla with a generously amount of Monterey Jack/ Mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, mushroom-pepper-onion mixture, cooked chicken mixture and another batch of cheeses. Fold the other half of the tortilla over and cook, flipping once, until golden, about 3 minutes each side. Repeat to make 5 quesadillas.
- Slice into wedges and serve with your favorite dips/sauces.
- To make the quesadilla sauce: In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix until well combined. Chill for at least an hour before serving.
- To make the guacamole: Slice the avocados in half, remove the pit and skin and place in a mixing bowl. Mash the avocado with a fork or a smasher and make it as chunky or smooth as you prefer. Add the remaining ingredients and stir together. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
- To make the salsa: Combine all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse processor until mixture is combined, yet remains chunky. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill at least 1 hour before serving.
- Share and enjoy!
