These Pulled Chicken Quesadillas are a terrific, easy family-friendly meal that you can get on the table in a pinch! I layer my delicious Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken with colorful veggies and shredded cheese and toast them in a skillet until they're golden brown on the outside with melting, gooey cheese on the inside. Your whole family will love this quick and easy meal!
I'm a big believer in the "cook once, eat twice" philosophy. That basically means that I like to make a large batch recipe on days when I have some extra time and then use the leftovers in a variety of other dishes throughout the week. It's huge timesaver in the kitchen and helps guarantee that you'll be able to put nutritious meals on the table for your family, even on busy weeknights.
This week I decided to use my delicious leftover Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken to make these scrumptious Pulled Chicken Quesadillas. These quesadillas are a terrific family-friendly meal that you can get on the table in a pinch. You simply layer chicken, shredded cheese and any other desired toppings on tortillas. Then you toast them in a skillet until they're golden brown on the outside with melting, gooey cheese on the inside. Yum!
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Ingredients
- Olive oil- full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat
- Bell peppers- I like to use colorful bell peppers in this dish
- Yellow bell peppers in particular are especially high in Vitamin C- one large pepper contains 341 mg of Vitamin C, which is 569% of your recommended daily value!
- Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps to boost your immune system and ward off chronic disease like heart disease and arthritis. It's also vital for building and maintaining healthy skin, bones, cartilage and teeth.
- Since our bodies don't make Vitamin C or store it, it's important to get enough of it in your diet. - Red onion- I sauté the bell peppers and onion together to use in the filling
- Whole wheat wraps- I use whole wheat wraps instead of white flour tortillas to boost the nutrition in these quesadillas. Whole grains have high amounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are beneficial for your health. In fact, the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that at least half of the grains you consume should be whole grains. To learn more, read my post Everything You Need to Know About Whole Grains.
- Shredded cheese- I like to use reduced fat Mexican blend cheese but you can use other types of cheese like cheddar Monterey Jack
- Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken- the main ingredient in the filling is my delicious slow cooker pulled chicken. I like to make a large batch of it on the weekends and then use it to make dishes like these quesadillas throughout the week.
- Avocado- for the avocado crema to top the quesadillas. I like to use Haas avocados.
- Greek yogurt or sour cream- to mash with the avocado. Adds a boost of protein.
- Lime juice- for the avocado crema- adds acidity
- Cilantro- for the avocado crema- adds bright, fresh flavor; you can substitute parsley if you're not a fan of cilantro.
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
First, I sauté the peppers and onion in a skillet with olive oil. Then to assemble the quesadillas, place a wrap on a cutting board. Sprinkle some cheese over half of the wrap and then top with some pulled chicken, peppers, onions, and more cheese. Fold the wrap over.
Place the quesadillas in a skillet sprayed with olive oil. Cook a few minutes until golden brown, then flip. Cook another few minutes until toasted on the outside and cheese is melted on the inside.
Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve!
Chef's tips
- I like to make the quesadillas by putting the filling on half a tortilla and then folding it over rather than spreading the filling out on one tortilla and topping it with another tortilla. This makes it a lot easier to flip them in the skillet without everything falling out!
- I use my Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken recipe to make these quesadillas. For an easy short cut, you can mix shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken with jarred barbecue sauce instead.
- I use sautéed onions and bell peppers in these quesadillas to give them a fajitas vibe. However, you can substitute other vegetables like mushrooms, spinach or corn.
- If you have an air fryer, you can make these quesadillas in the air fryer! Place the quesadillas in an air fryer, brush lightly with oil, and cook 8 minutes at 350°F, flipping halfway through. If the tortillas start to rise up during cooking, push them down with a spatula.
What to serve with these quesadillas
I like to serve these Pulled Chicken Quesadillas with an Avocado Crema made with avocado, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), cilantro, and lime juice (see recipe card below). However, you can also serve them with your favorite salsa or other accompaniments. Try my easy Game Day Guacamole, Mango Avocado Salsa or Strawberry Jalapeño Salsa.
More tasty Tex-Mex recipes
- Air Fryer Quesadillas
- The Ultimate Chicken Quesadillas
- Sweet Potato and Kale Quesadillas
- Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili
- Ultimate Chilaquiles
- Beyond Meat Jalapeño Poppers
Did you try this recipe? If so, please leave a review below. I love hearing from you! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recipe
Pulled Chicken Quesadillas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper
- 4 whole wheat wraps
- 1 cup reduced fat Mexican blend shredded cheese
- 1 ⅓ cups pulled chicken
Avocado Crema:
- 1 medium Haas avocado, peeled and pitted
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium high heat and add the peppers and onions. Season the vegetables with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp tender, 3-4 minutes. Remove the vegetables and clean the skillet.
- To assemble the quesadillas, place a wrap on a cutting board or other flat surface. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over half of the wrap and then spread ⅓ cup chicken evenly over the cheese. Top the chicken with ¼ of the sautéed peppers and onions and then another 2 tablespoons cheese.
- Fold the wrap over to close. Repeat the process to make 3 more quesadillas.
- Spray the skillet with olive oil cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add two quesadillas to the skillet.
- Cook until golden brown, 3-4 minutes, then flip over. Cook another few minutes on the second side until the outside is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Remove the quesadillas from the pan and cook the remaining two. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Serve with avocado crema or other toppings of your choice. To make the avocado cream, mash the avocado, yogurt, lime juice, cilantro and salt together in a bowl until chunky.
plasterer bristol says
Yummy, they so good. Thanks for posting up this lovely recipe.
Simon
Tamil Nadu Gazette Name Change for Minor says
Thank you very much for such a lovely and informative post.
sonaliruder says
Thank you!