Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas
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These quesadillas are filled with gooey melted cheddar, shredded chicken and a smoky chipotle-tomato sauce.
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! Think of them a gourmet twist on my classic chicken quesadillas—I’m a fan of those too, particularly for kids, but these are truly in their own league. The recipe is adapted from Curtis Stone, one of my favorite chefs and cookbook authors.
“Sweet Lord these were amazing!”
What You’ll Need To Make Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas
- Red onion, garlic, and scallions: These aromatics form the flavor base, adding depth and a slight sweetness to counter the heat of the peppers.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: Provide a smoky, spicy flavor that is the signature of these quesadillas. They add heat and a rich, complex taste. See the FAQs to learn more about these peppers.
- Tomatoes: Offer a fresh, acidic, and slightly sweet component that balances the smokiness of the chipotle peppers and also adds moisture to the sauce.
- Honey: Adds sweetness to balance the heat from the chipotle peppers and the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Cooked shredded chicken: Serves as the protein base; you can use leftover or rotisserie chicken and either white or dark meat based on your preference.
- Cilantro: Brings a fresh, herbal element that brightens the dish and pairs well with the other flavors.
- Flour tortillas: Act as the casing for the quesadillas, holding all the ingredients together. They crisp up when cooked, adding a satisfying texture.
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese: Melts into the quesadillas, adding a rich, creamy texture and a tangy flavor that complements the spicy and smoky elements.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by cooking the red onions and garlic in olive oil.
Add the diced tomatoes and minced chipotle peppers.
Cook until the liquid is gone and the mixture is thickened.
Stir in the shredded chicken, salt, honey, green onions and cilantro. Keep the filling warm while you prepare the quesadillas. (Note: the chicken mixture can be made up to two days ahead of time.)
Heat a flour tortilla on a griddle or in a sauté pan. Cover the entire tortilla with cheese and spread the filling over one side.
When the cheese is mostly melted, fold the tortilla over the filling into a half-moon shape.
Cook until crisp and golden, a few minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Serve immediately with sour cream and lime wedges, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are typically small peppers, often red jalapeños, that have been dried, smoked, and then preserved in a spicy, smoky tomato sauce. You can usually find them in the Latin section of most supermarkets. If you’re looking for more ways to use them, try my chipotle honey vinaigrette and black bean and corn salad.
This recipe uses six peppers, including the seeds, which might sound like a lot, but it doesn’t make the quesadillas overly spicy. However, if you are sensitive to heat or making these quesadillas for kids, you might want to use fewer peppers.
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.
Yes, the cooked 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.
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Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas
These quesadillas are filled with gooey melted cheddar, shredded chicken and a smoky chipotle-tomato sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large red onion, chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (you'll need about 6 chilis)
- 4 vine-ripened tomatoes (about 1¼ pounds), 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 diameter 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.
- Note: 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 of 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 degree oven to heat them up, but they won’t be as crisp and gooey as they are fresh.
- Note: 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
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- Serving size: 1 quesadilla
- Calories: 694
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated fat: 19 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Sodium: 1383 mg
- Cholesterol: 121 mg
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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These are the most delicious quesadillas I have ever had. My whole family devoured them. I did reduce the chipotle by half, and they had just the right amount of smoky flavor without too much heat for our tastes. I also used a can of diced tomatoes (well drained) because that’s what I had on hand, and it worked just fine. I do want to try fresh tomatoes next time because I’m sure they will be even better. Thanks Jenn for another winning recipe. You never disappoint!
Have you tried this with corn tortillas?
No J, but I think it’d work.
Hi Jen. How many canned diced tomatoes would be equivalent to the 1-1/4 lbs of fresh in this recipe? It’s allI have on hand. Can’t wait to try this. Thanks!
