This chicken fajita quesadilla is made with delicious Mexican-marinated chicken, the perfect melty cheese, and your favorite fajita vegetables. All the ingredients get folded into a flour tortilla and toasted on the griddle or in a skillet for an easy Mexican meal that the whole family will love!
We’ve made a bunch of different quesadilla recipes on the griddle, from chicken bacon ranch quesadillas to pizza quesadillas. But these classic chicken fajita quesadillas with grilled chicken, fajita-style peppers and onions, and melty quesadilla cheese are still one of our favorites!
This easy recipe merges the bold flavors of chicken fajitas with the irresistible comfort of a cheesy quesadilla. What’s not to love?
Ideal for weeknight dinners, weekend cookouts, or quick and easy lunches, this recipe is packed with flavor, uses simple techniques, and incorporates easy tips that will raise your quesadilla game to a whole new level.
Making Different Types of Chicken Quesadillas
Possibly the greatest thing about chicken quesadillas, besides the melty cheese and perfectly crispy tortilla, is the ability to customize the filling. You can use whatever cheese you like, add in salsa or guacamole, or load it with your favorite veggies. I’ve even been known to make my kids “clean out the fridge” chicken quesadillas with whatever random vegetables we have in our produce drawer.
And just because quesadillas are inherently a Mexican dish, you can experiment with different cuisines as well. Try an Italian chicken quesadilla with roasted red peppers, spinach, marinara sauce, mozzarella, and breaded chicken tenders for a chicken parmesan quesadilla. Or go with a BBQ quesadilla by adding barbecue sauce and shredded cheddar.
The possibilities are endless, and a griddle quesadilla is truly a great way to use up whatever leftovers you have in the fridge.
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs – The juicier, more flavorful cousin of the chicken breast, and my go-to for griddle cooking. You can definitely substitute breasts if you wish.
- Jalapeno juice – The juice from a jar of pickled jalapeños. This makes a wonderful chicken marinade, and I’ve even used it as an injectable marinade for smoked Mexican chicken. The brininess adds great flavor, but it’s not spicy.
- Fresh lime juice – Acidity for that bright, zippy flavor you want in fajitas.
- Mexican seasoning – I used my new Fiesta That All-Purpose Mexican Seasoning, but any taco or fajita seasoning will do.
- Oil – I prefer avocado oil, which does double duty in the marinade and to sauté the vegetables on the griddle.
- Cheese – Your cheese choice can make the difference between a good quesadilla and a great quesadilla! We like to use Oaxaca or Chihuahua. Some store-brand versions of these are actually labeled as “Quesadilla Cheese”. After making thousands (literally!) of quesadillas, I’ve found these two cheese varieties are the best for that melty cheese pull.
- Flour tortillas – For the best chicken fajita quesadilla, I recommend an extra large burrito-size flour tortilla. The larger size allows you to stuff it full of goodness!
- Onions and bell peppers – The staple veggies for fajitas. You can also add in slices of poblano for a more interesting flavor, or substitute mini sweet peppers for the green bell pepper for a bit of added color.
- Tomatoes – I like to add roma tomatoes to the fajita veggie mix, but you can easily omit them.
Marinating the Chicken
While most chicken fajita quesadilla recipes start off by cutting the chicken into small, bite-sized pieces, I find that marinating and cooking the chicken thighs or breasts whole first before slicing allows you to get a great crust on your chicken, and it helps to keep the chicken juicier. This is the same method that I swear by for steak fajitas.
Start by making sure that your chicken pieces are even in thickness so that they cook evenly on the griddle or in the skillet. Whether you use breasts or boneless skinless thighs, you’ll probably need to butterfly the chicken to create even pieces, or pound them out with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet.
*Chef’s Tip – If pounding out your chicken pieces, cover them with a piece of plastic wrap first to keep your mallet or skillet clean.
Then add the chicken to a large bowl or zip top bag with jalapeno juice, fresh lime juice, sliced onions, your favorite Mexican seasoning, and a splash of oil. Mix it all together, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2-4 hours to marinate.
How to Make the Best Chicken Fajita Quesadilla
We originally made this recipe on the griddle, but you can also cook it in a stovetop skillet. For skillet cooking, you’ll need to use multiple pans or cook the chicken and veggies in batches, transferring each component to a large bowl when it’s done cooking to make room for the next ingredients.
Step 1: Cook the chicken. Lay the marinated chicken down flat on the hot griddle, ensuring good contact so that you get a great crust. Let it sear for about 3-4 minutes on the first side, then flip to the second side and continue to cook. After flipping, I also topped the chicken with the sliced onions from the marinade. These caramelize as the chicken cooks and make everything taste richer. Cook the chicken until done, flipping as needed. Then transfer to a cutting board to rest.
*TIP – Cooking times for the chicken will vary based on the temperature of your griddle and the thickness of your chicken pieces. But for reference, my chicken took about 16 minutes to cook through. Always cook your poultry to the proper internal temperature (165°F), NOT to a specific time.
Step 2: Cook the fajita vegetables. While the chicken is resting, it’s veggie time. Add the peppers and onions to the griddle with a small bit of high-heat cooking oil. Season with salt and pepper or your favorite all-purpose seasoning. Sauté over medium until they’re just soft, then toss in the tomatoes at the last second so they stay bright and fresh.
*TIP – You can also cover the vegetables with a melting dome as they cook to help speed up the cooking time.
Step 3: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. After resting, cube the Mexican chicken into small bite-sized pieces. Remember if your chunks are too big, the chicken will fall out as you take bites. Smaller is better for the perfect quesadillas.
