Quesadillas Recipe
A flour tortilla stuffed with cheddar jack cheese and your choice of beef or chicken, grilled to perfection. Served with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, jalapeños, salsa and sour cream.
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Ingredients
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Quesadilla filling and tortillas
Toppings and garnishes (served on the side)
Method
Quesadilla filling and cooking
Prepare the protein (if not pre-cooked)
If using raw chicken or beef, cook it first: season 1 lb of boneless chicken breast or thinly sliced beef with 0.5 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp pepper, 0.5 tsp cumin and 0.5 tsp chili powder. Sear in 1 tbs oil over medium-high heat 4–6 minutes per side (chicken) until internal temp reaches 165°F/75°C, or until beef is browned and cooked through. Let rest 5 minutes, then shred or slice thinly. (If using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken or leftover beef, skip to next step.)
Assemble quesadillas
Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly brush one side of each tortilla with a thin layer of vegetable oil or melted butter. Place oily-side down on a cutting board. On the top (non-oiled) side, evenly sprinkle about 0.5 cup shredded cheddar-jack cheese per tortilla, then add about 0.5 cup cooked chicken (or beef) per tortilla, then another 0.25–0.5 cup cheese to help sealing. Fold each tortilla in half (or top with a second tortilla) to enclose the filling.
Cook quesadillas
Transfer the folded quesadilla to the preheated skillet, oiled-side down. Cook over medium heat 2–3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the tortilla is golden-brown and the cheese is melted. If using a lid for 30–60 seconds on the skillet it helps melt cheese evenly. Repeat with remaining quesadillas, adding up to 1 tbs oil to the pan if needed. Remove cooked quesadillas to a cutting board and let rest 1 minute, then cut each into 3–4 wedges.
Toppings and serving
Arrange shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and sliced jalapeños on a small platter or plate alongside the quesadilla wedges.
Serve each quesadilla with 2 tbs salsa and 2 tbs sour cream per person (or place the salsa and sour cream in small bowls for family-style service).
Optional: garnish with extra cheese, cilantro, or a squeeze of lime if desired.