Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas
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A smoky-sweet chipotle sauce takes these quesadillas from simple to next-level delicious, and they’re still easy enough for a weeknight.
Crisp flour tortillas stuffed with gooey melted cheddar and tender shredded chicken, all smothered in a sweet, smoky, and savory chipotle sauce—these could easily claim the title of the world’s best quesadillas. They’re like a grown-up twist on my classic chicken quesadillas: just as cheesy and satisfying, but with a bold, saucy flavor that makes them feel a little more special. The recipe is adapted from Curtis Stone, one of my favorite chefs and cookbook authors.
For the crispiest texture, quesadillas should be assembled and cooked just before serving. However, the chicken mixture can be prepared up to two days in advance, cooled, covered, and stored in the refrigerator. If you’ve got leftover quesadillas, they can be frozen for up to three months.
“Sweet Lord these were amazing!”
What You’ll Need To Make Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas
- Red onion, garlic, and scallions: These aromatics build the flavor base, adding depth and just a hint of sweetness to balance the heat.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo: Smoky, spicy, and rich, these canned peppers (usually smoked red jalapeños) are packed in a tangy tomato sauce and bring the signature flavor to these quesadillas. Look for them in the Latin section of most supermarkets. Want more ways to use them? Try my chipotle honey vinaigrette and black bean and corn salad.
- Tomatoes: Fresh and slightly sweet, they add brightness and a little juiciness to the sauce.
- Honey: A touch of sweetness to round out the heat from the chipotles and the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Cooked shredded chicken: The hearty protein here; leftover or rotisserie chicken works great, and you can use white or dark meat.
- Cilantro: Fresh and herby, it brightens everything up and ties the flavors together. Feel free to omit it if you’re not a fan.
- Flour tortillas: The crispy golden shell that holds it all together.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Melty, creamy, and tangy; balances the smoky spice and makes the quesadillas irresistibly gooey.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the aromatics. Begin by cooking the red onions and garlic in olive oil.
Step 2: Add the tomatoes and peppers. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened and most of the liquid has cooked off.
Step 3: Finish the filling. Stir in the shredded chicken, salt, honey, green onions, and cilantro. Keep the mixture warm while you prep the quesadillas. (At this point, you can store the filling for up to two days.)
Step 4: Build the quesadillas. Heat a tortilla on a griddle or in a skillet. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the whole surface, then spoon the filling onto one half.
Step 5: Flip and crisp. Once the cheese has mostly melted, fold the tortilla over the filling to form a half-moon. Cook until the quesadilla is golden and crisp on both sides, a few minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Step 6: Cut and serve. Transfer the quesadillas to a cutting board, let them cool for a bit, then slice into wedges. Serve warm with sour cream, guacamole, lime wedges, or whatever you like.
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Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large red onion, chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (you'll need about 6 chilis)
- 4 vine-ripened tomatoes, (about 1¼ lbs/567 g), seeded and diced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2½ cups cooked shredded chicken (white and/or dark meat)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 6 10-inch flour tortillas
- 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Sour cream, for serving (optional)
- Lime wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a large sauté 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 more. Stir in the chipotle peppers and tomatoes. Cook until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated and the mixture is thickened, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir in the scallions, honey, chicken, salt and cilantro. Keep warm.
- Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Lay a tortilla in the pan and heat until hot to the touch but not crisp (air pockets may form). Flip the tortilla over, then sprinkle ⅔ cup of the cheese evenly overtop, being careful to keep it off the pan. Spread a generous ½ cup of the chicken mixture over half of the tortilla. When the cheese is mostly melted, fold the tortilla over to cover the filling and form a half-moon shape. Cook until the tortilla is crisp and golden and the cheese is melted, adjusting the heat as necessary, a few minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Let the quesadillas rest a few minutes to allow the filling to set, then cut into wedges. Serve with sour cream and lime wedges, if desired.
