Chicken Quesadilla Grilled Peppers (Printable)

Grilled chicken, melted cheeses, and sautéed bell peppers nestled in a warm crispy 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

→ Assembly

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

# How To Make:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced bell pepper and onion; cook 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Remove from skillet and set aside.
02 - Clean the skillet surface by wiping it with a paper towel or cloth.
03 - Lay one tortilla flat. On half of the tortilla, layer ½ cup grilled chicken, ¼ of the sautéed vegetables, ¼ cup cheddar cheese, and ¼ cup Monterey Jack cheese. Fold the tortilla over to enclose the filling. Repeat for remaining tortillas and filling.
04 - Melt butter or drizzle olive oil into skillet over medium heat. Cook each quesadilla 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing gently, until golden brown and cheese melts.
05 - Transfer quesadillas to a cutting board, let rest for 1 minute, then slice into wedges and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you can convince someone to set the table, yet tastes like you spent all afternoon cooking.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients already, and the ones you don't are genuinely worth keeping on hand.
  • Even if you burn one slightly (we've all been there), it still tastes amazing and nobody will tell the difference.
02 -
  • The heat under your skillet matters more than you think—medium is the sweet spot where the tortilla gets crispy without the cheese staying cold in the center.
  • Don't skip the resting period before serving, or your cheese will pour out when you slice, which is wasteful and disappointing.
  • If your tortilla is too cold coming out of the package, it will crack when you fold it; warming it slightly in the dry skillet for 10 seconds on each side changes everything.
03 -
  • Brown your quesadillas over medium rather than medium-high heat—this gives the tortilla time to turn crispy without the outside burning before the cheese finishes melting inside.
  • Press gently with your spatula while cooking, especially the second side, so the cheese makes good contact with the heat and melts evenly rather than pooling on one side.
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