Filled with precooked chicken, sautéed bell peppers, onions and a ton of cheese, these savory Chicken Fajita Quesadillas are easy to make and absolutely delicious–especially when drizzled with their secret sauce!
Why We Love It
Almost every weekend, I grill a ridiculous amount of chicken. (Those family packs are the way to go, right?)
There’s always leftovers after I grill, but that’s never a problem here. That’s because there are so many great ways to enjoy leftover chicken! Whether I dice it up for a salad, or use it to make Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadillas, Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas, or Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup, it always tastes great.
You probably noticed a theme with the majority of that list. Most of our favorite ways to enjoy leftover chicken are connected to Mexican-inspired cuisine. Give me a stack of tortillas, some cheese, spices and chicken, and I’ll be happy to whip up something Tex-Mex style and tasty!
These Chicken Fajita Quesadillas are no exception. In fact, they almost break the rule because they are so wickedly good. Inspired by fajitas, they are loaded with sautéed peppers and onions, chicken and a ton of cheese.
But the best part? Well, that’s their secret sauce.
You don’t have to be a Subway fan to love their Baja Chipotle (which is now sold in stores–YAY!). And while technically you don’t NEED this sauce to make Chicken Fajita Quesadillas, it definitely takes them to the next level.
I drizzle some on the inside of each quesadilla before they cook on the stove. When I’m in a super chipotle-kind-of-mood, I also use this sauce as a quesadilla dip (sometimes I even mix it in with some sour cream). The smokiness is just right and the taste is oh so good.
Don’t forget to serve Chicken Fajita Quesadillas with Mexican Rainbow Coleslaw for the ultimate sandwich experience!
Why You’ll Love It
| Great for leftover or rotisserie chicken: Cut your prep time down significantly by using precooked chicken. It tastes great and works perfectly for this recipe. Easy prep: Assembling quesadillas is fun, quick and easy. Once you pile on the ingredients, simply fry them in a pan! Customizable: If you love a certain kind of pepper or bean, add it to the mix. Also get creative with your favorite shredded cheese! Great for picky eaters: Melted cheese makes everything better, right? Sneak in some extra veggies and protein. It’s all good (and partially disguised) when it has a great sauce and cheese! |
Ingredients for Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
- 2 small bell peppers of varying color
- 1/2 cup sliced onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 flour tortillas (fajita sized)
- 1 cup precooked chicken breast, diced
- 8 oz. bag shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 8 tablespoons Subway Baja Chipotle sauce (optional)
- Canola cooking spray
How to make Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
You’ll want to gather the following equipment:
- large cutting board
- chef’s knife
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- large frying pan
- large spatula
- pizza cutter
Getting started
Prep:
- Slice peppers and onions into thin strips
- Dice precooked chicken into bite-sized pieces
- Heat frying pan over medium heat
Start making Chicken Fajita Quesadillas by sautéing the peppers and onions.
Place sliced peppers and onions in large, preheated frying pan. Drizzle with olive oil; stir to coat. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring and flipping occasionally, until peppers are slightly soft, about 7-10 minutes. Then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Transfer peppers and onions to small bowl or previously used cutting board.
Quesadilla Assembly in 10 Simple Steps:
Step #1: Return the empty frying pan to the stove and warm the pan over medium heat.
Step #2: Lightly spray one side of a plain tortilla with canola oil. Place that side facedown on a separate workspace. (This could be a large plate, additional cutting board, or even a piece of wax paper or foil for quick cleanup.)
Step #3: Spread 1/4 cup of shredded cheese on the tortilla.
Step #4: Place 1/4 cup of prepared chicken on top of the cheese.
Step #5: Add roughly 1/4 of the sautéed peppers and onions on top of the chicken.
Step #6: Drizzle on 2 tablespoons of the Baja Chipotle sauce (optional).
Step #7: Sprinkle on an additional 1/4 cup of shredded cheese.
Step #8: Place another plain tortilla on top and lightly spray the top with cooking spray.
Step #9: Use a large spatula to carefully transfer the assembled quesadilla to the prepared pan, which should be fully heated at this point.