Notes
- If you have a large griddle, use that to make the quesadillas so you can make a few at a time. Also, be sure to serve your quesadillas hot off the pan (or off the griddle); otherwise, they’ll get soggy, and the cheese will harden. If this does happen, you can pop them in a 350°F oven to heat them up, but they won’t be as crisp and gooey as they are fresh.
- The nutritional information does not include the optional ingredients.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: For the crispiest texture, the quesadillas should be assembled and cooked just before serving. However, the chicken mixture can be prepared up to two days in advance, cooled, covered, and stored in the refrigerator. Leftover quesadillas can be frozen for up to three months. To serve, defrost them in the refrigerator and then reheat, wrapped in foil, in an oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) until hot, which should take 15 to 20 minutes.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Jenn, thanks for sharing this amazing recipe – my family can’t get enough of it! We’ve had it so often that we’re starting to wonder if we can make variations of it. If we replace the chicken by ground beef, are there any alterations to make to the recipe in your opinion? Thank you!
Hi Maria, so glad these are a hit with your family! Yes, I think ground beef would work here; just make sure to season the beef with salt and pepper while browning it. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try them with beef!
I made this and substituted the chicken with veggies to accommodate a luncheon guest.
Had to print out 4 copies for the guests before they left. What more could I say to top a review like that???
I’m very surprised that so many people loved this recipe. I followed it exactly, and these turned out to be ridiculously spicy hot. I only ate one because I was so hungry. I do not recommend this recipe with so many peppers.
Made this today. Reading the reviews, I did use less of the peppers – I had some in the freezer so I guessed but know I put in less than a 1/4 of a cup. I liked the spiciness. Loads of leftovers (only had 8 inch tortilla’s and used 3), but plan on making a soup. Should be great, thanks 🙂
I love quesadillas, and this will be on our dinner table this weekend. The way you have broken down the prep steps makes it look much easier than I would have imagined. Occasionally I buy pre-made mushroom quesadillas from a local grocery store. Do you have any suggestions regarding seasoning and/or preparation for that variation?
Btw, I have no problem rating this before I actually make it. I think I have tried all of your Mexican recipes, and you totally get the flavor profiles. And I love Curtis Stone as well. Thanks!
Hi Paulaine, I’d use onions, garlic, wild mushrooms, and cheese and season with cumin and smoked paprika. Hope that helps!
I see that this is freezer friendly. From your and others experience, does this taste as good as freshly made? So if I make ahead, I let the quesadilla cool and then wrap in aluminum foil?
Hi Palma, These will always be best fresh, but if you have leftovers it makes sense to freeze (and yes, let cool and then wrap). Hope that helps!
Thanks so very much! I made the mixture last night. Wonderful. Cannot wait for tonight’s meal🥰
The chilies make it spicy. Too spicy for my liking. I wouldn’t recommend.
My family doesn’t like spicy food unfortunately. What can I use as a substitute for the chipotle?
Hi Gloria, Unfortunately, there’s no way to avoid the heat with the chipotle peppers, and I can’t think of a good substitute as they are an integral part of the recipe. So sorry!
When you’re looking for that same smoky flavor without the heat, try a little tomato paste and smoked paprika in place of the peppers. Not quite the same flavor profile but still delicious.
This is the best chicken quesadilla I have ever eaten (home recipe or restaurant). My entire family loved it. We didn’t mind the heat from the canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and it almost seemed to disappear as we continued to eat. OMG such good flavors. Thanks for this!
These were so yummy! I used half canned chicken and half canned jackfruit (because that’s what I had on hand) and the flavors were still fantastic! I thought the adobo sauce would be too spicy at first but it cooked down nicely and combined perfectly with the other flavors. After a few bites my family asked when we could have it again. Thank you for another delicious recipe!
Is there something to use instead of the chicken? We love the chicken version of this, however I wanted to make this for friends (and one is vegetarian).
Hi Karleen, For a vegetarian version, you could replace the chicken with black beans. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it this way!