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Make this Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla at home with simple and easy ingredients. This is the perfect recipe to use leftover chicken for an easy weeknight meal.
My kids love going to Taco Bell but with my large family, that can get expensive. Being able to make their favorite quesadilla at home has been a game changer. My kids were so impress that they rarely ask to go to their favorite fast food restaurant now.
If you love Taco Bell as much as my kids, make one of these copycat recipes. Taco Bell Nacho Fries, Mexican Pizza or Homemade Crunchwrap is just a few of their favorite copycat Taco Bell Recipes.
Check out Air Fryer Chicken Quesadillas for another easy recipe. We love making chicken recipes for a delicious weeknight meal.
Table of Contents
- Why We Love this Copycat Recipe:
- Ingredients:
- Variations:
- How to Make Taco Bell Quesadilla Sauce:
- How to Make Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla:
- How to Fold a Quesadilla like Taco Bell:
- Tips for the Perfect Chicken Quesadilla:
- What to Serve with Chicken Quesadillas:
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- More Quesadilla Recipes:
- Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla Recipe
Why We Love this Copycat Recipe:
This copycat taco bell chicken quesadilla recipe is the perfect meal to make for a busy night. Top your tortilla with the simple sauce, add your leftover chicken and cheese and cook to perfection.
This recipe is great for quick lunch to save time and money. The quesadilla cooks with a crispy texture and the center is full of melty cheese and chicken.
Ingredients:
For the Sauce:
- Mayonnaise
- Minced Pickled Jalapeños
- Pickled Jalapeño Juice
- Sugar
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Cayenne Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Salt
Ingredients for Chicken Quesadillas:
- Chicken Breasts
- Oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Burrito Size Flour Tortillas
- Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
- Monterey Jack Cheese (shredded)
- American Cheese
Scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, notes and ingredients in the recipe card.
Variations:
- Chicken – In this recipe we made our chicken in the skillet. But this is the perfect recipe to use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. Grilled chicken is also a good option for this copycat taco bell quesadilla recipe
- Change the Meat – Feel free to use different meats in this recipe. You can make quesadillas with ground beef, steak or shredded pork.
- Cheese – Use different cheeses to change the flavor.
- Tortilla – We used a flour tortilla in this recipe. But there are many options to fit within your specific diet.
- Sauce – We love the creamy sauce added to the tortilla, but you can also leave it off.
How to Make Taco Bell Quesadilla Sauce:
We love making the sauce to go on the quesadilla. The ingredients are simple and you probably already have most of them.
- Step 1 – Prepare Pickled Jalapenos – Make sure your jalapenos are minced. You can use homemade or buy the jar. Make sure to add in the pickled juice.
- Step 2 – Combine Ingredients – Mix together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Refrigerate the creamy jalapeno sauce until ready to use.
How to Make Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla:
Step 1 – Mix together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Refrigerate the creamy jalapeno sauce until ready to use.
Step 2 – Add in the chicken breasts. Season them with salt and pepper. Sauté until the chicken is cooked through
Step 3 – Remove from the heat. Let rest for 5 minutes. Then cut the chicken into thin slices.
Step 4 – Lay tortilla on large skillet, then top with sauce, cheese and chicken. Fold tortilla and cook both sides over medium low heat.
How to Fold a Quesadilla like Taco Bell:
Folding a quesadilla like Taco Bell is simple and easy to do.
- Place your large tortilla on the prepared skillet.
- Top one side of the tortilla with cheese and sliced cooked chicken.
- On the other side of the tortilla, spread the quesadilla sauce on it.
- Then fold the tortilla in half making sure both sides line up.
- This allows for you to easily flip the quesadilla to cook both sides.
- Once cooked, place quesadilla on a cutting board and cut into triangles.
Tips for the Perfect Chicken Quesadilla:
- Cheese – We recommend shredding your the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has added ingredients and it doesn’t melt as easily. We recommend using different types of cheese blend for the best flavor.
- Cooking Quesadilla – Cook the quesadilla in a cast iron skillet or a regular skillet. Make sure it is preheated and sprayed with oil to easily flip the quesadilla. You will know when quesadilla ready to flip, when the tortilla is golden brown and cheese is melted.
- Serving – Chicken Quesadilla are best served warm.
- Quesadilla Sauce – Save time when making these quesadillas and make the sauce of ahead of time. This allows for the sauce ingredients to marinate together for the best flavor.
- Prepare Chicken – If you prefer, you can prepare your chicken ahead of time. This will make for a quick and easy meal during the week.
What to Serve with Chicken Quesadillas:
- Guacamole – We love to serve these quesadillas with a side of guacamole. The fresh ingredients really pairs well with this recipe.
- Sour Cream – Add a side of sour cream to dip your chicken quesadilla in.
- Pico De Gallo – Make a side of pico de gallo with this easy recipe. It adds flavor and texture to the quesadilla.
- Chips and Queso – Nothing goes better with quesadillas than a side of chips and queso. Make our favorite Mexican Queso for a delicious side.
- Spanish Rice – Make a side of Spanish rice to complete your meal. Spanish rice is filling and delicious paired with quesadillas.
- Taco Bell Creamy Jalapeño Sauce
Frequently Asked Questions:
The Taco Bell Quesadilla is layered with cheese, chicken and a simple creamy jalapeno sauce.
We recommend reheat the quesadilla in a skillet over low heat. The results will be similar to when you first made your quesadilla.
These are best served fresh but you can refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
More Quesadilla Recipes:
- Taco Bell Steak Quesadilla Recipe
- The Best Cheese Quesadilla Recipe
- Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla Recipe
Make sure to leave us a comment or a star review if you try this Chicken Quesadilla Recipe.
Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Minced Pickled Jalapeños
- 2 teaspoons Pickled Jalapeño Juice
- 2/3 teaspoon Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Dash Salt
For the Quesadillas:
- 2 Chicken Breasts
- 1 Tablespoons Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- 4 Burrito Size Flour Tortillas
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
- 2 Slices American Cheese
Instructions
- Mix together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in the chicken breasts. Season them with salt and pepper. Sauté until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165 degrees F). Remove from the heat. Let rest for 5 minutes. Then cut the chicken into thin slices.
- Preheat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lay a tortilla on the griddle or skillet once heated.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup of each of the shredded cheeses and half of the American cheese slices onto half of the tortillas. Spread ¼ of the sliced chicken on top of the cheese.
- Spread approximately 1 tablespoon of the sauce onto the other side of the tortillas (without the cheese and chicken).
- Fold the tortilla in half. Cook until golden brown and the cheese starts to melt. Flip and cook until the other side is browned as well.
- Remove from the skillet or griddle. Continue this process until all the quesadillas are made.
- Then they are ready to slice, serve and enjoy!