Step #10: Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly, then use your large spatula to flip the quesadilla over and cook an additional 5 minutes. The quesadilla is finished cooking when you can see that the cheese towards the edges is melted and both sides are light to medium golden brown.
As your skillet gets warmer, you may find that additional quesadillas might not take as long to cook.
Gather, assemble, repeat. Follow steps 1-10 to create three additional quesadillas!
Kitchen Ready Betty tip: Keep cooked quesadillas warm by either loosely covering them with foil or by placing them in a second frying pan on your stove over very low heat, flipping and reordering occasionally. They can be layered to keep warm without stacking them entirely on top of each other (think of a lopsided pile of pancakes). This is to avoid them getting soggy while the remaining are assembled and cooked!
Ready to serve! Place one cooked quesadilla at a time on the cutting board. Use a pizza cutter to cut into quarters; then plate and serve with your favorite dipping sauce and Mexican Rainbow Coleslaw.
Chicken Fajita Quesadilla Leftovers?
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within 3-4 days.
Reheating instructions: Arrange in a single layer on a prepared pan, cover loosely with foil and bake at 300 degrees for 6-7 minutes. Uncover, flip and bake an additional 2-3 minutes or until quesadillas are heated through.
Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
Description
Inspired by fajitas, these delicious and savory quesadillas are loaded with sautéed peppers, onions, chicken and a ton of cheese.
But the best part? Well, that's their secret sauce.
Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
How to Make Chicken Fajita Quesadillas:
-
Prep:
Slice peppers and onions into thin strips
Dice pre-cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces
Heat frying pan over medium heat
-
Place sliced peppers and onions in large, preheated frying pan. Drizzle with olive oil; stir to coat. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring and flipping occasionally, until peppers are slightly soft, about 7-10 minutes. Then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Transfer peppers and onions to small bowl or previously used cutting board.
-
Quesadilla Assembly:
Step #1: Return the empty frying pan to the stove and warm the pan over medium heat.
Step #2: Lightly spray one side of a plain tortilla with canola oil. Place that side facedown on a workspace. (This could be a large plate, additional cutting board, or even a piece of wax paper or foil for quick cleanup.)
Step #3: Spread 1/4 cup of shredded cheese on the tortilla.
Step #4: Place 1/4 cup of prepared chicken on top of the cheese.
Step #5: Add roughly 1/4 of the sautéed peppers and onions on top of the chicken.
Step #6: Drizzle on 2 tablespoons of the Baja Chipotle sauce (optional).
Step #7: Sprinkle on an additional 1/4 cup of shredded cheese.
Step #8: Place another plain tortilla on top and lightly spray the top with cooking spray.
Step #9: Use a large spatula to carefully transfer the assembled quesadilla to the prepared pan, which should be fully heated at this point.
Step #10: Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly, then use your large spatula to flip the quesadilla over and cook an additional 5 minutes. The quesadilla is finished cooking when you can see that the cheese towards the edges is melted and both sides are light to medium golden brown.
Gather, assemble, repeat. Follow steps 1-10 to create three additional quesadillas!
Keep cooked quesadillas warm by either loosely covering them with foil or by placing them in a second frying pan on your stove over very low heat, flipping and reordering occasionally. They can be layered to keep warm without stacking them entirely on top of each other (think of a lopsided pile of pancakes). This is to avoid them getting soggy while the remaining are assembled and cooked! -
When ready to serve, place one cooked quesadilla at a time on the cutting board. Use a pizza cutter to cut into quarters; then plate and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within 3-4 days. To reheat, arrange in a single layer on a prepared pan, cover loosely with foil and bake at 300 degrees for 6-7 minutes. Uncover, flip and bake an additional 2-3 minutes or until quesadillas are heated through.
Note
You can always swap out the pre-cooked chicken for rotisserie.
Feel free to use your favorite shredded cheese for this recipe.
The Baja Chipotle sauce is optional. The quesadillas also taste great without it (though I hope you give it a try!).
