Chicken and Spinach Quesadilla (Printable Version)

Golden quesadilla with juicy chicken, tender spinach, and melted mozzarella cheese. A quick, satisfying 30-minute main dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
02 - 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
03 - 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 clove garlic, minced
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
09 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Assembly

10 - 4 large flour tortillas, 10-inch
11 - 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil, for grilling

# How to Prepare:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
02 - Add spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Heat through and remove from heat.
03 - Wipe skillet clean. Place a tortilla on a flat surface. Sprinkle ¼ of the cheese over half the tortilla, top with ¼ of the chicken-spinach mixture. Fold tortilla in half. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
04 - Heat ½ tablespoon butter or olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Grill each quesadilla for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and cheese is melted.
05 - Remove quesadillas and let cool slightly. Cut each into wedges and serve warm with desired accompaniments.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It takes less than half an hour from start to finish, even on your most chaotic evening.
  • You can tuck in whatever odds and ends are hiding in your crisper drawer.
  • The crispy, golden outside gives way to gooey cheese and tender filling every single time.
  • Kids actually eat their spinach without complaint when its melted into cheese.
02 -
  • Do not skip wiping out the skillet after cooking the filling, stray spinach bits will burn and make your tortillas taste bitter.
  • Medium heat is your friend, too high and the outside scorches before the cheese melts, too low and you end up with sad, pale tortillas.
  • Press gently with your spatula while grilling, it helps the cheese glue everything together without squishing out the filling.
03 -
  • Let your quesadillas rest for thirty seconds after grilling, it keeps the cheese from sliding out when you slice them.
  • If you are making multiple quesadillas, keep the finished ones warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.
  • A pizza cutter makes slicing through the crispy tortilla easier and cleaner than a knife.
Go Back