Best Cheeses For Chicken Quesadillas: Melty, Oozy, Gooey

Chicken quesadillas are a versatile dish that can be made with a variety of cheeses. While pre-packaged cheese may be convenient, it does not melt as well as block cheese. For the perfect, melty cheese quesadilla, a combination of Oaxaca and Chihuahua cheese is recommended. However, other cheeses that can be used include Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Fontina, Gruyere, Havarti, Provolone, Swiss, and Pepper Jack.

Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Gruyere, and other cheeses

Chicken quesadillas are a delightful combination of zesty chicken, veggies, and melted cheese. While making chicken quesadillas, you can use a blend of shredded Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Gruyere, and other cheeses. Here's a detailed guide to help you make the perfect chicken quesadillas with these cheeses:

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts
• Oil (olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil)
• Diced bell peppers (preferably red peppers for a sweeter taste)
• Diced onion
• Jalapeno (optional, for added spice)
• Minced garlic
• Taco seasoning
• Shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Gruyere, or a blend)
• Medium flour tortillas
• Butter (optional)

Instructions

• Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Warm the oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
• Add the chicken pieces and taco seasoning to the pan. Saute for about 5 minutes.
• Add the diced onions, bell peppers, and garlic to the pan. Saute for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the mixture from the pan.
• Place a flour tortilla in the pan and sprinkle some shredded cheese.
• Add a generous amount of the chicken and veggie mixture, and then add a little more cheese.
• Fold the tortilla in half and cook until each side is crispy and golden.
• Repeat the process for the remaining tortillas and fillings.
• Slice the quesadillas into halves or thirds and serve with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or your favourite dipping sauce.

Feel free to experiment with different types of cheese and adjust the quantities to your taste. Enjoy your delicious chicken quesadillas!

Chicken Quesadillas with avocado

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Onion
• Bell peppers
• Garlic
• Tomatoes
• Spices (e.g. fajita seasoning, taco seasoning, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper)
• Flour tortillas
• Avocado
• Sour cream
• Lime juice
• Cheese (e.g. Oaxaca, Chihuahua, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Mexican blend, Cheddar)

Method

Start by cooking the chicken breasts in a pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Once cooked through, remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, add more olive oil, diced onion, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook until softened, then add the tomatoes and spices. Dice the cooked chicken and return it to the pan, stirring until the mixture is fully combined.

To assemble the quesadillas, add a teaspoon of oil to a hot pan. Lay two tortillas on the pan and spread sour cream over one side of each tortilla. Top with cheese, avocado, the chicken mixture, a squeeze of lime, and some minced cilantro. Fold the tortillas over to form a half-moon shape. Cook until the tortillas are crisp and golden, and the cheese has melted—about 2-3 minutes on each side. Repeat to make more quesadillas.

Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve with lime wedges, sour cream, salsa, or guacamole. Enjoy!

Tips and Variations

You can use store-bought or homemade tortillas, and experiment with different types of cheese and spices. If you're short on time, you can use pre-cooked chicken breast strips. For extra flavor, you can also add other ingredients such as black beans, corn, or cilantro.

Chicken Quesadillas with black beans

Ingredients

• Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders are ideal for this recipe. You'll need about 1 pound of chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Black Beans: Use canned drained black beans, or cook dried beans if you prefer. The beans add protein, fiber, and antioxidants to the dish.
• Tortillas: Flour tortillas or whole-wheat tortillas work well. You'll need enough tortillas to create a base and a top layer for each quesadilla.
• Cheese: Go for a cheese that melts well, such as Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, or a Mexican blend.
• Seasonings: Taco seasoning or fajita seasoning adds a nice kick to the dish. You can also add ground cumin and kosher salt to taste.
• Optional Ingredients: You can include diced onions, jalapeño peppers, bell peppers, and other vegetables of your choice. Sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and chopped cilantro are great for serving.

Instructions

• Start by cooking the chicken. Season it with cumin and salt, then cook it in a skillet over medium-high heat until it's cooked through. Chop the chicken into small pieces or shred it.
• Prepare the bean mixture by combining black beans, corn (if using), cilantro, and seasonings in a small bowl.
• Lay out your tortillas and divide the chicken among them, covering only half of each tortilla.
• Add the bean mixture on top of the chicken, then sprinkle with cheese.
• Fold the tortillas closed and press down to create a seal. Don't worry if they seem very full—that's what you want!
• Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and coat it generously with cooking spray. You can cook the quesadillas in batches of two or four, depending on your cooking surface.
• Cook the quesadillas until the bottom tortilla is browned and the cheese starts to melt, then carefully flip them over. Continue cooking until the other side is browned and the cheese is completely melted.
• Slide the quesadillas onto a cutting board and cut them into wedges. Serve hot with your choice of toppings and dips.