Hi Lori, I’ve never used canned tomatoes for this, but I would guesstimate that you’d need about 2 14 to 15 oz. cans of diced tomatoes (drained). Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Hello Jen
My family and friends Love these quesadillas! I am hosting a party for 40 this coming weekend and am hoping for some advice to keep them warm for an hour or so without them sticking together. I plan to use a warming tray to keep them warm for an hour or so-would you separate layers with parchment paper or would baking the quesadillas in the oven be a better method ? Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Nicole, so glad you enjoy these! Yes, I do think you could keep these in a warming tray for an hour, and separating them with some parchment or foil is a great idea. Hope everyone enjoys!
This recipe was incredible!! My husband and I initially worried about the filling being potentially too “smoky” with the 6 chipotle peppers, but the flavors were fantastic. These are by far the best quesadillas we’ve ever had! After a quick Internet search, we decided to cook the quesadillas in the oven, rather than cooking then one by one on the stove top. We heated the oven to precisely 430F, lightly oiled a cookie sheet with olive oil, placed the filled half-moon-shape tortillas on the cookie sheet, and brushed the top of each tortilla very lightly with olive oil using a pastry brush. We cooked them for eight minutes on one side, and carefully flipped them over and cooked them for another eight minutes on the other side. They turned out perfectly!! Thanks Jenn for sharing all these wonderful recipes – you’ve made cooking so enjoyable for us!
Made these tonight. I thought they were great myself though the wife felt they were a little overpowering. Will def make again if I have to eat them all myself lol. But I could have messed up for her because …..I minced up the chipotle peppers and also poured all the juices from the can into my chicken mixture. Should I have omitted the liquid from the can?
Hi James, Glad you enjoyed them! This recipe does not include the sauce/liquid from the can (unless you like your food super spicy!).
The only thing I would change with this recipe is the butter or oil used on the exterior of the tortilla. We always add a little bit of garlic salt to the butter, not just with quesadillas, but also with grilled cheese, or even breadsticks and rolls. It gives you a very distinct garlic bread flavor before you even get to the good stuff in the middle.
This recipe was the BEST recipe ever! I did add chopped jalapeños to the mix but left out the honey. It was fantastic!!! Will definitely be making again!
In order to keep them warm while making many, can u place them in the oven before serving? If so what temp? Also, can u pair this with your bean salad.
Sure, Sandy – I’d keep the oven at about 250°F.
Once again!! This is delicious! I was so skeptical but Jennifer has yet to fail me or my husband.
I used pre-roasted chicken from the grocery store and just happened to have the rest of the ingredients from another of Jennifer’s recipes.
Easy!
Hi,
I would love to try this recipe but my husband does not care for the chilies in adobe sauce. Can you please recommend a substitute? Thank you so much. I love your recipes and share them often with friends and family!
Hi Laurie, so glad you like the recipes! Unfortunately, I don’t know of a good substitute for the chipotles in adobo and they are an integral part of the recipe. So sorry!
The family loved it. I used a three cheese Mexican blend and a little creole seasoning on the chicken. Will make it again and and again.
Hi Jenn-
I love this recipe! I am trying to cook on a budget. Do you think the quality would be compromised if I substituted a can of diced tomatoes (14 oz) for the 4 vine ripened tomatoes? This would save about $2.
I think that’s perfectly fine, Dawn. Please let me know how it turns out :).
I used a 14 oz can of no salt petite diced tomatoes and they turned out great!
Great to hear, Dawn– thanks for the follow-up!
Hi Jenn,
Do you cook the chicken (boil or grill? And shred) and then add to mixture or do you just cut the chicken into thin strips and add to the mixture to cook? Also, do you add any seasoning to the chicken before adding to the mix?
Hi Jen, This is delicious (and easy) with store-bought rotisserie chicken, but if you’d like to cook your own, I’d suggest roasting the chicken as described in this recipe. Hope that clarifies!
I very rarely write recipe reviews, but this is so absolutely amazing it deserves a review! I serve it with avocado, chopped tomato, lettuce, and sour cream so I eat a little less of the quesadillas. I made the mistake of making this once while my husband was deployed and was “forced” to eat it all over the course of two days…most of it the first night. lol.
