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Chicken Quesadilla

Chicken Quesadilla - Instant Pot, Stove Top

Jyoti Behrani
Easy, flavorful homemade Chicken Quesadilla. A perfect blend of chicken and veggies, makes this chicken quesadilla recipe the best!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 12 Quesadilla

Ingredients
  

INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN QUESADILLA

  • 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (2 pounds)
  • cup chicken broth
  • 12 medium (10-inch) flour tortilla
  • 2 cups grated cheese, as needed (Mexican blend, Monterrey Jack)
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 1 small green bell pepper, seeded, cut into strips
  • 1 small red bell pepper, seeded, cut into strips
  • 1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded, cut into strips
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 6 tablespoon olive oil, as needed for making quesadilla

FOR HOMEMADE TACO SEASONING

FOR SERVING

  • Pico de Gallo
  • sour cream

INGREDIENTS FOR PICO DE GALLO

  • 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow or red onion, chopped
  • handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, chopped, adjust to taste
  • 1 lemon
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

PREP FOR CHICKEN QUESADILLA

  • Trim the fat from the chicken thighs.
    Note: For chicken breasts, I prefer to keep chicken pieces thin, as these cook faster. Take 2 large chicken breasts, cut horizontally in halves, and then cut each piece into 2 to make 8 pieces.
  • In a shallow bowl, mix all the dry ingredients for the seasoning. Add olive oil, and mix well.
  • Add chicken to the seasoning mix, and coat both the sides of the chicken well with the seasoning. Keep the chicken aside for 10-15 minutes.
  • Slice the bell peppers and onions into thin strips.

INSTANT POT CHICKEN QUESADILLA

  • Turn ON Saute Mode (more). When it displays “HOT”, add a tablespoon of oil. Add sliced onions, and bell peppers, and saute for 2-3 minutes. Season with some salt and pepper. Remove sauteed onions, and bell pepper, keep them aside.
  • Add a tablespoon of oil. Sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side. Do not overcrowd the pot, work in batches. Remove the chicken and keep it aside. Finish with the remaining chicken pieces.
    Note: You don’t need to cook the chicken all the way through, it will get cooked once we pressure cook it. Only need to sear it, to get a nice crust, adds great flavor to the quesadilla!
  • Add chicken broth, and deglaze the pot. Add seared chicken back to the pot.
  • Turn OFF Saute mode. Close the Instant pot, vent on sealing position, and set it on Pressure cook (high) for 8 minutes.
    Note: For chicken breast, pressure cook (high) for 4 minutes.
  • Let it naturally release pressure, for around 5 minutes, and then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the lid, and remove the chicken pieces.
  • Shred the chicken using a fork, and return the shredded chicken to the pot.
  • Turn ON saute mode (high), and stir to coat the chicken in the remaining sauce. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the sauteed onions, and bell peppers, and stir to combine well. Turn OFF saute mode.

STOVETOP CHICKEN QUESADILLA

  • Heat a skillet or pan on medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil. Add sliced onions, and bell peppers, and saute for 2-3 minutes. Season with some salt and pepper. Remove sauteed onions, and bell pepper, keep them aside.
  • Add a tablespoon of oil. Sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side. Do not overcrowd the pan, work in batches. Remove the chicken and keep it aside. Finish with the remaining chicken pieces.
  • Add chicken broth, and deglaze the pan. Add seared chicken back to the pan. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid is almost evaporated. Remove the chicken pieces. Shred the chicken using a fork, and return the shredded chicken to the pan.
  • Add the sauteed onions, and bell peppers, and stir to combine well. Turn OFF the heat.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE CHICKEN QUESADILLA

  • Heat a skillet or griddle on medium-high heat. Grease the skillet with some oil. Place a flour tortilla in the skillet. The top half of the tortilla with a layer of cheese, chicken-pepper-onion mixture, and some more grated cheese.
  • Fold the other half of the tortilla over, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until golden.
    Note: I use a lid, to apply some weight evenly, for the extra crispy quesadilla. You can use the spatula as well.
  • Apply some oil on top of the tortilla, carefully flip the quesadilla to the other side, and cook until golden. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.
  • Slice the quesadilla into wedges, and serve with Pico de Gallo and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!!

HOW TO MAKE PICO DE GALLA

  • In a bowl, combine all the ingredients – chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, chopped jalapeno, and a handful of fresh cilantro. Squeeze fresh lemon juice, and salt to taste. Mix well to combine. Enjoy homemade Pico De Gallo!!

Notes

Use 2 tablespoons of store-bought TACO seasoning, instead of homemade seasoning. 
You can also use 2 large boneless, skinless, chicken breasts for this recipe.
Please use timing as a guideline. Depending upon the size of the chicken pieces, adjust the cooking time.
Please refer to the post for the following:
  1. PRO TIPS FOR BEST CHICKEN QUESADILLA
  2. VARIATIONS TO THIS CHICKEN QUESADILLA
  3. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

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