Chicken and Spinach Quesadilla (Printable)

Golden quesadilla with shredded chicken, fresh spinach, and melted mozzarella cheese. A quick, satisfying meal ready in just 30 minutes.

# 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 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. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika 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 and let cool slightly. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses up whatever cooked chicken you have sitting around without tasting like leftovers.
  • The spinach sneaks in some greens without anyone noticing or complaining.
  • You get that satisfying crunch on the outside and gooey melted cheese on the inside every single time.
  • It comes together in less time than it takes to order takeout and tastes better too.
02 -
  • Don't skip wiping the skillet clean after cooking the filling or the burnt spinach bits will stick to your quesadilla and make it taste bitter.
  • Use medium heat when grilling or the outside will burn before the cheese has a chance to melt properly.
  • Let the quesadilla rest for a minute before cutting or all the cheese will ooze out and you'll lose half the filling.
03 -
  • Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre shredded because it melts smoother and doesn't have that weird coating.
  • Press down gently on the quesadilla with your spatula while it cooks to help the cheese melt evenly and the edges seal.
  • If you're making multiple quesadillas, keep the finished ones warm in a low oven while you cook the rest so everyone eats at the same time.
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