Chicken and Spinach Quesadilla (Printable version)

Golden, crispy quesadilla with juicy chicken, tender spinach, and melted mozzarella cheese—a quick, satisfying meal.

# What You'll 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 additional olive oil for grilling

# How to Prepare:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
02 - Add spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Mix well and heat through. Transfer to a plate.
03 - Wipe skillet clean. Place a tortilla on a work surface. Sprinkle one-quarter of the cheese over half the tortilla, then top with one-quarter 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 brown and cheese is fully melted.
05 - Remove quesadillas from heat and let cool slightly. Cut each quesadilla into wedges. Serve warm with desired accompaniments.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in less time than it takes to decide on takeout, with ingredients you likely already have on hand.
  • The mozzarella melts into creamy, stretchy perfection that makes every wedge feel indulgent without any fuss.
  • You can sneak in greens without anyone noticing, and somehow everyone asks for seconds anyway.
02 -
  • Do not overfill your tortillas or they will burst open while flipping, and you will lose half your cheese to the pan.
  • Wipe the skillet clean between quesadillas to prevent burnt bits from sticking and creating bitter spots on the next one.
  • Let the quesadilla rest for 30 seconds after grilling so the cheese sets slightly and doesn't all slide out when you cut it.
03 -
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one because it distributes heat evenly and gives you the crispiest, most evenly browned tortilla every time.
  • Press down gently with a spatula while grilling to help the cheese melt faster and encourage those beautiful golden spots on the surface.
  • Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded because it melts smoother and tastes fresher without any anti-caking additives.
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