Description
This recipe recreates the iconic fast-food chicken quesadilla with a creamy jalapeño stripe sauce, featuring crispy edges and a creamy, spicy center. It’s a simple, delicious, and budget-friendly alternative for a family-friendly weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 8 large (10-inch) flour tortillas
- 2 cups Mexican cheese blend
- 2 Tbsp butter or oil
- 0.5 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp pickled jalapeños, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp jalapeño pickling liquid
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 0.5 tsp cumin
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.25 tsp onion powder
- 0.25 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Prep Chicken & Sauce: Shred 2 cups cooked chicken breast. Whisk together all Creamy Jalapeño Stripe sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust spice if needed.
- Assemble Quesadilla: Lay one large (10-inch) flour tortilla flat. Spread a thin layer of Creamy Jalapeño Stripe sauce over one half of the tortilla. Sprinkle 0.5 cup Mexican cheese blend evenly over the sauce, then layer with 0.25 cup shredded chicken. Top with a bit more cheese. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filling, pressing gently.
- Cook Quesadilla: Heat a 10-inch non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat (about 300F/150C) with 1 tablespoon of butter or oil. Carefully place the folded quesadilla in the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until the tortilla is deeply golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is melted and gooey.
Notes
(Troubleshooting: To avoid a soggy quesadilla, dont overfill and use medium heat. If cheese isnt melting, cover the pan briefly. Adjust sauce spice by adding more jalapeño, sugar, or lime juice. (Dietary Variations: Use low-carb tortillas for low-carb, black beans or mushrooms for vegetarian, and dairy-free cheese/mayo for dairy-free.)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 quesadilla
- Calories: 560 calories
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
Keywords: taco bell chicken quesadilla, creamy jalapeño stripe, homemade, easy dinner, weeknight meal, family-friendly, fast food copycat, quesadilla, chicken