Chicken Quesadilla Grilled Cheese (Printable)

Grilled chicken and cheeses combined with sautéed peppers in a crispy, pan-cooked tortilla.

# What You'll Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked grilled chicken breast, sliced or shredded
02 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
07 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
08 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - ¼ teaspoon salt
10 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ To Assemble

11 - 4 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
12 - 1 tablespoon butter or additional olive oil for cooking

# Steps:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced bell pepper and onion; sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.
02 - Wipe skillet clean to remove residue from vegetables.
03 - Place one tortilla on a flat surface. On half of the tortilla, layer ½ cup grilled chicken, ¼ of the sautéed peppers and onions, ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese, and ¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Fold tortilla in half to enclose filling. Repeat for remaining tortillas and fillings.
04 - Melt butter or drizzle olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook each quesadilla 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing gently, until golden brown and cheese is melted.
05 - Transfer cooked quesadillas to cutting board, let rest for 1 minute, then slice into wedges. Serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Ready in 30 minutes flat, which means dinner happens without the stress.
  • Two cheeses create this perfect balance where it's gooey but not greasy, and that's where the magic lives.
  • The peppers and onions get soft and sweet, which completely changes the game from just cheese between tortillas.
02 -
  • Don't skip wiping the skillet clean between cooking the filling and assembling, or you'll end up with loose spices on every bite instead of inside the quesadilla where they belong.
  • Medium heat is non-negotiable here—too hot and the outside burns before the cheese melts, too low and they turn out pale and chewy instead of golden and crispy.
03 -
  • Let your tortillas come to room temperature before assembling so they fold without cracking, and they'll brown more evenly in the pan.
  • Use a light hand when pressing with the spatula while cooking—you want contact with the heat, not to squish all the filling out the sides.
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