This Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas is deliciously cheesy with a chipotle kick and a freshness brought on by tomatoes. Sold out in minutes!
At this moment, if there’s one cuisine I wish I could have more of, it’s Mexican. Unfortunately, I don’t have any Mexican restaurants near me, but there is a grocery store a few blocks away. Somehow, it became much easier to take things into my own hands. When I decided to make these Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas, I had two main reasons: I wanted to use up some leftover chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and I was craving for quesadillas.
Little did I know that these would end up breaking the record for fastest disappearing dish of all time. I turned my back for a few seconds and they were gone! I don’t think my brothers have ever eaten anything I’ve made with as much enthusiasm and gusto lol.
Well, it does make sense. It’s kind of impossible not to like anything cheesy and spicy and tangy and savory and just a delight to gobble up as these Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas!
Mexican cuisine feels like the next big thing over here. There are a handful of restaurants serving Mexican food that are huge fan favorites, but because the branches are so few and far between, I couldn’t drum up the energy to line up for hours just to get a seat. But as more people get on the Mexican food bandwagon and more Mexican spots open up around the metro, I’m bound to write about them over here one day!
For now, let’s talk about these Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas.
Recipe notes
The amount of time I spent prepping the ingredients to make these Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas felt ridiculously long compared to the time it took my family to finish the entire batch. I sliced so many tomatoes, shredded a lot of cheese and chicken, but I can’t say it wasn’t worth it. I was happy that my family enjoyed the quesadillas, but more importantly, I DID TOO.
The best part about these quesadillas is that the ingredients aren’t complicated nor hard to find. Canned chipotle peppers are becoming more available in supermarkets, especially in places like Rustan’s, Landmark, and Uni-mart that carry a lot of imported goods. (I got mine from the States actually.) You don’t need to make your own tortilla wraps since these ones by Mission are pretty good. If you’re picking cheese, go for good-quality cheddar that melt nicely.
There’s nothing difficult about the filling at all. It’s all a matter of sautéing and mixing things around. I recommend using fresh tomatoes but you can use canned diced tomatoes in a pinch. Just let the liquid cook down.
This chicken and tomato filling can be made up to 2 days ahead. Before storing, let cool, then cover and refrigerate. It will heat right back up once you’re ready to assemble the quesadillas.
If you have a large griddle, use that to make the quesadillas so you can make a few at a time. For every piece of tortilla wrap, you only want to use 2/3 cup of shredded cheese. It will be enough! Too much will cause the cheese to run off the tortilla and create a mess. It’ll make it harder to flip the quesadillas, plus it will make some burnt cheese splotches on your pan. You want to keep the cooking surface clean for the next batch.
Now 1/2 cup of the chicken filling goes on half of the tortilla, right on top of the melted cheese. You want to fold the top over the filling in one quick but careful move. Press it lightly to make it stick, and from here you want to toast the quesadillas on both sides before transferring to your serving plate. That’s it!
You’ll want to leave the Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas alone for a couple of minutes to let the filling set, BUT be sure not to take too long to serve them. As they cool, they will get soggy and the cheese will harden. (Though it will still taste good, it’s not the best or optimal way to enjoy these.) If this does happen, you can pop them in a 350°F (180°C) oven to heat them up, but they won’t be as crisp and gooey as they are fresh.
This recipe makes quite a lot of quesadillas, but it’s so good you’ll be happy you made tons of extras. Serve with whatever the heck you like!
Chipotle Chicken Quesadiilas
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ cups chopped onion, preferably red
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, approximately 6 chilis
- 1¼ pounds ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2½ cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped cilantro, plus more for topping
- 6 10- inch diameter flour tortillas
- 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Sour cream or guacamole, for serving (optional)
- Lime wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1. In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- 2. Stir in the chipotle peppers and tomatoes, cooking until the tomatoes start to soften and not too much liquid is in the mixture. Stir in the scallions, honey, chicken, salt, and cilantro. Set aside but keep warm.
- 3. Heat a clean sauté pan over medium heat and lightly coat with a touch of oil (or use a light coat of nonstick cooking spray). Lay a tortilla in the pan and heat until just hot to the touch but not crisp. Don’t worry about the air pockets, if there are any.
- 4. Flip the tortilla over, then sprinkle 2/3 cup of the shredded cheese evenly on top. Do not use over 2/3 cup so that the cheese does not overflow and try your best to keep the cheese off the pan. Spread a heaping 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture over half of the tortilla.
- 5. Once the cheese is mostly melted, fold the half of the tortilla without the chicken over, forming a half moon.
- 6. Cook the tortilla on each side for a few minutes, until crisp and golden and the cheese has started to bubble. Adjust the heat as necessary. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- 7. Let the quesadillas rest a few minutes to allow the filling to set before cutting into wedges. Serve with sour cream or guacamole and lime wedges, if desired. Make sure to serve the quesadillas immediately to keep them from getting soggy. If not serving right away, heat them up inside a 350°F (180°C) oven before serving, but they won’t be as crisp and gooey anymore.
Notes
The chicken mixture can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cool before covering and refrigerating. Adapted from Once Upon A Chef blog
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