You guys. I didn’t know if anything could ever top my love for a classic black bean quesadilla, but we now have a very strong contender! These Ultimate Chicken Quesadillas are packed with tender chicken pieces, creamy cheddar, spicy jalapeños, black beans, cilantro, and red onion and drenched in the tangy goodness of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce. I think they’re simply incredible, and I hope you do, too!
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
“I swear this recipe has saved my life sometimes. It is my absolute go to for when I don’t have the energy to cook – it’s so fast and easy and flavorful.
Brea
Easy to prep: just mixing a bowl of the filling, and then for several evenings I’ll have dinner ready in a handful of minutes.
It hits that perfect sweet spot between low effort and high reward.”
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe for chicken quesadillas:
- Cooked Chicken: Any pre-cooked chicken will work for these chicken quesadillas. I used one boneless, skinless chicken breast that I cooked on my countertop grill. You could also use one breast from a rotisserie chicken, leftover grilled chicken, or my slow cooker BBQ chicken! Just aim for about 1.5 cups of cooked chicken in total.
- Black Beans: I drain a can of black beans and mix it with the chopped chicken. This bulks out the quesadillas for pennies and adds extra fiber and protein to boot.
- Red Onion: Adds a little crunch and flavor.
- Jalapeño: I deseed and dice 1 jalapeño and add it to the mix. You can use pickled sliced jalapeños if you prefer, or omit them entirely if you don’t like spicy food.
- Cilantro: Adds freshness, flavor, and color, but you can skip it if you’re not a fan.
- Cheddar Cheese: Shredded cheddar acts like the glue that holds everything together. It melts in the skillet and helps the fillings stay in place. I use cheddar because I always keep it on hand, but I’ve shared other cheese options below.
- BBQ Sauce: Adds a saucy, tangy, and slightly sweet element to the filling. I love Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce, but you can use any brand or flavor of your choice. However, keep in mind different flavor profiles may change the overall taste of the quesadillas, so choose a sauce you enjoy.
- Flour Tortillas: I highly recommend using flour tortillas as they’re flexible enough to fold and crisp up nicely in a skillet. I use 7-inch tortillas whenever I make this recipe.
- Seasonings: Chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt add a slight kick and make these quesadillas even more flavorful. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your liking!
Flexible Filling Ingredients
I love how flexible this recipe is. If you’re not into black beans, just double the chicken. Not into chicken (or want a vegetarian version), double the black beans. My hearty black bean quesadillas (which are a reader favorite!) also include frozen corn. Or maybe the jalapeños are too hot, or the cilantro tastes like soap to you? Either one of them can be skipped, and you’ll still have a really rockin’ quesadilla. Want to try something fun? Add some crushed (and well-drained) pineapple!
What Type of Cheese Is Best for Quesadillas?
I usually go for shredded cheddar cheese whenever I make this chicken quesadillas recipe because 1) I almost always have it on hand, and 2) it melts well and tastes AMAZING paired with BBQ sauce. But, really, any melty cheese will work in this recipe. Some other options include:
- Monterey jack
- Pepper jack
- Mozzarella
- Colby-Jack
- Queso Oaxaca
Budget-Friendly Tips!
- Skip the chicken, and add more black beans. The two most expensive ingredients in this recipe are the chicken and the cheese. The cheese is vital for the quesadillas to hold together, but you can definitely cut down on the chicken or skip it altogether and use more black beans! Canned beans are very budget-friendly and add a good amount of protein on their own.
- Go for dried black beans. I like the convenience of canned beans, but if you have the time and want to save a little more money, use dried beans instead. You’ll need to soak and cook them beforehand until they resemble the canned beans. This takes some extra planning, but buying a big bag of dried beans can save you money in the long run.
- Cut the ingredients list in half. This recipe makes 5 servings of 2 chicken quesadillas per person. But you can absolutely reduce the ingredients by half and serve 1 quesadilla per person rather than 2. The chicken, beans, and tortilla are pretty filling, so this smaller portion size will still leave you satisfied—especially if you add a super cheap side dish. I’d go for a simple side of rice or a salad, using up whatever produce is in your fridge already.
