Crispy Grilled Chicken Quesadills – Ready in 20 Minutes
Grilled chicken quesadillas are a quick and easy way to use leftover chicken for a crispy, cheesy dinner without a lot of prep or cleanup. Made with simple ingredients like cooked chicken, peppers, onions, and melty cheese, they’re cooked on a grill or grill pan, which helps keep them crispy without needing much oil or butter. They can be changed up with different vegetables, cheeses, or sauces depending on what you have on hand.
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Recipe Highlights
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Serves: 4 Easy to scale
- Grilled chicken quesadillas are made with cooked chicken (leftover or rotisserie chicken) for a quick dinner.
- Grilling keeps the tortillas crispy with less oil.
- Easy to customize with different vegetables, cheeses, or sauces.
Ingredient Notes
- Cooked chicken – This recipe is perfect for using leftover chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken. Shredded or chopped chicken both work well and help dinner come together quickly.
- Flour tortillas – Flour tortillas hold together better than corn tortillas and crisp up nicely on the grill or in a skillet.
- Cheddar cheese -Cheddar adds sharp flavor and melts well. I like to use a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack, but pepper jack or a Mexican blend cheese will also work.
- Bell pepper – Any color bell pepper works. You can also add vegetables like zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, or corn to stretch the filling and use up extra produce.
- Onion – Onion adds flavor and texture. Red, white, yellow, or sweet onions all work depending on what you have on hand.
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How to Make Grilled Chicken Quesadillas
- Prepare: Chop the peppers and onions, then shred the cheese.
- Cook the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables and cook for a few minutes until they are crisp-tender.
- Assemble the grilled chicken quesadillas: Use a pastry brush to coat the grill or grill with a little bit of olive oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Once the grill is hot, place a tortilla on the grill and cover one half of the tortilla with shredded cheese.
- Grill the quesadillas: Fold over the tortilla and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the folded tortilla over and cook for 3 to 5 minutes longer until the cheese melts and the tortillas are golden brown with grill marks.
Make it Your Way
These grilled chicken quesadillas are easy to change up depending on what you have in the fridge or the flavor you’re in the mood for.
- BBQ Chicken – Toss the chicken with your favorite barbecue sauce before assembling the quesadillas for a smoky, slightly sweet flavor.
- Spicy – Add chili powder, crushed red pepper flakes, green chiles, or diced or pickled jalapeños to the chicken for extra heat.
- Beans – Add black beans for extra protein and to make the quesadillas a little more filling.
- Loaded Veggie – Mix in mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, or corn to use up extra vegetables and stretch the filling.
- Buffalo Chicken – Stir buffalo sauce into the chicken and add a little blue cheese or ranch dressing for a spicy twist.
- Southwest Style – Use pepper jack cheese, black beans, grilled corn, and taco seasoning for a Southwest-style version.
Smart Tips for the Perfect Grilled Quesadillas
- Grate your own cheese – Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents that can prevent smooth melting.
- Use a pizza cutter for easy slicing -It makes cutting quesadillas into neat triangles a breeze.
- Let them rest before slicing- Give them a minute off the grill so the cheese sets slightly; less mess, better texture.
- Use medium heat – High heat can burn the tortilla before the cheese has a chance to melt.
How to Store Leftovers
Grilled chicken quesadillas work well for a quick lunch, easy dinner, or casual snack. Top them with sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, or a squeeze of lime for extra flavor.
Serve them garnished with cilantro with sour cream, Greek yogurt, guacamole or salsa on the side. Sweet and spicy salsa like habanero mango salsa adds contrast, while salsa verde or fresh garden salsa keeps things simple and savory.
For a more complete meal, serve them with Mexican chopped salad, or Mexican street corn salad on the side.
Craving more easy chicken ideas? Don’t miss my complete guide to boneless chicken recipes—it’s packed with simple, flavorful dinners for every night of the week. Check them out here.
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Click on serving size to scale this recipe
Grilled Chicken Quesadilla Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces shredded chicken cooked
- 3/4 cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 Tortillas or wraps 8 to 10 inches in size
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the 3/4 cup red bell pepper and 1/2 cup onion. Cook for a few minutes until crisp, tender and remove from the heat.
- Use a pastry brush to coat the grill pan or grill grates with a little bit of olive oil, and heat it over medium to high heat. Once the grill is hot, place a tortilla on the grill and cover one-half of the tortilla with cheddar cheese.
- Place a layer of bell peppers on top of the cheese, then a layer of shredded chicken then a little more cheese.
- Fold over the tortilla and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the folded tortilla over and cook for a few minutes longer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can make quesadillas with any type of leftover meat. You can also leave the meat out and load them up with vegetables.
Yes. You can easily make grilled quesadillas in a heavy skillet instead of a grill pan or grill. You will need to add a few teaspoons of oil to the skillet before cooking quesadillas in a skillet.
Yes! Assemble the quesadillas in advance and store them in the fridge (uncooked) for up to a day. Bring to room temperature before grilling.
Let the quesadillas rest on a wire rack instead of a plate so that the bottoms don’t steam and become soggy. You can also reheat them in a toaster oven to bring back the crunch.
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