BBQ Chicken Quesadillas – Barefeet in the Kitchen

Crisp tortillas filled with saucy bbq chicken and melting cheese add up to these BBQ Chicken Quesadillas. They are a little bit spicy, awesomely cheesy, and they are a very popular lunch in our house.

BBQ Chicken Quesadilla

I am fairly certain that some of the most delicious dishes come from staring into the refrigerator looking for inspiration from leftovers. This was a very successful lunch quickly put together using leftovers from the refrigerator.

This isn’t a complicated meal at all, but it sure was delicious! I’m planning to BBQ some chicken this week, just to have it in the fridge for a couple of easy lunch quesadillas and enchiladas.

Quesadillas are a meal or a snack that once kids can safely use the stove, they can be taught to make. When teaching my boys I started with the skillet on fairly low, basically, let the cheese melt then I would turn up the heat to get it crispy.

I would also suggest a big spatula like my favorite one. A larger spatula makes flipping so much easier without the insides coming out everywhere. A fish spatula does the trick as well.

A recipe really isn’t necessary for quesadillas but it is helpful to have a short guide and inspire new flavor combinations. While there isn’t much traditional about this quesadilla one thing is for certain, be sure to go for a creamy cheese melt.

Combining mozzarella with cheddar or Colby jack gives a creamy melt with a bit of sharpness. And don’t forget to “spill” a little in the pan, those melty cheesy crispy bits are the cook’s snack!

How do you cut your quesadillas? Sometimes I use a big chef’s knife to cut them in one swoop. But I have found that a pizza cutter is even easier and a bit safer for kids too if they are the ones doing the cooking.

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

• flour tortillas
• Mozzarella, cheddar, Colby jack, or Pepper jack
• cooked chicken, chopped
•  barbecue sauce 

Chicken Quesadillas

1. In a medium size bowl, toss the chopped chicken with BBQ sauce. Place one tortilla in a hot skillet over medium-high heat. Layer half of the cheese, the shredded chicken, and the remaining chicken on top of the tortilla. Place the second tortilla on top and cook for a minute or two.
2. When the cheese is melting and the tortilla facing the skillet begins to brown, use a large spatula to carefully flip the tortilla over and cook on the second side for a few minutes.
3. When everything has melted together and the tortillas are golden and crisp, remove the quesadilla from the skillet and slice it into wedges. Serve warm.

Quesadilla Recipes

I’m hooked on these Whole Wheat Tortillas and am making quesadillas as frequently as possible. Some of our favorite combinations include:

Loaded Vegetable Quesadillas start with warm crisp tortillas layered with melting cheese and then filled with an abundance of vegetables. They’re absolutely irresistible for snacking or for a meal on their own.

{originally published 9/2/11 – recipe notes and photos updated 9/19/22}