• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Eat the Bite
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Eat the Bite
  • Recipes
  • Appetizer/Snack
  • Side Dish
  • Breakfast/Brunch
  • Sandwiches
  • Beef
  • Chicken
  • CSA SERIES
  • Entrees
  • International
  • Pasta
  • Pizza
  • Pork
  • Salad
  • Seafood
  • Stuffed Chicken Breast Series
  • Sweet Things
  • Thanksgiving
  • Vegetarian
×

Home » Entrees

Killer Chicken Quesadillas

by Stacey Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
Chicken Quesadilla Jenga

I've been through phases when it comes to what I order at a restaurant. And one of my favorite phases was my chicken quesadilla phase. The best quesadilla I ever ate was at Small Planet in Boston. They're no longer open, but the memory of that chicken quesadilla has stuck with me for years. It was the cilantro-lime sour cream. The perfectly seasoned chicken. Superb salsa. And equally as important, was the crunch of the tortilla when you cut into it. They were the O.G. Killer Chicken Quesadillas.

The pilgrimage to boston for Killer chicken quesadillas

There were special trips into the city for this quesadilla. Once the craving took over, I was in my car driving to Boylston Street. Nothing mattered. The tolls, the traffic, the parking - it was all part of that particular quesadilla experience. And I loved every minute of it!

Certain foods are an experience. And yes, even something as ubiquitous as a chicken quesadilla, when made properly, can fall into this category. I've tinkered with recipes over the years, and made insane amounts of chicken quesadillas. The one I'm sharing here is as close as I ever got to the Small Planet chicken quesadilla. And it's pure bliss.

A loaded quesadilla triangle with sour cream, salsa, avocado, scallions and cilantro
Big 'ol platter of killer chicken quesadillas
My accidental Zorro-themed loaded quesadilla

With quesadillas It's all about the chicken... and the salsa...and the lime...

Quesadillas are one of those recipes where a lot of things need to taste good together. Like the Small Planet quesadilla, I wanted to make sure my flavors belonged together. It's equally as important to have an excellent salsa, lots of cheese and perfectly seared chicken.

The chicken...

Critical tip: don't crowd the pan when you cook the chicken and don't use too much oil. We've all been there - too much chicken in the pan and soon it's sitting in a pool of water. Slow down. Cook the chicken in two batches on high heat. Don't keep moving it around the pan either. Spread it out and let it cook without touching it until it's browned and ready to turn. You won't believe the extra (and critical) flavor this brings to the quesadilla.

The salsa...

Salsa is a very personal choice and I get that. I like more of a pico de gallo-type salsa for these, but I do really enjoy On The Border mild salsa too. Use the salsa you love. Though I will say, I use Sister's Salsa and it's the best salsa I ever tasted. It comes from Maine and I'm not sure it's available outside New England. Anyway, here's a link to their site: http://www.sistersalsa.com/. I am not being paid to promote this salsa. It's just genuinely fantastic!

The lime...

Lime. Remember when we used to eat at restaurants? At some point, a trip to Chili's was inevitable. You ordered the burger for some reason, but truly envied the people who ordered fajitas. The sizzling, steaming skillet was carried through the dining room like the holy grail. Just when you thought the smell couldn't get any better - the server would squeeze fresh lime all over the skillet. Boom! More sizzle! More amazing smell! That's lime. Lime is a treasure. It's an essential ingredient when making quesadillas.

Okay, enough about killer chicken quesadillas! Go forth and cook! Really, take the time to cook for you and your loved ones. You're all worth it! Oh, and if you love the combo of sour cream, salsa, avocado, scallion, and cilantro: you must check out my Beef and Cheese Empanadas or my Southwest Style Chicken with Cheese, Beans and Salsa.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Killer Chicken Quesadillas


  • Author: Stacey
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6-8 quesadillas 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This easy, cheesy chicken quesadilla is a go-to for me. The crunchy tortilla, seared chicken, lime, salsa, cilantro, sour cream - these are all my favorite flavors! And if you don't have time to make the individual quesadillas: heat smaller tortillas and serve everything as a fajita bar! 


Ingredients

Units Scale

For the chicken:

  • 2 pounds of chicken tenderloins (12 tenderloins)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lime, juiced (AFTER the chicken is cooked)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (AFTER the chicken is cooked)
  • 1 package of large tortillas (at least 6-8)
  • 2 8 ounces bags of cheddar/jack cheese
  • More olive oil for cooking

It’s best to chop ½ a bunch of cilantro for this whole recipe to be used to mix with the chicken, the cilantro-lime sour cream and to garnish. Same with the scallions – chop ½ a bunch of that. 

Onion/pepper mix:

  • 1 green poblano pepper
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 orange pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Cilantro-lime sour cream:

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • Pinch of salt
  • Juice from one lime

Additional toppings:

