30-Minute Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas Recipe
This 30-Minute Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas recipe is a quick and delicious meal perfect for busy weeknights. Tender, seasoned chicken combined with roasted red pepper cheese, sweet corn, fresh scallions, and cilantro all melted inside crispy flour tortillas creates a flavorful dish that everyone will love. Serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole for a satisfying Mexican-inspired treat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing and Pan-frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Mixture
- 2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 8 oz Crystal Farms® Roasted Red Pepper Cheese, grated
- ½ cup corn kernels (fresh or canned)
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Tortillas & Cooking
- 4 10-inch flour tortillas
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
Serving
- Sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Sprinkle the taco seasoning evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts to ensure full flavor coverage.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the vegetable or canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until fully cooked through and golden brown on the outside.
- Rest and chop chicken: Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it cool slightly. Then cut into small, bite-sized pieces to distribute evenly in the quesadillas.
- Mix the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the chopped chicken, grated roasted red pepper cheese, corn kernels, sliced scallions, and chopped cilantro. Stir gently until well mixed.
- Assemble quesadillas: Take one tortilla and spread one-quarter of the chicken mixture over half of it, leaving about a ½-inch border around the edge. Fold the tortilla over to cover the filling and press firmly to seal. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Melt butter: Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until melted and hot.
- Cook quesadillas: Place two quesadillas in the skillet at a time. Press them firmly with a flat spatula and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until the tortillas are golden brown and the cheese inside is melted.
- Repeat cooking: Remove the cooked quesadillas to a cutting board. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and repeat the cooking process with the last two quesadillas.
- Serve: Slice the quesadillas into wedges and serve warm with optional sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole.
Notes
- Use fresh corn for a more vibrant flavor, but canned corn is a convenient substitute.
- For extra spice, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chopped jalapeños to the chicken mixture.
- Substitute flour tortillas with whole wheat or gluten-free tortillas if desired.
- Ensure chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for food safety.
- To make the quesadillas crispier, cook them a minute longer on each side, but watch closely to avoid burning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 quesadilla
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
Keywords: chicken quesadillas, cheesy quesadillas, quick chicken dinner, Mexican recipe, easy weeknight meal