Tips and Variations

• If you're short on time, use pre-cooked chicken, such as rotisserie chicken, or canned black bean dip.
• To make gluten-free or low-carb quesadillas, use gluten-free or low-carb tortillas. Note that these may darken more quickly during cooking, so adjust the temperature accordingly.
• For an extra kick of spice, use Pepper Jack or Jalapeño Jack cheese.
• If you're making these ahead of time, store the cooked chicken, bean mixture, and tortillas separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days. When you're ready to serve, simply assemble and cook the quesadillas.

Chicken Quesadillas with bacon

Ingredients

• Chicken: You can use any cooked chicken you have on hand, such as grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken. You'll need about 2 cups of shredded or chopped chicken.
• Bacon: Crispy bacon adds a savory, meaty texture to the quesadillas. You can use cooked bacon slices or bacon bits/crumbles.
• Cheese: For the perfect melt, a combination of Oaxaca and Chihuahua cheese is recommended. However, other cheeses such as Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Pepper Jack, or Colby-Jack blend also work well.
• Tortillas: Flour tortillas are the base of the quesadillas. You can use store-bought or make your own.
• Seasonings: Use store-bought fajita or taco seasoning, or make your own spice blend.
• Vegetables (optional): Bell peppers, onions, and scallions can be added for extra flavour and texture.
• Toppings and Sides: Serve your quesadillas with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or pickled jalapeños on the side.

Instructions

• Prepare the chicken by seasoning and cooking it until it is cooked through. If using bacon slices, cook them until crispy. Chop or shred the chicken and bacon into small pieces.
• In a bowl, mix the chicken, bacon, and your desired amount of seasonings. You can also add vegetables like bell peppers and onions to the mixture.
• Heat a large skillet or non-stick pan over medium heat.
• Place a tortilla on a flat surface and sprinkle shredded cheese on it. You can also add a drizzle of ranch dressing to the tortilla for extra flavour.
• Top one half of the tortilla with the chicken and bacon mixture. Add any desired vegetables or scallions.
• Sprinkle more cheese on top of the mixture.
• Fold the tortilla in half, or place another tortilla on top to create a full quesadilla.
• Transfer the quesadilla to the hot skillet and cook until the cheese starts to melt and the tortilla is golden brown and crispy. Flip the quesadilla and cook the other side until it is also crispy.
• Remove the quesadilla from the skillet and cut it into wedges.
• Repeat the process for the remaining ingredients.

Tips

• You can use low-carb tortillas for a low-carb meal option.
• A pizza cutter or large chef's knife can be helpful for cutting the quesadillas into wedges.
• For an extra crispy tortilla, you can use melted butter or cooking spray in the pan instead of oil.
• The filling can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for a quick and easy meal later.

Chicken Quesadillas with salsa

Chicken quesadillas are a great, quick meal option that can be served as a snack, lunch, or dinner. They are easy to make and can be customized to your preference. Here is a detailed recipe for chicken quesadillas with salsa.

Ingredients:

• Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins. You will need about 1 pound of chicken, which will yield 2 cups of shredded chicken.
• Salsa: Use store-bought salsa or make your own. Look for a thick and chunky salsa with a blend of onions, tomatoes, and peppers for a tangy and slightly spicy kick.
• Tortillas: Flour tortillas, preferably burrito-sized (10-inch) for a crispier texture. You can also use corn tortillas if you prefer.
• Cheese: Shredded Monterey Jack, Colby-Jack, or a Mexican blend. You will need about 2-3 cups of cheese.
• Spices: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, and fajita seasoning (optional).
• Oil: Olive oil or any other cooking oil for the skillet.
• Toppings: Sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, lime wedges, and extra salsa.

Instructions:

• Start by seasoning the chicken with a spice blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and cumin. You can also use store-bought fajita seasoning.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
• In the same skillet, add the salsa and a little water if needed. Simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens, about 7-9 minutes.
• Meanwhile, shred the cooked chicken using two forks or your fingers.
• Once the sauce is ready, turn off the heat and add the shredded chicken to the skillet. Stir well to combine, and set aside.
• Heat a clean skillet over medium heat and add a small amount of oil.
• Place one tortilla in the skillet and sprinkle with shredded cheese, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
• Spread about 1/3 cup of the chicken and salsa mixture over half of the tortilla.
• When the cheese is mostly melted, fold the tortilla in half to form a half-moon shape.
• Cook the quesadilla for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until the tortilla is crisp and golden, and the cheese is melted.
• Repeat with the remaining tortillas, cheese, and filling.
• Let the quesadillas rest for a few minutes before cutting into wedges.
• Serve with sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, lime wedges, and extra salsa on the side.

Tips and Variations:

• You can prepare the chicken filling ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.
• For a vegetarian option, replace the chicken with cooked vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, or spinach.
• Feel free to experiment with different types of cheese, such as Cheddar, Mozzarella, or Pepper Jack.
• If you prefer a more traditional method, you can use two tortillas instead of folding a single tortilla in half.
• For an extra crispy texture, cook the quesadillas in a nonstick skillet or on a griddle.
• You can also add other ingredients to your quesadillas, such as black beans, corn, or sliced olives.

Frequently asked questions