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Chicken and Bell Pepper Quesadilla with Pepper Jack and Cheddar Recipe

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4.1 from 3 reviews

This Chicken Quesadilla recipe offers a delightful blend of tender chicken, sautéed bell peppers and onions, and melted cheeses packed inside whole wheat tortillas. Perfect for a quick and flavorful meal, these quesadillas are golden crispy on the outside while bursting with savory, mildly spicy fillings inside. Serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream or Greek yogurt for an easy crowd-pleasing lunch or dinner that takes just 30 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients

Chicken & Spice Mix

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 cups cooked diced or shredded chicken (about 2 medium breasts or 2 to 3 thighs)

Vegetables & Cheese

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 orange, yellow, or green bell pepper, diced (or 1 cup chopped veggies of choice: baby spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, etc.)
  • Hot sauce (optional, to taste)
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese (divided)
  • 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided, or additional pepper/Monterey Jack)

Tortillas & Cooking

  • 4 medium whole wheat tortillas
  • Oil, butter, or nonstick spray (optional, for cooking the quesadillas)

Serving

  • Prepared salsa
  • Guacamole
  • Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

  1. Mix Spice Blend and Coat Chicken: In a small bowl, stir together chili powder, kosher salt, and garlic powder. Place cooked chicken in a medium bowl and sprinkle with half of the spice mixture. Stir well to coat the chicken evenly. Set aside.
  2. Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add diced onion and both bell peppers. Sprinkle the remaining spice mixture over the vegetables and stir to coat. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent with slight browning and peppers are crisp-tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. If you want a spicier filling, add a few dashes of hot sauce to taste. Transfer the cooked vegetables to the bowl with the chicken and combine thoroughly.
  3. Assemble Quesadillas: Lay out a tortilla and spread an eighth of the pepper Jack cheese (approx. 2 1/2 tablespoons) evenly over half of it. Sprinkle an eighth of the cheddar cheese (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) on top. Add one-quarter of the chicken and vegetable mixture over the cheese layers. Top this with an additional eighth of pepper Jack and cheddar cheese each. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filling gently to enclose it. Repeat with remaining tortillas and fillings.
  4. Prepare Skillet: Carefully wipe out the skillet used for the vegetables with a paper towel. Heat the skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Optionally, add a small amount of butter or oil to help the quesadillas crisp up.
  5. Cook Quesadillas - First Side: Place one quesadilla in the skillet folded edge down, with the open edge facing outward. Add a second quesadilla beside it facing the opposite direction for best fit. Press down lightly on the tops using the back of a spatula to flatten them slightly. Cook until the bottom is golden and crisp, about 4 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary to avoid burning.
  6. Flip and Cook Other Side: Carefully flip each quesadilla and cook the other side for about 2 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
  7. Rest and Slice: Transfer the quesadillas to a cutting board and allow to cool for a few minutes to let the cheese set. For keeping warm while finishing batches, place in a 200°F oven. Slice each quesadilla into three wedge-shaped pieces using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
  8. Serve: Serve hot with prepared salsa, guacamole, and sour cream or Greek yogurt as desired.

Notes

  • You can customize the vegetable filling by substituting bell peppers with other veggies like baby spinach, mushrooms, or zucchini.
  • Using whole wheat tortillas adds fiber and nutrition compared to traditional white flour tortillas.
  • Adjust the spice level with additional chili powder or hot sauce according to your taste preference.
  • For crispier quesadillas, use butter or a little oil when cooking, but nonstick spray works well for a lighter option.
  • Leftover quesadillas reheat well in a skillet or oven to maintain crispness.
  • To keep quesadillas warm during multiple batches, place them in a low-temperature oven around 200°F.

Find it online: https://recipeplenty.com/chicken-and-bell-pepper-quesadilla-with-pepper-jack-and-cheddar-recipe/