BBQ Chicken Quesadillas Recipe

This recipe is one of our favorites and we enjoy it for school lunch, easy summer meals or any time of year. It is so good that we love to eat it all the time. This recipe is a must try.

Quesadillas make a quick and easy meal for a busy weeknight. Try these other variations – Chicken Fajita Quesadillas Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Quesadilla, and Cheeseburger Quesadillas.

Why This Recipe Works

If you need an easy recipe, try making these BBQ chicken quesadillas. The kids are going to love it. No one will even realize they they are eating leftovers. I love when I can cook once and eat twice.

The kids ask for this all the time in their lunch box and it is a nice change from sandwiches all the time.

Ingredients

• Cooked Shredded Chicken Breast– You can use leftover cooked chicken or a Rotisserie Chicken would work great too.
• Barbecue Sauce – Use your favorite kind or try this easy homemade BBQ Sauce.
• Large Flour Tortillas – We typically buy the Burrito Size. But any size will do. They are even good with the low carb flour tortillas.
• Monterey Jack Cheese – Any cheese blend would work great. We like to mix cheeses.  

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.

Variations Ideas

• Cheese – Any cheese will work. Pepper jack cheese and Colby make good substitutes.
• Beans – Black beans or even pinto beans taste amazing.
• Veggies – Corn, spinach, red onion, bell pepper, etc make great add ins.
• Rice – We keep rice in the freezer and it is so handy to add to recipes like this. It is also a great way to stretch the meat. Learn How to Freeze Rice with these simple steps.
• Pico de gallo – top the chicken with this. Yum!
• Sour cream – I like to put a little bit of sour cream all over the chicken mixture.
• Taco Seasoning – Mix the chicken with some taco seasoning instead.

How to Make Chicken Quesadillas

• Step 1 – Cut the chicken into small pieces. You can dice or shred it.

• Step 2 – Add the bbq sauce and combine it with the chicken. Stir this together and set aside.

• Step 3 – Get your skillet ready and spray with cooking spray or use olive oil. I actually like to use a griddle so I can do several at once. If you have a big family like I do, this is so handy and goes much faster.

• Step 4 – Put one of the flour tortillas down and add the chicken mixture, chopped green onion and both types of shredded cheese on one side. Fold the tortilla over so that it makes a half moon shape.

• Step 5 – Finally, cook the quesadillas for a few minutes on each side until the tortillas are golden browned and the cheese is melted. Keep repeating the process until you have made all the quesadillas. Let them cool and slice. Enjoy!

Expert Tips

• Change Meat – If you have leftover Grilled Chicken, Steak or Shredded Pork, this recipe would work great.
• Cook Chicken – It is easy to cook chicken to use on multiple recipes. We do Crock Pot Shredded Chicken all the time for an easy meal option. If you are short on time and have an Instant Pot, Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is the best on cooking chicken fast.
• Leftover Chicken – Need some ideas on how to use your leftover chicken. Try these 10 Leftover Grilled Chicken Recipes for easy recipes.
• Shredding Chicken – To easily shred chicken for this recipe, learn How to Shred Chicken with a Mixer.

What Type of Chicken to Use

• Use leftover Rotisserie chicken– Shred and use for this easy recipe.
• BBQ Chicken – Cook this one night for dinner and use leftovers for quesadillas the next day. Since this chicken already has BBQ sauce, you can omit that in the recipe unless you just want extra or need some for dipping.
• We love BBQ Ranch Grilled Chicken – Try using this for ranch flavor the combination of the ranch and BBQ sauce is so good.

Serving Suggestions

We love having quesadillas. They are great for lunch, a quick snack or a dinner. If serving as a dinner, I usually add one of these sides to complete the meal.

•  Spanish Rice
• Cilantro Lime Rice

See What to serve with Quesadillas for more ideas.

Easy Lunchbox Idea for Kids

This is so easy to pack for school lunches. My kids love when they get quesadillas in their lunches. Try these tips:

• Easy lunchbox containers– we love these bento style boxes.
• BBQ sauce for dipping (optional) – If your children don’t need extra sauce for dipping, just omit this step.
• Add Fresh fruit for an easy side – We did watermelon but any kind will do. Grapes are also a favorite around here.
• A Simple Side – we did Gold Fish Crackers, but you could do chips, more fruit, carrots, or pretzels or even yogurt.

Storing and Reheating Tips

• Storing – Store the leftovers in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. The leftovers will last about 3-4 days.
• Reheating – Reheat the leftovers in the air fryer or the microwave. Reheating the quesadillas in the air fryer will help to get the crispy texture in just a few minutes.