In a hurry but want a delicious and flavorful meal? Look no further than this mouthwatering chicken fajita quesadilla recipe!
With tender chicken, vibrant peppers, onions, spices, and gooey melted cheese, these easy quesadillas are dangerously good. They make a perfect quick weeknight dinner or lunch any day of the week.
I’ve loved quesadillas since I was in college. Since cheese is one of my love languages, I’ve been perfectly happy with just a medley of melted cheeses between two tortillas.
But my second son introduced me to the magic of quesadillas filled with all kinds of tasty ingredients, and now I’m hooked!
We’ve been experimenting with several variation, but this chicken fajita quesadilla is one of my favorites.
Why you’ll love this recipe for chicken fajita quesadillas:
- You can use leftover chicken, or a rotisserie chicken, so it’s extra quick.
- Diced peppers and onions add color, flavor, texture, and nutrition. It’s a win all around.
- Adding taco seasoning to both the chicken and the vegetables adds so much flavor!
- They have enough cheese to be filled with melting goodness, but not so much that they are loaded with extra calories and fat like some recipes I’ve seen.
- Dinner can be ready in under 30 minutes!
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN QUESADILLAS FAJITA STYLE
- PREP – Wash and dice the bell peppers and jalapeno. Dice the onion.
- CHICKEN – Mix together the shredded chicken with a tablespoon of the taco seasoning. I like to heat it in the microwave, or in a skillet. When the chicken is hot, the quesadillas cook faster.
- VEGETABLES – Heat the oil over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet. Add the onion and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the peppers and remaining 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning. Saute another 3-4 minutes. Remove and wipe the skillet clean. Turn heat to medium low.
- ASSEMBLE – Spread 1/2 teaspoon of butter on a tortilla. Place butter side down in the warm skillet. Quickly layer on half of the tortilla: 1/4 cup cheese, 1/2 cup chicken, 3-4 Tbsp veggies, 1/4 cup cheese.
- COOK – Fold tortilla closed. Cook for 2-4 minutes until golden brown. (I like to add a lid so the cheese melts faster.) Flip over and cook the other side until golden brown, and the cheese is completely melted.
- SERVE – Cut into wedges and serve hot. Salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo are all tasty sides for dipping.
PRO TIPS:
- For the best ooey gooey melt, you must grate your own cheese. Pre grated cheese is coated with starch to prevent it from sticking together in the bag. This also means it won’t melt together as smoothly.
- To ensure that your cheese melts before the quesadilla is too brown, cover the pan with a lid while you are cooking the first side of the quesadilla.
- If your quesadillas are browning too fast, turn down the heat. It’s better to start low and turn the heat up, rather than burning your tortilla with a pan that is too hot.
- For the absolute best quesadillas, we like to use the uncooked Tortilla Land tortillas. They are so soft and yummy!
- Using a pizza cutter makes it a snap to cut up your quesadillas.
Storing leftovers
Quesadillas are definitely best served fresh, but if you have leftovers, just wrap them in plastic wrap so they don’t dry out. They will last for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
You can reheat them in the microwave, but I prefer to heat them over low heat in a skillet so the outside stays crispy.
Frequently asked questions:
Any cheese that melts well will work great. You can even use several different kinds of shredded cheese to add layers of flavor. I’ve had good luck with cheddar cheese, colby jack, mozzarella, and pepper jack cheese.
You can prep all of the ingredients a few hours or even a day ahead of time. It would even be fine to assemble them early. But quesadillas are definitely one food that is best served hot and fresh. So it’s best to cook them right before serving.
Don’t remove the seeds or membranes of your jalapeno, and you will add a fair amount of heat. You can also use pepper jack cheese, or add hot sauce or cayenne pepper to the chicken or vegetables.
CHICKEN FAJITA QUESADILLA VARIATIONS:
- Instead of folding over the tortilla, you can double the ingredients between two flour tortillas. You will end up with four large quesadillas. Keep in mind that a serving will be half of a large quesadilla.
- Chicken works great for this recipe, but you can substitute steak if you prefer.
- You can add or subtract any of the vegetables. Corn would be a tasty addition.
- For extra protein, add some black beans with the chicken, or spread the tortillas with refried beans before adding the other ingredients.
- I like using taco seasoning because I always have it on hand, but you can buy fajita seasoning and use that instead.
- Salted butter adds great flavor to the outside of the tortillas, but you can use olive oil if you prefer.
MORE TASTY MEXICAN RECIPES:
- Cheesy Taco Pasta
- Chicken Flautas Recipe
- Beef and Cheese Taquitos
- Salsa Chicken with Black Beans
- Mexican Lasagna with Tortillas
- Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
- One Pot Mexican Rice Casserole
- Taco Salad with Doritos
Simple Chicken Quesadilla Recipe
Chicken Fajita Quesadilla Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- 5 tsp taco seasoning divided
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 orange bell pepper diced (or red pepper)
- 1 jalapeno seeded and diced (optional)
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cups shredded colby jack cheese
- 8 flour tortillas 8-inch each
- 4 tsp salted butter
Instructions
- Combine the shredded chicken and 3 teaspoons of the taco seasoning in a bowl. Stir until chicken is well coated. (I like to heat the chicken in a skillet or the microwave, but that step is optional.)
- Heat a large large non stick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and onion and saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the peppers and remaining 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
- Wipe out the skillet and heat to medium low. Spread 1/2 teaspoon of butter on a tortilla. Place butter side down in the warm skillet.
- On half of the tortilla, sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cheese, 1/2 cup of the chicken, 3-4 tablespoons of veggies, and some diced jalapeno if desired. Top with anther 1/2 cup cheese.
- Fold the tortilla over and cook for 2-4 minutes, or until golden brown and cheese starts to melt. I like to add a lid so the steam helps the cheese melt.
- Carefully flip to the other side and cook for another 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melting out and tortilla is golden brown. Repeat for remaining tortillas.
- Cut into wedges and serve hot.
Notes
- For a spicier quesadilla, don’t remove the seeds from the jalapeno.
- Heating the chicken will help the cheese on the inside melt faster.
- I will sometimes use my electric skillet and cook 2 quesadillas at once.
Nutrition
Filled with all the flavor of fajitas, these chicken and cheese quesadillas are sure to be a hit with the whole family for lunch or dinner. If you give them a try, comment and let me know how they turn out!
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We had these for dinner last night and they were a huge hit! I used leftover chicken and they were perfect.
They are perfect for using leftover chicken, glad you loved them!
So good! I love that they’re heavy on veggies without *too much* cheese.
I love cheese, but the calories in cheese don’t love me, so I’m with you!