This is super yummy! Whole family loved it.
Worked perfectly with rotisserie chicken marinated in adobo sauce, which I heated in the microwave. Used my crepe pan to heat the tortillas, sprinkled with Mex cheese mix and added the chicken. Really made the dish for me.
Hi Jen
Can you tell me how you recommend cooking the chicken to shred for the quesadillas? I have tried to boil in the past but it always came out tough and bland.
Thanks
Megan
Hi Megan, It really is delicious (and easy) with store-bought rotisserie chicken, but if you’d like to cook your own, I’d suggest roasting the chicken as described in this recipe.
A great recipe to jazz up your typical weeknight quesedilla. I backed off on the tomato (3) and peppers (4) and it was still spicy but not overpowering for the kids/teens.
these are so good. When I make them for the kids, I cut the chilis in half. But when they aren’t around, I used the whole third cup at least.. Love them with sour cream and home made fresh salsa.
You gave this recipe a nice review, but with one star? Sorry..there is no such thing as a 1 star recipe from Jenn Segal!
hi! it looks great and am planning to try it. Can i avoid the honey for preparation ? and second do i need to pre-cook the chicken before i add the shredded chicken in the pan? am a newbie in the kitchen arena..
Hi Parul, I think you could cut back the honey, maybe to 1 Tbsp, but it does help to balance out the smoky flavors in the dish. And the recipe calls for pre-cooked chicken so as long as it’s already cooked, you don’t need to cook it any more than that. It really is delicious (and easy) with store-bought rotisserie chicken. Enjoy!
Can the filling be frozen? Can’t wait to make this!
Yes, Rupal, I think that would be fine!
Hi,
Love this recipe… would like to substitute the chicken for veggies???? Any recommendation and would I follow recipe the same way?
Thank you,
Joanna
Sure, you could do that. I would saute the added veggies right along with the others in the recipe until they are tender. Some good options would be bell peppers, mushrooms and corn. Black beans would also be a great addition. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
What can I say? Jenn hit another home run with this recipe.
I used shredded chicken from 2 split breasts. I like to use white meat from bone-in chicken, because I think it is more moist than boneless skinless breasts. It’s just my preference. I also liked the addition of the honey to offset the intense smoky flavor of the chipotles. The only thing I omitted was the cilantro, as I am one of those “no cilantro please” people.
Flavorful, fresh, delicious. Can’t wait for the leftovers. Thanks again, Jenn!?
I love these quesadillas!! They are soooo delicious. Perfect combination of flavors!
Made these on Monday night and my family loved them! My daughter is my taste tester and I always let her take the first bite. She didnt even have words, just sounds of delight 🙂
Evey recipe I try from your site has been great. Thanks for making me look good
Made these quesadillas for super bowl. Served them with roasted tomato salsa and roasted garlic guacamole. Just delicious and a huge hit. I had made the salsa last Sept when I had lots of tomatoes in the garden and froze it in ice cube trays. Really good! Thanks Jenn for more great recipes.
Made these for my Super Bowl party. Everyone loved these. Thanks again for another great recipe!
These turned out great. I may have over sweetened them a touch but my family loved them. Thanks Jen.
These are great. I substituted left over thanksgiving turkey for the chicken and served with fresh made guacamole.
I tested this out before making it for company…( family coming) I knowmy “audience”, so used four peppers…just right! I also have some celantro haters…” ewwwww, it tastes like soap!” , so the chopped celantro will go in on an individual basis…( double for me, please!)
I LOVE that the base for this can be made in advance, and the cooking mess cleaned up before dinner:) Soooo tasty, and soooo easy! Another keeper…..loved it!
