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Quick and Easy Chicken Vegetable Quesadillas
This has got to be one of the easiest dinners I can make, especially if I already have chicken cooked from a previous night available.
Tortillas, cheese, and chicken are the basics. How much easier could it be?!
Then I like to fill my quesadilla, or get my husband to fill my quesadilla (lol), with tons of fresh cut vegetables and maybe a little bit of chicken.
We use shredded mozzarella because white cheeses are much healthier, and have a lower fat content, than their yellow and orange counterparts.
They also create a lot less grease.
We don't use butter in our pan because not using butter also lowers the grease and the fat content of our meal.
Feel free to use wheat, white, gluten-free, or even spinach tortillas for your quesadillas. Make them vegetarian or pack them full of cheddar cheese and meat.
You can make these just about any way you want, but first we have to cover how to make the basic version. Let's get on it!
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 2 regular tortillas, any flavor, (for each quesadilla)
- 1 medium chicken breast, or other kind of meat
- 1 cup shredded cheese, any flavor, (for each quesadilla)
- (optional) choice in veggies
Instructions
- Start by thawing your chicken. I thaw mine in the microwave on defrost for 1 pound of poultry.
- My husband likes to thaw his chicken in the sink with room temperature water for several hours, but you can also thaw your chicken in the refrigerator overnight to be safe.
- Set your thawed chicken breast in a skillet, cover, and cook over medium heat.
- Cook each side of your chicken breast for about 5 minutes until brown.
- Flip when the bottom is brown.
- When the other side is brown, lower your stove temperature to low and cook for another 10 minutes or so, until your chicken breast is thoroughly cooked.
- TIP: Cook several chicken breasts at the same time and either place in the refrigerator or freezer in sandwich bags so that they are ready when you need them for the next meal.
- While your chicken breast is cooking, you'll want to slice any veggies you would like to use very thin.
- When your chicken breast is done, place it on your cutting board.
- With two forks, shred your chicken breast completely.
- Place your shredded chicken in a bowl on the side and season it with an all-purpose seasoning.
- I use Harley's BBQ Seasoning. It's an all-purpose seasoning I picked up in Texas. You can easily order it online. We use it on just about everything!
- Set any veggies you are using either in a separate bowl, or on top of your chicken. Bring both bowls close to the stove to have easy access.
- Clean, gently spray and set out your skillet that you used for your chicken back on the stove.
- Set your stove temperature to medium and lay out one tortilla in it.
- Sprinkle half a cup or so of your shredded cheese onto your tortilla.
- Next, lay out your sliced veggies evenly across the cheese on your tortilla.
- Finally spread your chosen amount of shredded chicken on top. I don't like much chicken on mine. My husband likes tons of chicken on his!
- Spread another half a cup of cheese on top so that the melted cheese will seal both sides of your quesadilla together when cooked.
- Finally, lay a second tortilla on top.
- You'll want to cook it until your bottom tortilla is brown and the cheese on that side is melted.
- Flip your filled quesadilla carefully so the fillings won't fall out.
- Cook, pressing down on your top tortilla, until both sides are brown and all of your cheese is thoroughly melted together.
- Slide it onto a plate and cut it into pieces. Feel free to start cooking another one for each other member of your household.
- We like topping our quesadillas in a variety of different toppings like guacamole, sour cream, salsa, or even cheese.
- We had just made our guacamole so that's what went on top!
- Yummy! Yummy!
Nutritional Information
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 quesadilla | |
| Calories | 528 |
| Calories from Fat | 243 |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Fat 27 g | 42% |
| Saturated fat 11 g | 55% |
| Unsaturated fat 15 g | |
| Carbohydrates 43 g | 14% |
| Sugar 3 g | |
| Fiber 3 g | 12% |
| Protein 27 g | 54% |
| Cholesterol 67 mg | 22% |
| Sodium 1341 mg | 56% |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Personal Review
I love that these can be changed up by simply using different cheeses, different flavored tortillas, different fillings, and even different toppings.
In one meal both my husband and I can have a completely different meal. In fact, in this dish, my husband chose not to include any veggies in his quesadilla. He never does!!
I love veggies though! If had other veggies on hand, I would have tossed in some mushrooms and chopped tomatoes as well. Yum!
This is also a super kid-friendly meal. Your kids will delight in making their own unique quesadillas for dinner. This is one of those nights they truly can have whatever they want for dinner!
Not a meat person? Try out my Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas for a real treat!
Whether you are a vegetarian or not, these babies are truly amazing! You can also switch out the chicken for shredded meat, hamburger, pork, shrimp, or anything else for your own unique quesadilla.
Have fun! Be creative! And good luck!
Quick Poll
What is your favorite quesadilla topping?
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© 2014 Victoria Van Ness
