Hot Honey BBQ Chicken Quesadillas with Monterey Jack and Cheddar
By Pauline Ortiz
10 min
Prep
20 min
Cook
30 min
Total
4
Servings
Easy
Level
Make the honey BBQ chicken ingredients ahead of time. Eat quesadillas for lunch or dinner on another day. The honey BBQ chicken ingredients will have the same sweet and spicy taste. The tortillas and cheese in the quesadillas will be stringy. Cut the quesadillas into half moons when serving. This is one of my favorite parts of preparing food on another day.
Combine BBQ sauce, honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, and smoked paprika. Add shredded chicken and combine. Hot sauce provides a spicy flavor to the dish. Honey and apple cider vinegar provide sweetness to balance the flavors of the cheese in the dish.
I cook quesadillas in a large skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. At higher heat settings, the tortilla cooks more quickly than the cheese. I recommend grating cheese from a block instead of using pre-shredded cheese, which doesn't melt as smoothly because it contains other substances to keep it from sticking together.
Don't fill the taquito too much. Overfilled taquitos can be hard to cook and turn over without opening along the seam. Allow cooked taquitos to rest for 1 minute on a cutting board before slicing. Serve sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, Spanish rice, black beans, or green salad on the side.
What makes this special
- Cook the chicken filling ahead of time. Heat the tortillas right before serving for a crisp outside.
- Four large quesadillas make a dinner batch and provide about a half cup of cheese per quesadilla.
- Using rotisserie chicken can save time when preparing a meal.
- Portion out the filling before adding it to the tortillas to prevent an overstuffed fold from getting soggy.
- Cook them in batches in a large pan or griddle. Add butter or oil if needed.
- Medium heat helps the cheese melt during the frying of the tortilla.
Ingredients
- •3 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken works)
- •½ cup BBQ sauce
- •3 tbsp honey
- •1 tbsp hot sauce (1-2 tbsp, adjust to taste)
- •1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- •½ tsp smoked paprika
- •4 large flour tortillas (10-inch, burrito size)
- •3 cups shredded cheese (a blend of Monterey Jack and mild cheddar)
- •¼ cup red onion (thinly sliced)
- •¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- •2 tbsp butter or oil (for frying)
Instructions
- 1
Whisk the BBQ sauce, honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, and smoked paprika in a medium bowl until smooth.
- 2
Add the shredded chicken and toss until fully coated with the sauce.
- 3
Lay one tortilla flat and sprinkle about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese over the whole tortilla. Spoon the chicken mixture over one half, then add red onion and cilantro.
- 4
Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filling and press it down gently.
- 5
Melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter or oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then place the quesadilla in the pan.
- 6
Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until the tortilla is golden brown and crispy and the cheese is fully melted. Work in batches, adding more butter or oil as needed.
- 7
Move the quesadilla to a cutting board and let it rest for one minute. Slice into wedges and serve warm with your favorite toppings.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
680
Reviews
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