Chicken and Spinach Quesadilla (Printable Version)

Golden-brown quesadilla with shredded chicken, wilted spinach, and melted mozzarella cheese. Ready in just 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
02 - 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
03 - 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 clove garlic, minced
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
09 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Assembly

10 - 4 large flour tortillas, 10-inch
11 - 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil for grilling

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
02 - Add spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Stir to combine and heat through. Remove from heat.
03 - Wipe skillet clean. Place a tortilla on a flat surface. Sprinkle ¼ of the cheese evenly over half the tortilla, then top with ¼ of the chicken-spinach mixture. Fold tortilla in half. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
04 - Heat ½ tablespoon butter or olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Grill each quesadilla for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and cheese is melted.
05 - Remove quesadillas from skillet, let cool slightly, then cut each into wedges. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can have dinner on the table before anyone starts complaining.
  • The mozzarella melts into creamy pockets that pull apart with every bite, making even picky eaters happy.
  • It's endlessly adaptable so you can use whatever you have on hand and still end up with something delicious.
02 -
  • Don't skip wiping the skillet clean before assembling, leftover bits of spinach or garlic can burn and make your quesadilla taste bitter.
  • Use medium heat, not high, or the tortilla will scorch before the cheese melts and you'll end up with a sad, crunchy shell around cold filling.
  • Let the quesadilla rest for a minute after cooking so the cheese sets slightly and doesn't ooze out everywhere when you cut it.
03 -
  • Shred your own cheese from a block instead of using pre-shredded, it melts smoother and doesn't have the anti-caking agents that can make it grainy.
  • If your tortillas are a little stiff, warm them in the microwave for ten seconds wrapped in a damp paper towel so they fold without tearing.
  • Press down gently on the quesadilla with your spatula while it cooks to help the cheese melt evenly and the layers stick together.
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