Last Updated on July 22, 2026 by Carrie Korem, FNTP
These is the best chicken quesadillas recipe I’ve ever had! The recipe has been a family favorite for over 20 years. They’re flavorful, filling, and easy to whip up for any meal.
Ingredients
- Skinless chicken breasts
- Limes
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Garlic powder
- Black beans, drained and rinsed
- Garlic powder
- Sea salt
- Cheddar cheese, grated
- Monterey Jack cheese, grated
- Cilantro
- 8 gluten free, sourdough or grain-free tortillas
How to season chicken for quesadillas
My favorite way to season the chicken is to marinate it. My classic marinade of olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar and garlic powder is my family’s all-time favorite combination. A marinade creates loads of flavor inside the chicken and then you avoid any seasoning on the outside burning or becoming crispy.
How to Make Chicken Quesadillas
Marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, mix the lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and toss until it’s well coated. Let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Grill or broil the chicken for 4 minutes on each side. You’ll know it’s done when a thermometer reads 160°F in the thickest part. Tent it with foil and let it rest, then shred it once it’s cool enough to handle.
Tip: You can shred the chicken up to two days ahead and keep it in the fridge, or freeze it in a covered container for up to 3 months.
Mix the beans. In a medium bowl, stir together the beans, lime juice, garlic powder and salt.
Mix the cheese. In a large bowl, toss the cheeses with lime juice and cilantro.
Assemble the quesadillas. Lay 4 tortillas on your work surface. Spread a thin layer of beans on each one, sprinkle with cheese, then top with shredded chicken. Keep the cheese a bit away from the edges so it doesn’t ooze out while cooking. Top each one with a second tortilla.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add one quesadilla and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip and cook the other side until golden and the cheese is melted. Serve with salsa or a big dollop of guacamole.
What to serve with chicken quesadillas
Fermented Salsa
Homemade Guacamole
Sour Cream – my favorite brands are Kalona and Green Valley
Watermelon Salad
Mexican Rice
The Best Chicken Quesadillas Recipe
The beauty of this recipe is that you can make the beans and grilled chicken a couple of days ahead of time and store in the fridge. Then, when you’re ready to make quesadillas, combine the cheeses and assemble! You can also completely assemble the quesadillas, store in the fridge for the day and then pull them out when you’re ready to put them on the skillet!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes plus time for chicken to cool
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish
- Diet: Gluten-Free
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, about 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp granulated garlic powder
For the beans (you can make this ahead of time and store in the fridge):
- 1 (13 ounce) jar Jovial black beans, drained and rinsed (I like this brand because the beans are soaked before cooking, but you can use whatever brand you’d like)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
For the Quesadillas:
- 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 8 gluten free, sourdough or grain-free tortillas
Instructions
Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, and garlic then toss until the chicken is well coated. Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour. Grill or broil chicken for 4 minutes on each side, or until a thermometer reads 160°F (70°C) when inserted into thickest part of the breast. Tent with foil.
Shred the chicken when it’s cool enough to handle. (Shredded chicken can be prepared a day or two in advance and kept in the refrigerator, or store the cooked and shredded breasts in a covered container in the freezer for up to 3 months.)
Place the drained beans, lime juice, garlic powder and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. You can also use a potato masher and do this by hand.
Toss the cheeses, lime juice and cilantro in large bowl.
To assemble: Place 4 of the tortillas on a flat work surface. Spread a thin layer of beans on each tortilla, sprinkle with cheese and top with shredded chicken. Make sure not to put the cheese too close to the outside of the tortillas to prevent it from oozing out. Complete the assembly by placing a tortilla on top of each quesadilla.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place 1 quesadilla in the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip quesadilla and cook until bottom is golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve alone or with some salsa or a generous dollop of guacamole.