Very good, thanks
I’ve loved every recipe of Jenn’s that I’ve tried. This one is great, too. I tried it with five chipotles and it was too spicy — we ate it all, but everyone requested a bit less spice. I’ll try three next time and work up from there if needed. I successfully used corn tortillas (we’re gluten free) and they worked great. I buttered and browned them on both sides, then added toppings. Thanks for another great recipe! You are a trusted cooking adviser!! 😉
These quesadillas are DELICIOUS!! I have been making homemade chicken quesadillas for years and always felt they were somewhat bland. I tried different ways of adding more flavor, but felt I never quite got it right. Then I tried your recipe and WOW so much flavor! My husband insists that I only make quesadillas this way from now on. We have also made the filling for this recipe and used it to make burrito bowls which is also delicious. (This recipe is too spicy for my girls, however, they don’t eat spicy well at all.) Thanks Jen for solving our bland quesadilla problem!
This looks amazing will definitely try this tonight. By any chance is there nutrion favts on the recipe?
Hi Anh, I just added the nutritional info. (They’re a bit of an indulgence :). Hope you enjoy!
These were delicious!! Thank you so much!!
This is one of my all-time favorite recipes. I think they are so so so delicious!
I used to make them with chicken and then stopped eating meat and now make them with 1-2 cans of black beans and they are just as delicious.
Highly recommend this recipe. I try 4-5 different recipes a week from a variety of blogs and this is still one of my favorites.
Does the 1/3 cup chipotle peppers include the sauce too in it? Also are you supposed to use the seeds in the sauce or discard the seeds?
Yes, the sauce will naturally cling to the peppers, so the 1/3 cup will be a combination of peppers and sauce. And yes, you do include the seeds. Hope you enjoy!
This recipe is AMAZING! A definite keeper…. restaurant quality quesadillas.
This is fantastic. Left out 2 peppers for the picky 14 year old, otherwise made as published and will add it to the rotation. Thank you as always!
Delicious!
Thank you for a great recipe! I made some small changes: only used about a half an onion, and instead of honey I used agave (1Tbsp.) My boyfriend always thanks me for cooking dinner but tonight he would not stop talking about how much he liked this! Definitely a keeper. I may use the leftover chicken filling for enchiladas.
Update – I recently made this substituting black beans for the chicken and it turned out wonderfully as well.
Love that idea!
I’m making a vegan version with gardien ‘Chikun strips’ and a vegan questo cheese, can’t wait- black beans are a great idea to boost the fibre and protein.
I made this dish for my family last Sunday and I end up making it 3 days in a row. Everyone simply adore the richness in flavor from the smoky chipotle in adobo sauce.
I use mozzarella cheese since it is very difficult to find Monterey Jack cheese in my country. It is very delightful indeed.
Thanks a bunch Jen…
I hope you will share another Mexican delicacies: Chile Relleno
I loved very much. Kids loved but would like less spicy next time. I myself thought they were perfect. Mmmmm thank u so much.
What is Adobo? Is that a sauce? Not sure I see that in the instructions
Liz, The chipotle peppers called for come canned in an adobo sauce which has a sweet and smoky flavor. Chipotle peppers are usually small red jalapeños that have been dried and smoked. You can find them in the Latin section of most supermarkets.
10 stars!!! My husband kept telling me how delicious they were!!!! My son couldnt have enough!!!
These are so delicious. My husband went crazy for them, called them ‘restaurant quality’. I’ve cooked AT LEAST 10 recipes from your site and every single one is a keeper. Thanks Jenn!
Receita espetacular!!!
I want to make the best tasting chicken possible for this dish. How would you suggest preparing the chicken?
Kika, It really is delicious with store bought rotisserie chicken so there’s no need to make the chicken from scratch. But if you’d like to, roast the chicken as described in this recipe: https://www.onceuponachef.com/2011/07/asian-noodle-salad-with-ginger-peanut-dressing.html
I love the addition of chipotle peppers!
Um, yum! These are chock full of flavor and quite simple to make. 13 y/o loved the spice level, as did hubby. I did not add salt and did not miss it at all. Keeper recipe, especially with a little guacamole smeared on them. Thanks for a great and simple recipe!
Made these last night and loved them ! Will definitely be making again .. Less a chili or two ! Lol