Step 4: Build the fajita quesadilla. Lay your flour tortilla out flat on the heated griddle. Then sprinkle the cheese evenly across the whole tortilla, top with chicken, sautéed veggies, and a little extra cheese. Cook laid open and flat until the cheese starts to melt, about 1-2 minutes.
*Chef’s Tip – Most people only put ingredients on half the tortilla and fold it immediately in half. However, if you cover the entire tortilla with cheese, chicken, and veggies, and cook flat for a few minutes to start, you’ll be able to fit a lot more ingredients inside for a loaded quesadilla, and the cheese will melt more quickly. This is how I make all of my quesadillas.
Step 5: Fold the tortilla to form a quesadilla and cook until done. After a few minutes, fold the tortilla in half to form a quesadilla. Cook on both sides until crispy and golden brown. Then transfer to a cutting board, allow to cool briefly, and slice into triangles to serve.
Quesadilla Toppings
These quesadillas are great served as is, but you can also top them with your favorite Mexican toppings like:
- sour cream
- guacamole
- avocado slices or guacamole
- salsa – You could even try a griddled tomatillo salsa verde!
- fresh pico de gallo
- hot sauce
- chopped fresh cilantro
- queso dip
Recipe Tips
- Let the chicken rest before slicing. This is crucial for the best juicy chicken.
- Cook veggies and chicken separately. This allows you to nail the texture of both, plus it buys you resting time for the chicken.
- Cook the quesadilla flat for the first few minutes. Lay the tortilla flat and cover the entire thing with cheese, chicken, and veggies. This allows you to fit more filling, and if you cook the assembled tortilla flat for a few minutes to start, your cheese will melt more quickly.
- Experiment with veggies and cheese. Add in some sliced poblano peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, or other veggies you have on hand. You can also add in shredded Monterrey Jack or pepper jack for a little kick of heat.
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Easy Chicken Fajita Quesadillas on the Griddle
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade:
- 6-7 boneless skinless chicken thighs about 2 pounds, excess fat trimmed off
- 12 oz can of pickled jalapeños, juice only from the can La Costena pickled jalapeños can is recommended
- juice of 1 lime
- ½ medium onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons Mexican all-purpose seasoning like Fiesta That Mexican All-Purpose Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil like avocado oil
For the Quesadillas:
- 1 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil like avocado oil
- 1 bell pepper thinly sliced
- ½ medium onion thinly sliced
- 1 roma tomato cut into small wedges
- salt and pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons butter
- 5 burrito-sized flour tortillas
- 2 cups quesadilla-style cheese like Oaxaca or Chihuahu
- 1 cup freshly grated pepper jack cheese
- sour cream, salsa, or guacamole for serving
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken thighs – Add the trimmed chicken thighs to a gallon size zip top bag. Pour in the juice from the can of pickled jalapeños. Add lime juice, onion slices, about 1 tablespoon of oil, and 2 tablespoons Mexican seasoning. Work the marinade around so the chicken is well-coated. Zip the bag up, removing any air from the bag, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.
- Heat griddle to medium-low to medium heat, about 375-400℉. Add about ½ tablespoon cooking oil and spread it into a thin layer with your spatula.
- Mix the quesadilla-style cheese and pepper jack cheese together in a bowl.
- Cook the Mexican chicken – Place the chicken thighs top side (smooth side) down on the oiled griddle. Cook untouched about 5-7 minutes on the first side, or until a nice crust develops. Then flip to the second side and cook an additional 5-7 minutes. After flipping, add the onions from the marinade to the chicken to cook as well. Continue to cook, flipping a few times so the chicken cooks evenly, until the internal temperature reaches 165℉. Then transfer chicken and onions to a cutting board to rest.
- Cook the fajita vegetables – Scrape the griddle surface clean. Then add about ½ tablespoon cooking oil and spread it around with your spatula. Add the sliced onions and bell peppers to the griddle. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté over medium until they’re just soft. When peppers and onions are almost done to your liking, add the sliced tomatoes to cook briefly. Then transfer veggies to a bowl.
- Cut chicken – After it's done resting, and while vegetables are cooking, cut the chicken into small bite-sized cubes.
- Scrape down the griddle to remove excess food residue to prepare for cooking the quesadillas.
- Build the chicken quesadilla – Add about ½ tablespoon butter to the heated griddle, and spread it around to the size of your tortilla. Lay your flour tortilla out flat on the buttered griddle. Sprinkle about ½ – ¾ cup cheese evenly across the whole tortilla, and top with about ⅕ of the chicken and sautéed veggies. Cook laid open and flat until the cheese starts to melt, about 1-2 minutes. Repeat for all the quesadillas.
- Fold the quesadilla and cook until done – After a few minutes, fold the tortillas in half to form quesadillas. Cook on both sides until crispy and golden brown. Then transfer to a cutting board to cool briefly.
- Slice and serve – Slice each quesadilla into 3-4 triangles. Serve immediately with sour cream, salsa, or your favorite quesadilla toppings.
Video
Notes
- For the bell peppers – Use whatever color bell peppers you like. I used the tri-color mini sweet peppers and also about half of a poblano pepper thinly sliced.
- For the quesadilla cheese – We like to use a blend of quesadilla-style melting cheese like Oaxaca or Chihuahua along with freshly grated pepper jack. Some store-brand versions of these cheeses are actually labeled as “Quesadilla Cheese”. Feel free to experiment with the cheese options.
- Assembling the quesadillas – Most people only put ingredients on half the tortilla and fold it immediately in half. However, if you cover the entire tortilla with cheese, chicken, and veggies, and cook flat for a few minutes to start, you’ll be able to fit a lot more ingredients inside for a loaded quesadilla, and the cheese will melt more quickly. This is how I make all of my quesadillas.
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