  • scallions
  • cilantro
  • salsa (your favorite)
  • 2-3 avocados, sliced

Instructions

  1. Slice your orange pepper, green poblano pepper, and onion. Set aside. 
  2. Chop ½ bunch of scallions. Set aside. 
  3. Chop ½ bunch of cilantro. Set aside.
  4. Prepare the cilantro-lime sour cream. Add sour cream to a bowl with the fresh squeezed lime juice, cilantro and a pinch of salt. Whisk together and refrigerate until serving.
  5.  Cut your chicken tenderloins into small pieces and put in a bowl. Add cumin, garlic powder, salt and olive oil. Mix everything together well and let marinate for 15-20 minutes. 
  6. After chicken has marinated – start cooking your pepper and onions. Add both sliced peppers, onion, olive oil, salt and pepper to a pan on low-to-medium heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Stir a few times while cooking. 
  7. Start cooking your chicken. You’ll see in the video I cooked the chicken in two batches because I didn’t want to crowd the pan. If you crowd the pan the chicken will steam and your pan will fill with water. Drizzle a little olive oil pan, put half the chicken in the pan and break up the pieces. Spread out the chicken and give it space. Cook on medium-to-high for 3-4 minutes on one side so the pieces get a good brown sear on the bottom. When the pieces are browned, give them a stir and use tongs to turn any pieces that need it. Let them cook on the OTHER side for 3-4 so they get a nice brown seat on that side too. Again, don’t touch them just let them sear. Repeat the process for the remaining chicken. 
  8. Once all the chicken is cooked, put it in a large bowl, add the onion and pepper mixture, fresh squeezed lime juice, fresh chopped cilantro, and give it a stir. You could throw in some scallions here too if you’d like. Quesadilla filling is done!

Final Assembly: 

  1. You’ll need two pans for this. Drizzle a little olive oil in both, lay down a tortilla in each pan and rub it around so the olive oil lightly coats the bottom. Heat should be low-to-medium. 
  2. Add cheese to the whole area of each tortilla. 
  3. Add chicken mixture to HALF of the quesadilla. Let tortilla get crispy on the bottom as the cheese is melting. Lift up tortilla with your spatula to see when tortilla is nice and crispy. Then FOLD the tortilla over with your spatula and press down gently. 
  4. Repeat this process until all quesadillas are complete! If you are using avocados, slice them now. I always wait until the end for this so they stay fresh looking. Put out all your toppings: cilantro-lime sour cream, your favorite salsa, scallions, cilantro – everything your little heart desires!

Notes

  1. I made 8 total quesadillas – 6 with cheese and 2 without cheese. I always cook for someone who doesn’t want cheese. Keep this in mind when distributing your cheese in the other 6 quesadillas. 
  2. These reheat very well. I usually do this the same way I reheat a slice of pizza. I put it in a pan on very, very low heat and cover it until it’s warm. Take the lid off when you want to crisp it at the end. You can microwave it too, of course, but this method is a little better.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

« Savory Puff Pastry Two Ways
Best Butternut Squash Risotto Ever »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

Want to hear about more deliciousness from Eat the Bite?

Sign up for my newsletter and never miss a recipe!

I'll send the latest and greatest right to your inbox!

Social Media Stuff

  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Do You Love Chicken? Here's a Few Recipes to Keep You Busy:

Dijon Chicken with Apples, Leeks and Fennel: overhead view of platter of chicken on the table with one portion on a plate to the side, bowl of basmati rice, apples, rosemary, fennel on the table

Dijon Chicken with Apples, Leeks and Fennel

Collage of Feeding a crowd for the holidays - 10 best recipes to serve the masses. starting at top left and going clockwise: spaghetti lasagna, jalapeno popper chicken wrapped in bacon, phyllo meat pie, croque monsieur sandwich, creamy chicken bacon pasta, chicken marbella, pork chops with stove top stuffing, steak and sausage pie, stuffed chicken pepperoni pizza bake.

Feeding a Crowd for the Holidays: 10 Best Recipes to Serve the Masses

overhead view of serving platter of creamy chicken bacon pasta garnished with parsley and fresh parmesan with microplane and cheese in the top left corner and a single portion in the top right corner

Creamy Chicken Bacon Pasta (No Butter, No Cream)

very close look a one rosemary balsamic grilled chicken thigh with asparagus in the background

Rosemary Balsamic Grilled Chicken Thighs

side view of a platter of grilled chimichurri chicken thighs with extra sauce and cherry tomatoes

Grilled Chimichurri Chicken Thighs

overview of one portion of cranberry brie stuffed chicken with broccoli and carrots and garnished with parsley

Cranberry Brie Stuffed Chicken

overhead view of the best grilled chicken with marinated tomatoes with one portion plates and a serving bowl of tomatoes, platter of chicken and arugula salad with goat cheese and radish

The Best Grilled Chicken with Marinated Tomatoes

overhead table view of crispy brick chicken with pan sauce, roasted calabaza squash and sauteed zucchini

Crispy Brick Chicken with Pan Sauce and Veggies

back yard bbq front view of platter filled with bacon stuffed cheeseburgers

Backyard BBQ: Sriracha-Lime Chicken, Bacon-Stuffed Cheeseburgers & Twisty Potatoes

overhead view of one portion of cashew chicken stir fry with a serving plate and basmati rice in the background

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

platter with bone-in stuffed chicken breast with spinach and gouda, rosemary potatoes and salad in background

Bone-in Stuffed Chicken Breast with Spinach and Gouda

front view of sheet pan drumsticks on a platter topped with cilantro and mint

Sheet Pan Drumsticks with Roasted Carrots and Cumin Potatoes

overhead view of both sheet pans with crunchy coconut chicken fingers

Crunchy Coconut Chicken Fingers

close up look of kackle burger chicken cutlet with bacon and cheese on french bread cut in half

The Kackle Burger: Chicken Cutlet with Bacon and Cheese

right side view of 4 bento boxes with grilled rosemary chicken broccoli and sweet potatoes

MEAL PREP: Rosemary Grilled Chicken with Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes

Recent Comments

  • Stacey on Chicken & Eggplant Stir Fry
  • Jeanne Mott on Chicken & Eggplant Stir Fry
  • Stacey on Big Batch Spaghetti Sauce Without Meat

Footer

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Eat the Bite on the Foodie Pro Theme