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I make chicken fajita quesadillas when I want fajita flavor without the effort. The seasoned chicken, peppers, and onions taste like they took work, but everything cooks in one skillet and folds into a crisp, cheesy tortilla.
I have made these for years, and they were always the one dinner my kids would all agree on. I cut the chicken, peppers, and onion small and all the same size, so every bite has a little of everything instead of one big strip of pepper taking over. Everyone can add or skip toppings without me building four different dinners.
This recipe came out of my two most-made Mexican dinners, my sheet pan chicken fajitas and my sheet pan quesadillas. I took the fajita filling and folded it into a crisp, cheesy quesadilla, and it has been in our regular dinner rotation ever since.
Tested & Perfected. I first published this recipe in February 2022 and retested it from scratch this year, with new photos to match. The recipe is even better now, and the change that matters most is how I season the chicken. I toss it with the fajita seasoning and let it sit before it cooks, so the flavor soaks into the meat instead of sitting on top.
Chicken Fajita Quesadilla Ingredients
- Fajita seasoning packet: One standard 1.4-ounce packet seasons the whole batch and keeps the flavor the same every time. If you would rather mix your own, about 3 tablespoons of a fajita or taco blend stands in for one packet. Any brand works.
- Chicken breast: Cut it into small bite-size pieces, not strips. The smaller pieces cook fast and spread evenly through the tortilla, so no bite is all chicken or all pepper. Boneless thighs work too if you cook them all the way through.
- Bell peppers: I use one red and one green for color and a little sweetness. Dice them about the same size as the chicken so everything folds in flat and the quesadilla cooks evenly.
- Fiesta blend cheese: This pre-shredded mix melts smooth and holds the filling together. Layer it both against the tortilla and over the chicken so it seals the whole thing shut as it melts.
- Burrito-size flour tortillas: Go with the large burrito size so there is room to fold without the filling spilling out. Smaller tortillas work if you want to stretch the recipe further.
How to Make Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
Step 1: Season the Chicken Add the bite-size chicken to a bowl and toss it with the fajita seasoning packet and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Set it aside while the pan heats so the seasoning soaks in.
Step 2: Cook the Chicken Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 10 to 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it is no longer pink, about 6 to 8 minutes, then move it to a bowl.
Step 3: Cook the Veggies Add the diced peppers and onion to the same skillet without wiping it out. Cook until the onion turns soft and clear and the peppers soften.
Step 4: Combine the Filling Add the chicken back to the skillet and stir it together with the vegetables. Once it is warmed through, move the whole filling back to the bowl.
Step 5: Build the Quesadilla Lower the heat to medium and add the last tablespoon of olive oil. Lay one tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle 3/4 cup cheese over half, and top with a quarter of the filling. Fold the empty half over.
Step 6: Cook Until Golden Cook until the bottom is golden brown, then flip and brown the other side, about 1 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining three tortillas.
Step 7: Slice and Serve Move each quesadilla to a cutting board and cut it into triangles with a knife or a pizza cutter. Serve them hot.
What I Serve With Them
I set these out with bowls of sour cream and salsa so everyone can dip. My easy guacamole and a batch of homemade salsa are what I reach for, and fresh pico or a squeeze of lime works too.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I make the chicken and veggie filling ahead sometimes and keep it in the fridge, then cook the quesadillas fresh when we are ready to eat. To reheat a cooked one, warm it in a dry skillet over medium until the cheese melts again and the outside crisps back up.
More Quesadilla Recipes
- Quesadilla in the Waffle Maker
- Cheeseburger Quesadillas
- Crockpot Queso Chicken Quesadillas
- Pizza Quesadillas
Chicken Fajita Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into small bite size pieces
- 1.4 ounce packet fajita seasoning
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (Divide 2 tablespoons for seasoning, 2 tablespoons cooking chicken breast and veggies, 1 tablespoon for tortilla shells)
- 1 red bell pepper washed, dried, deseeded and diced
- 1 green bell pepper washed, dried and deseeded and diced
- 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 4 large burrito size flour tortillas
- 3 cups shredded fiesta blend cheese
Instructions
- Add the chicken to a medium size bowl.1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Use tongs to toss the chicken breast, fajita seasoning and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Set it aside.1.4 ounce packet fajita seasoning, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a 10 to 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Saute the seasoned chicken breast until cooked through and no longer pink, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a heat proof bowl.
- Add the diced bell peppers and onion to the skillet and cook until the onion is opaque and the bell peppers are softened.1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- Re-add the cooked chicken and stir to combine. Once warmed, transfer back to the heat proof bowl.
- Lower the temperature to medium, and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet.1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Next place 1 tortilla to the skillet.4 large burrito size flour tortillas
- Sprinkle ¾ cup shredded fiesta blend cheese to half of the tortilla.2.25 cups shredded fiesta blend cheese
- Top the cheese with ¼ of the chicken and vegetable mixture.0.75 cups shredded fiesta blend cheese
- Fold the other half of the tortilla over the chicken and vegetables.
- Cook the tortilla until the bottom of the tortilla is golden brown, then flip over to brown the other side of the tortilla, about 1 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat the process for the remaining 3 tortillas.
- Transfer to a cutting board, and using a large kitchen knife, or pizza cutter to slice the quesadillas into 3 triangles. (You can also slice into 4 pieces) Serve while hot.
Jenn’s Notes
- Cook the moisture out of the vegetables before you build anything. Peppers and onions release a lot of water as they cook, and a wet filling means a soggy tortilla. Keep cooking until the pan looks dry, not watery, before you even think about assembling.
- Less filling than you think. A quarter of the filling per tortilla is all you need. Overstuffing prevents the cheese from sealing the edges properly, and the whole thing splits open and leaks the moment you try to flip it.
- Keep the heat at medium and leave it there. High heat browns the tortilla before the cheese has a chance to melt all the way through. Medium gives everything time to come together, a crispy outside and fully melted cheese all the way to the edges.
GREAT Jen🥰👍🏼♥️Thank You FOR Sharing 😊G-d♥️Bless❗️