These Chicken Fajita Quesadillas combine the smoky flavor of fajitas with the cheesy goodness of quesadillas. A fun, family-friendly meal that comes together one skillet in about 30 minutes!
Use my easy Homemade Fajita Seasoning to make quesadillas that rival those you’ve had at restaurants.
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How can you improve upon the goodness of chicken fajitas? Fold that flavorful filling into tortillas with two layers of cheese and cook them until crisped and golden brown.
When you’ve got a quesadilla craving, you can 100% satisfy it at home with these easy Chicken Fajita Quesadillas.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken – Cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into small bite-size (½ to 1-inch) pieces that work better for quesadillas.
- Seasoning – I highly recommend using my Homemade Fajita Seasoning recipe for the best flavor but you can substitute a store-bought spice packet if you’d like.
- Lime – Half of a lime is used in the marinade to help tenderize the chicken and the other half is squeezed over the cooked filling.
- Oil – A little vegetable oil for cooking the filling and the quesadillas.
- Peppers – A couple of bell peppers in assorted colors and a jalapeno.
- Onion – I like to use red onion for even more color and great flavor.
- Tortillas – Look for 8-inch, burrito size flour tortillas.
- Cheese– You want to use freshly shredded cheese which melts far better than pre-shredded bagged cheese. I used a combination of pepper Jack cheese and sharp cheddar cheese. Colby Jack is also a great choice.
- For serving – Optional items like salsa, sour cream, and guacamole are all a natural fit for quesadillas.
How to Make Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Make the Chicken Fajita Filling
- Marinate – Place the pieces of chicken in a gallon size resealable food storage bag with the marinade mixture. Refrigerate the chicken while you prepare the veggies.
- Prep the veggies – Dice the peppers and onion.
- Cook the chicken – Heat vegetable oil In a large nonstick skillet and add the chicken. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned.
- Add the veggies – Add the bell peppers, onions, and jalapeno to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes more. Remove the skillet from the heat, squeeze the juice from the remaining half of the lime over the top of the chicken and veggies, and toss to combine. Transfer the chicken and veggies to a bowl and set aside.
How to Assemble Quesadillas
- Cheese – Place two tortillas on a cutting board or other work surface. On one-half of each tortilla (leave half the tortilla bare so you can fold it over), layer 3 tablespoons of the cheese.
- Fajita filling – Top with about ½ cup of the chicken and vegetable mixture.
- More cheese – Sprinkle another 3 tablespoons of the cheese over the top.
- Oil – Fold the empty side of the tortilla over the filling so the tortillas are folded in half. Brush the top of each quesadilla with about ½ teaspoon of oil.
How to Cook and Slice Quesadillas
- Cook oiled side – Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel and return it to medium heat. Place 2 quesadillas in the skillet, oil side down with the rounded side towards the outside edge of the skillet. Brush the top side of each tortilla with about ½ teaspoon of oil. Cook for 1 minute or until golden brown on the bottom.
- Flip and cook – Use a spatula to carefully flip the quesadillas and continue to cook 1 to 2 minutes longer or until golden brown on the 2nd side.
- Rest – Transfer to a cutting board and let them rest while you cook the remaining quesadillas.
- Slice – Using a pizza cutter, slice each quesadilla into 3 wedges.
Valerie’s Tips for the Best Fajita Quesadillas
- Bite-Size Chicken – Instead of slicing the chicken into strips like you would for chicken fajitas, cut the meat into small, bite-size pieces that will stay put inside the tortillas once you slice them.
- Cheese Please! – Sandwich the chicken fajita filling between two layers of freshly shredded cheese. The cheese acts like a “glue” to help seal the tortilla around the filling.
- Fold-Over Technique – Use one tortilla per quesadilla and fold it over, as demonstrated in this post for the best result. If you try layering the ingredients on one tortilla and topping it with another, you’ll end up with floppy quesadillas that are not as sturdy.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the quesadillas on a platter with small bowls of sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.
Quesadillas are a perfect party snack for a game day party or a fun dinner anytime. Make them a meal with these recipes.
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup
- Stovetop Taco Soup
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Restaurant Style Mexican Rice
- Instant Pot Mexican Pinto Beans (or warmed black beans or refried beans)
- Blender Salsa
- Corn Guacamole
Storage and Reheating
Transfer leftover quesadillas to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a toaster oven (best for re-crisping) or in the microwave for an easy lunch.
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Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
These Chicken Fajita Quesadillas combine the smoky flavor of fajitas with the cheesy goodness of quesadillas. A fun, family-friendly meal that comes together one skillet in about 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite-size (½ to 1-inch) pieces
- 2 tablespoons Homemade Fajita Seasoning, or a store-bought blend
- 1 lime, halved and divided
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided (or as needed)
- 2 medium bell peppers, diced (about 2 cups) assorted colors
- ½ cup diced red onion, about ½ a medium onion
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced, optional
- 8 burrito size flour tortillas, 8-inch
- 1 ½ cups freshly shredded pepper Jack cheese
- 1 ½ cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, also good with Colby Jack
Optional For Serving
- Salsa, sour cream, guacamole
Instructions
- Place the bite-size pieces of chicken in a gallon size resealable food storage bag. Set aside
- In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon oil, the juice from half of the lime, and the fajita seasoning. Pour the mixture over the chicken in the bag and smoosh it around with your hands until the chicken is well coated. Press out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Refrigerate while you prepare the veggies.
- Dice the veggies as indicated in the ingredient list above.
- In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of oil over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bell peppers, onions, and jalapeno to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes more. Remove the skillet from the heat, squeeze the juice from the remaining half of the lime over the top of the chicken and veggies, and toss to combine. Transfer the chicken and veggies to a bowl and set aside.
- Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels.
- Place two tortillas on a cutting board or other work surface. On one-half of each tortilla (leave half the tortilla bare so you can fold it over), layer 3 tablespoons of the cheese, top with about ½ cup of the chicken and vegetable mixture, and sprinkle another 3 tablespoons of the cheese over the top. Fold the empty side of the tortilla over the filling so the tortillas are folded in half. Brush the top of each quesadilla with about ½ teaspoon of oil.
- Return the skillet to MEDIUM heat. Place 2 quesadillas in the skillet, oil side down with the rounded side towards the outside edge of the skillet. Brush the top side of each tortilla with about ½ teaspoon of oil. Cook for 1 minute or until golden brown on the bottom.
- Use a spatula to carefully flip the quesadillas and continue to cook 1 to 2 minutes longer or until golden brown on the 2nd side. Transfer to a cutting board and let them rest.
- Repeat with remaining quesadillas.
- Using a pizza cutter, slice each quesadilla into 3 wedges. Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.
Notes
This recipe makes 24 quesadilla wedges and the nutrition information was calculated based on a serving size of 4 wedges per person.
Nutrition
Serving: 4wedges | Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 806mg | Potassium: 495mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1874IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 482mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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