Chicken and Spinach Quesadilla (Printable)

Golden quesadilla with shredded chicken, fresh spinach, and melted mozzarella. A quick and 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 - 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 clove garlic, minced
07 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
08 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Assembly

10 - 4 large flour tortillas, 10-inch
11 - 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil for grilling

# Directions:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, then sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
02 - Add spinach to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Heat through and remove from heat.
03 - Wipe skillet clean. Place a tortilla on a flat surface and sprinkle one-quarter of the cheese evenly over half the tortilla. Top with one-quarter of the chicken-spinach mixture. Fold tortilla in half. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
04 - Heat 0.5 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 from heat and let cool slightly. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in less time than it takes to decide on takeout, using ingredients you probably already have.
  • The combination of tender chicken, wilted spinach, and melted mozzarella feels indulgent without being heavy.
  • Every bite has that perfect contrast between crispy tortilla edges and a soft, cheesy center.
  • It's endlessly adaptable, so you can swap in whatever cheese or protein is sitting in your fridge.
02 -
  • Don't skip wiping the skillet clean after cooking the filling, leftover bits will burn when you grill the tortillas and make them taste bitter.
  • Medium heat is your sweet spot, too high and the outside burns before the cheese melts, too low and you'll end up with a sad, pale quesadilla.
  • Let the quesadilla rest for a minute before cutting it, or all that melted cheese will ooze out onto the board instead of staying inside where it belongs.
03 -
  • Press down gently with your spatula while the quesadilla cooks, it helps the cheese melt evenly and keeps the filling from sliding around.
  • If you're making a big batch, keep the finished quesadillas warm in a 200 degree oven while you cook the rest.
  • Use a pizza cutter to slice them into wedges, it's faster and cleaner than a knife.
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