Chicken and Spinach Quesadilla (Printable Version)

Golden and crispy with juicy chicken, tender spinach, and melted mozzarella cheese. A satisfying 30-minute meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sautéing for 2 minutes until fragrant.
02 - Add spinach to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Heat through, then 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 and let cool slightly. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It takes less time than ordering takeout and tastes twice as good.
  • You can hide a serious amount of spinach in here without anyone noticing.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully in a dry skillet, staying crispy instead of soggy.
  • It's flexible enough to handle whatever cheese or protein you have on hand.
02 -
  • Don't skip wiping the skillet clean before grilling, leftover spinach bits will burn and make the tortilla taste bitter.
  • Keep the heat at medium, not high, or the outside will scorch before the cheese melts.
  • Let the quesadilla rest for a minute after cooking, cutting it immediately makes all the filling slide out.
03 -
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one, it distributes heat evenly and gives you the crispiest crust.
  • Shred your own cheese instead of buying pre shredded, it melts smoother and doesn't have the anti caking agents that can make it grainy.
  • Press down gently with a spatula while grilling to help the cheese melt faster and the tortilla brown evenly.
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