1hr 1min prep: 12min cook: 49min
Cheesy, crispy quesadillas make the perfect dinner treat.Notes:
- For a faster dinner solution, cook the chicken ahead of time so you just need to make the quesadillas come mealtime.
Ingredients
Produce
- Fresh Cilantro — 3 Tablespoons
- Jalapeños — 2 Tablespoons
- Lettuce, Optional — 2 Cups
- Onion — 1⁄3 Cup
- Tomatoes, Optional — 2
Meat & Seafood
- Chicken Breasts, Skinless And Boneless — 1 Pound
Cheese & Lunchmeat
- Mexican Four-Cheese Blend — 4 Cups
Dairy & Eggs
- Sour Cream, Optional — 1⁄2 Cup
Canned Goods, Soups & Mixes
- Salsa, Optional — 1⁄2 Cup
Spice & Baking
- Black Pepper — 1⁄2 Teaspoon
- Chili Powder — 2 Teaspoons
- Cumin — 2 Teaspoons
- Garlic Powder — 2 Teaspoons
- Kosher Salt — 1 Teaspoon
Condiments, Oils & Dressings
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil — 7 Teaspoons
- Hot Sauce, Optional — 2 Tablespoons
International
- Flour Tortillas, 9″ — 8
Equipment
Appliances
- Oven
- Stove Top
Cooking Equipment
- Chef’s Knife
- Cutting Board
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Mixing Bowl, Medium
- Saute Pan, Large (12″ Or Larger)
- Saute Pan, Medium (10″-12″)
- Sheet Pan
Prep Steps
- Finely chop onion to measure indicated amount.
- Cut the stem end off the jalapeño, then cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and ribbing. Cut into a small dice to measure the indicated amount. Avoid touching your face when handling peppers, and wash hands immediately after. Add to onion.
- Trim cilantro leaves from the stems and finely chop to measure indicated amount.
- If desired for final serving, chop lettuce and tomatoes now.
Cook Steps
- Chop chicken into very small pieces and place in a medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper over the top along with olive oil, then mix to coat the chicken evenly.
- Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and warm.
- Once oil is warm, add the onion and jalapeno. Saute until starting to brown just slightly, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often.
- Add chicken mixture to the onion and jalapeno. Mix well, then saute until chicken is cooked all the way through, about 5-7 minutes. Continue to stir often. Stir in the cilantro, then transfer to a clean platter when finished.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
- Lay half the tortillas out on a clean, flat surface. Divide half the cheese evenly among the 4 tortillas, scattering it over each round and leaving about 1/4 inch edge all the way around.
- Divide the chicken mixture evenly among the tortillas, scattering it evenly over the cheese, then top with the remaining cheese. Place another tortilla on top.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add olive oil and warm.
- Once oil is warm, add one quesadilla. You will need to work in batches. Cook until the tortilla is golden brown on the bottom. Lift gently to check it every few minutes, then carefully flip it over and cook until the other side is also golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3-5 minutes total. Transfer to a sheet pan and place in preheated oven to stay warm.
- Repeat the cooking process until all quesadillas are made. You may need to allow the saute pan to cool slightly in between batches, and you may need to add more olive oil as you go.
- Remove the warm quesadillas from the oven and cut into sixths. Transfer to serving platter or dinner plates. Serve with sour cream, hot sauce, salsa, lettuce or tomatoes on the side, if desired.