20 Minute Chicken Quesadillas
Yes, with leftover chicken, beef, or pork you are just 20 minutes away from these “just like a restaurant” easy quesadillas.
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First, you will need some cooked chicken. I like to use leftover chicken that I prepared in the slow cooker with salsa. Just add chicken breast to the slow cooker and pour salsa over top. Set slow cooker for 6-8 hours. I make a big batch of chicken breast and then freeze it in separate containers to use for enchiladas, burritos, burrito bowls, taquitos, and of course quesadillas.
To Make Basic Chicken Quesadillas You Will Need These 4 Ingredients:
- Soft tortillas ~ gluten-free if needed
- Cheese ~ cheddar or Mexican blend ~ dairy-free if needed
- Salsa
- Cooked chicken
Other Meats That Make Delicious Quesadillas:
- Shredded pork
- Rotisserie chicken
- Turkey
- Steak
- Meatless burger patties chopped up
- Prawns cut into pieces
Optional Add-ins:
- Onions
- Bell peppers
- Tops of green onions ~ for Low FODMAP
- Olives
Quesadillas are like a tortilla sandwich using soft tortillas, regular, low-carb, or gluten-free.
Don Pancho Grain Free Tortillas work really well for gluten-free quesadillas and as a substitute for gluten-free pizza crust too. My only complaint is they are hard to find where I live. Luckily there are lots of options for gluten-free tortillas so finding gluten-free tortillas isn’t a problem.
For A Breakfast Quesadilla Use These Ingredients:
- Sausage ~ allergy-friendly if needed
- Cheese ~ dairy-free if needed
- Scrambled eggs
- Flour or gluten-free soft tortillas
To cook quesadillas you can use either a skillet or a griddle. I lightly grease and heat the pan before placing the tortilla. Add the chicken, salsa, and cheese (I used Mexican Cheese Blend) and cover with a second shell.
To make a meatless quesadilla simply omit the meat. Add refried beans and dairy-free cheese as an option for meatless quesadillas too.
To make sure the insides are hot and the cheese is melted I add a lid for part of the cooking time.
When the shell becomes a golden color it is ready to flip over to the other side. No lid is needed at this time.
And there you have it; it’s just that easy.
To serve, cut the quesadilla into 4-6 sections.
Dipping Ideas:
Ranch
Sour cream
Queso
Jalapeno dip
Salsa
Guacamole
To Make Your Own Jalapeno Dip Try This Recipe:
Homemade Jalapeno Dip:
Ingredients:
2 fresh jalapenos ~ no seeds
1 cup chopped cilantro ~ tops and stems
1 clove fresh garlic ~ 1 tsp FreFOD Garlic Replacer for Low FODMAP
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
3/4 cup sour cream ~ dairy-free if needed or light sour cream for low-fat
1/4 cup mayonnaise ~ dairy and/or egg-free if needed or light for low-fat
juice from one fresh lime or about 2 Tbsp
Directions:
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend for about one minute or until smooth.
Refrigerate jalapeno dip until you are ready to serve.
I bet you would enjoy these Healthy Baked Chicken Taquitos too! They are perfect with this homemade jalapeno dip.
Serve chicken quesadillas or chicken taquitos with:
- Refried beans
- Black beans
- Spanish or Chipotle Lime rice
- As a side to taco soup
20 Minute Chicken Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 1 lb Cooked chicken or other meat
- 4 cups Grated cheese Mexican Blend or Cheddar ~ dairy-free if needed
- 4 cups Salsa
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 8 Soft tortillas ~ gluten-free if needed
- Optional dips guacamole, or salsa
- Optional Add-Ins:
- Olives
- Onions
- Green onion tops only for Low FODMAP
- Peppers
Instructions
- Chop or shred leftover meat
- Chop onions and peppers if adding those.
- Heat a skillet to medium or medium-high ~ depending on your stove
- Very lightly brush skillet with oil ~ optional but will result in a nice golden brown and slightly crispy quesadilla.
- Cover the tortilla with half a cup of cheese.
- Add shredded chicken over cheese.
- Spoon salsa over chicken.
- Add some add-ins if desired.
- Cover with half a cup of cheese.
- Place another tortilla over top and cover skillet with a lid.
- As the quesadilla cooks check frequently to prevent burning, the goal is a golden brown color, and the cheese begins to melt.
- Gently press down on the top of the tortilla; this will help the filling stay put when flipping.
- Carefully flip quesadilla over to brown the opposite side. No need to cover the skillet at this point.
- Once the flipped side is golden transfer quesadilla to a plate and cut into 4-6 sections.
- Quesadillas can also be made with one tortilla and filling placed on one half. Then simply fold over the opposite side forming a half circle. Grill both sides to a golden brown.
- Serve quesadillas with guacamole, sour cream, ranch dressing, salsa, queso, or jalapeno dip.
