BBQ Chicken Quesadilla
What is better than a crispy tortilla loaded with tender chicken and tons of cheese? The addition of BBQ sauce and bacon of course! This BBQ Chicken Quesadilla is a quick and easy meal everyone will love!
Quesadillas, tacos, and burritos are the perfect food. You really can’t mess them up, can you? Simply gather your favorite mix of ingredients, stuff it in a tortilla, and dinner is served! My go-to meal for busy weeknights is chicken quesadillas. We always have some leftover chicken, sometimes it is grilled, shredded, roasted, or even leftover chicken tenders. Simply take the chicken, add cheese and your favorite add-ins and you have a meal even your pickiest eater will love.
Today I’m sharing a fun twist on a regular chicken quesadilla. The addition of BBQ sauce, red onion, cilantro, and bacon takes this dish to an entirely new level. Below you will find the ultimate guide to making the best chicken quesadilla!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Quesadilla
This is a simple meal that hits all the right notes! These quesadillas are the perfect blend of smokey BBQ flavor and cheesy goodness! To make the perfect chicken quesadilla you will need:
- Tortilla: you can use regular, almond, gluten-free or low-carb tortillas in this recipe.
- Chicken: any variety will do! See the notes below for more specific suggestions.
- BBQ Sauce: use your favorite variety. If you are low-carb or keto use a sugar-free variety.
- Bacon: cooked, crumbled bacon is needed. This can be store-bought or homemade.
- Cheese: shredded gouda cheese, but another variety such as sharp cheddar or colby-jack works as well.
- Red onion and Cilantro: these are optional ingredients but add a great kick!
How to make BBQ Chicken Quesadillas
In addition to the ingredients listed above you will need a large skillet. It is also handy to have a cutting board and a good sharp knife. To make the best crispy quesadilla follow the tutorial below:
Layer Ingredients
Lay the tortilla of your choosing on a flat surface so you can easily slide it into the skillet. Spread the BBQ sauce on half of the tortilla. Top the tortilla with shredded gouda cheese. Next, add the cooked chicken, bacon, finely chopped red onion, and cilantro. Be mindful not to spread the ingredients too close to the edge, otherwise, they will spill out as the dish cooks.
Cook until Crispy
Heat a large skillet to medium heat. When the skillet is nice and hot add a bit of butter to the skillet and carefully slide the tortilla into the hot skillet. Cook the tortilla open for 2-3 minutes until the bottom side of the tortilla begins to brown and the cheese has melted. Then carefully fold one side of the tortilla over the chicken side of the tortilla. Cook until the tortilla is crispy and brown enough for your liking.
What kind of chicken should I use?
This is the best part, any chicken will do! For the best results use a well-seasoned, cooked piece of chicken. I love this grilled chicken, we make it all the time and it is excellent in this dish. Some other options are:
- Rotisserie Chicken: grab a seasoned, cooked rotisserie chicken from the store for the ultimate shortcut.
- Roast Chicken: we often make roast chicken on Sundays, meaning we use the leftovers on Monday in this recipe!
- Breaded Chicken: this can be a homemade chicken tender or your favorite frozen variety.
- Shredded Chicken: allow the slow cooker to do the work for you
How do you keep quesadillas from getting soggy?
The trick to keeping quesadillas from getting soggy is to make sure you don’t overload them with wet ingredients. This is why I suggest a minimal amount of BBQ sauce spread on the tortilla instead of tossing the chicken in the sauce. This is enough to give great flavor without compromising the texture of the whole dish. Remember, you can always dip your quesadilla in the sauce as you eat!
Another tip is to place the cooked quesadillas on a wire rack instead of a plate, this prevents any moisture from building up under the hot tortilla.
STORAGE:
- Make sure it’s fully cooled before putting it in the fridge. You don’t want to create any condensation that could make the wrap soggy.
- Store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
- You can also add a small piece of paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.
- When you’re ready to eat it, simply unwrap it and enjoy! It’s a great option for a quick and easy lunch or dinner.
Other Chicken Wraps
- Taco Bell Copycat Quesadilla: that is right! The cult favorite can be made right at home!
- Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps: this is an affordable, easy recipe that is even better than the restaurant version!
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Lettuce Wraps: a crisp lettuce wrap is always refreshing!
- Thai Chicken Wraps: a collard leaf is used to make a low-carb tortilla.
- Chicken Taquitos: homemade and super crispy!
BBQ Chicken Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 1 large, burrito-sized flour tortilla low carb or gluten free tortillas work as well
- 1/2 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 2 tablespoons BBQ Sauce recipe in Notes
- 1/3 cup shredded Gouda
- 2/3 cooked, sliced chicken see notes for suggestions
- 2 tablespoons cooked bacon chopped
- 1 tablespoon each red onion and cilantro optional
Instructions
- Spread the BBQ sauce evenly over half of the tortilla, leaving a little space around the edge so that it doesn't spill out during cooking. Sprinkle cheese over the sauce, then place the chicken and bacon on half the tortilla in a single layer. On the other side of the tortilla add the red onion and cilantro.
- Melt butter in a large skillet on medium heat, then add the prepared tortilla. Allow it to cook for 3-4 minutes. Once it's golden brown, flip the meatless side over to cover the chicken. Flip and cook until both sides are perfectly toasted to a beautiful golden brown.