Storage and Reheating
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days and reheated in a skillet until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. However, keep in mind the more times you reheat chicken, the drier it may become (and we’ve already reheated the cooked chicken once, just by making the recipe!).
I much prefer meal-prepping this chicken quesadilla recipe over reheating leftovers. Mix the filling ingredients and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days (depending on how fresh your ingredients are to begin with). When ready to eat, fill your tortillas and cook as per the recipe! You can also assemble them, but instead of cooking, layer them between parchment paper, place them in a freezer bag, and freeze for 2-3 months. To reheat, warm the frozen quesadillas in a skillet over medium-low, flipping occasionally until they’re heated through and the cheese is melted.
Ultimate Chicken Quesadillas Recipe
Servings 5 2 quesadillas eachIngredients
- 1.5 cups chopped cooked chicken ($1.33)
- 1 15oz. can black beans, drained ($0.94)
- 1/4 red onion ($0.24)
- 1 jalapeño ($0.24)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro ($0.25)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar (4.42)
- 1 tsp chili powder ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.10)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.01)
- 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce ($0.40)
- 10 7-inch flour tortillas ($1.98)
Instructions
- Add the chopped chicken and drained black beans to a large bowl. Finely dice the red onion. Remove the seeds from the jalapeño, then finely dice. Pull the cilantro leaves from their stems and roughly chop. Add the onion, jalapeño, cilantro, shredded cheddar, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and BBQ sauce to the bowl with the chicken and beans. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
- Place about 1/3 cup of the BBQ chicken mixture on each tortilla and spread it evenly over one half of the surface. Fold the tortilla closed. Cook the filled and folded tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, until the outside is brown and crispy, the filling has heated through, and the cheese has melted. Cut each quesadilla in half and serve.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Video
How to Make Chicken Quesadillas – Step by Step Photos
Begin by chopping about 1.5 cups of cooked chicken into small pieces. You can use grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even chicken that has simply been cooked in a skillet.
Finely dice 1/4 of a red onion. Remove the seeds from one jalapeño and also finely dice. Pull the leaves from the stems of about 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, and roughly chop them. Shred 2 cups of cheddar (if not already shredded).
Add the chopped chicken, one 15oz. can of black beans (drained), prepared red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and cheddar to a large bowl.
Add 1/2 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, and 1/4 salt to the bowl.
Stir until everything is well combined and coated in BBQ sauce.
Place about 1/3 cup of the BBQ chicken filling on each 7-inch flour tortilla and spread it over one side. Fold the tortillas closed.
Cook the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until they are brown and crispy on the outside, heated through, and the cheese is melted.
Slice each Ultimate BBQ Chicken Quesadilla in half and serve!
Serious flavor bomb!!
This is one I keep coming back to. So flavorful!
It is amazing how delicious these can be with so little effort—can’t recommend enough! When I ate meat I made the recipe as written, and now that I’m cutting down on meat, I substitute a can of pinto beans for the chicken. So good!
I swear this recipe has saved my life sometimes. It is my absolute go to for when I don’t have the energy to cook – it’s so fast and easy and flavorful.
Easy to prep: just mixing a bowl of the filling, and then for several evenings I’ll have dinner ready in a handful of minutes.
It hits that perfect sweet spot between low effort and high reward.
I cannot stop raving about these. Husband doesn’t like bbq sauce, so we did 1/4 cup just in the mix and none on the tortillas. We buttered the tortillas before cooking and used two 7 in tortillas per quesadilla (so no folding) . Amazing.
Fabulous! Needs a bit more cheese, but my family is super pumped! Love
I love this recipe. I have made it with chicken, but last time I made it I was batch cooking and accidentally added beef to the pan I cooked the onions in. I rolled with it and made this recipe with beef and it was just as good!
An easy crowd pleaser. Husband and kid-approved