Chicken and cheese quesadillas

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook for about 4 minutes on each side, until cooked through and no pink juices remain.

Remove from the pan and dice into cubes. Set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and cook the onions and peppers for 4-5 minutes until softened. Remove and set aside.

Lightly oil a separate frying pan and lay a flour tortilla in the pan.

Sprinkle with 1/4 of the cheese, then 1/4 of the chicken and cooked peppers and onions.

Top with a second tortilla.

Cook until golden on the base, then turn over and continue cooking until the second side is golden.

Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.

Cut each chicken and cheese quesadilla into wedges and garnish with oregano and coriander.

Tips & tricks

• Try making your quesadillas in the air fryer. After checking the tortillas will fit, mist them with cooking oil and secure the tops and bottoms with toothpicks. Cook at 180˚C/350°F for 6-8 minutes.
• Serve your quesadillas with a tasty dip, anything from homemade salsa to ranch dressing.
• Leftover quesadillas can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Which cheese is best for quesadillas?

What you want for your quesadilla is a cheese that melts well, creating that gooey texture that makes the dish so moreish. Classic Mexican cheeses such as Oaxaca or Chihuahua are best, but if you can’t find those, Monterey Jack, Cheddar or mozzarella will do just as well.

Recipe variations

It’s the cheese that gives quesadillas both their name and delicious gooey texture, but there’s nothing stopping you from varying the other ingredients. How about swapping the chicken for spicy pulled pork or adding in some refried beans for a vegetarian alternative?

Other vegetarian variations include quesadillas with avocado and tomato or something more Mediterranean, like quesadillas with olives and goat’s cheese for a bit of bite.

This article was updated on 04/12/2022.