Chicken and Spinach Quesadilla (Print view)

Golden quesadilla filled with juicy chicken, tender spinach, and gooey mozzarella cheese—perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Heat through and remove from heat.
02 - Wipe skillet clean. Place a tortilla on a flat surface. Sprinkle ¼ of the cheese evenly over half the tortilla, then top with ¼ of the chicken-spinach mixture. Fold tortilla in half. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
03 - 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.
04 - Remove quesadillas from heat, let cool slightly, then cut each into wedges. Serve warm with accompaniments of choice.

# Expert Ideas:

01 -
  • It rescues leftovers and limp greens without tasting like leftovers at all.
  • The crispy, buttery exterior gives way to melted cheese and tender chicken that actually stays inside when you bite.
  • You can serve it to kids, guests, or yourself at midnight and no one will judge you.
  • It takes less time than ordering takeout and tastes better than anything that arrives in a bag.
02 -
  • Do not skip wiping the skillet between cooking the filling and grilling the quesadillas, or burnt spinach bits will stick to the tortilla.
  • Press down gently with the spatula while grilling to help the cheese melt and glue the layers together.
  • Let the quesadilla rest for at least 30 seconds before slicing or the filling will slide out onto your cutting board.
03 -
  • Use a nonstick or well seasoned cast iron skillet to prevent sticking and get an even golden crust.
  • Shred your own cheese instead of buying pre shredded, it melts smoother and tastes fresher.
  • Do not overfill the tortilla or it will be impossible to flip without losing half the filling.
  • Let the quesadilla sit for a moment after grilling so the cheese firms up just enough to hold everything together when you slice.
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