Best Chicken Quesadilla Recipe, Hands Down.
When we think of comfort food, we turn straight to melted cheese, every time. And what better vehicle for melted cheese is there than the humble baked quesadilla? I have a long history with homemade baked chicken quesadillas. We grew up eating them, but our love for tortillas and cheese grew exponentially in our teen years. Back then, cheese quesadillas were often a (gasp!) microwaved affair, but these days we prefer them baked. The cheese gets perfectly molten in the oven, and there's just no substitute. You’ll definitely want to serve them alongside some of our other Super Bowl favorites come game day. If your oven is occupied, try our stovetop chicken quesadillas!
What Is A Quesadilla?
Quesadillas originated in Mexico in the 16th century, and means a tortilla stuffed with savory filling. Here in the U.S. though, many Americans—us included—hear the word "quesadilla" and expect a lot of cheese melted inside of a folded flour tortilla. While this may not be authentically Mexican—in Mexico City, you'd never expect cheese in your quesadilla—our cheese-laden, Tex-Mex take on the dish is super delicious in its own right.
How Do You Make a Good Chicken Quesadilla?
The key to an amazing chicken quesadilla recipe is the seasoning and the addition of any great melting cheese that you love. For us, Monterey Jack is the absolute best cheese for quesadillas because it melts beautifully and has a milky, mild flavor that complements the chicken and toppings that we serve with these baked quesadillas. We also use one of our favorite pantry staples to give this homemade quesadilla an addictive smoky, spicy flavor: canned chipotle peppers. Finely chop them, then add them to a bowl with shredded chicken, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Mix it all together and the result is the best quesadilla filling ever.
How to Bake Quesadillas in the Oven:
What we LOVE about this ultra easy quesadilla recipe, is that there is no frying involved. When making baked chicken quesadillas in the oven you can avoid standing over the stove and go straight to cooking ten cheesy, mouth watering, perfectly toasted homemade quesadillas at once that go from oven to instant party platter in no time.
- Mix cooked, shredded chicken with cheese, sour cream, chipotle peppers and seasoning in a bowl.
- Fill half of a tortilla with ⅓ cup of that delicious filling.
- Fold the quesadilla in half.
- Arrange 4-5 prepared quesadillas on a large baking sheet.
- Brush tortillas with olive oil.
- Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.
- Enjoy the best quesadilla recipe ever!
Looking For Some Extra Toppings For This Chicken Quesadilla Recipe?
It’s shredded chicken and gooey cheese, melted inside of a tortilla, so you’re already off to a pretty fantastic start. Now that you know what to put in a baked quesadilla, let's discuss toppings! Toppings on this Mexican quesadilla are like icing on a cake—not completely necessary, but so, so good.
Our Favorite Add-Ons for Homemade Chicken Quesadillas:
- Sour cream
- Your favorite hot sauce
- Salsa Verde
- Pico de Gallo
- Restaurant style salsa
- Guacamole
This sheet pan quesadilla would be as perfect for serving at a Super Bowl party as it would be for the Oscars, or even just a fun movie night with friends.
Tools You'll Need To Make This Easy Baked Quesadilla Recipe
- A shallow, wide pan and an instant-read meat thermometer will come in handy when making your shredded chicken.
- A large bowl for mixing all the delicious filling for this chicken quesadilla recipe. We love this set!
- Last but not least, you'll want to use a rimmed baking sheet to make sure the filling of your baked quesadilla don't end up in your oven!
If you’re in love with this baked quesadilla recipe and are looking for more Mexican-style recipes that are great for a crowd (or let’s be honest...just yourself) try some of these yummy recipes:
We Want To See Your Take On This Easy Chicken Quesadilla!
If you decide to make this chipotle and chicken baked quesadilla recipe, we’d love to see that cheese pull! Snap a photo of your homemade quesadilla and tag @themodernproper and #themodernproper so you can give us the excuse we need to ditch our New Year’s resolutions for the day and indulge in these crowd-pleasing favorites.
