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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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!