Chicken and Spinach Quesadilla (Printable Version)

Golden, crispy quesadilla with juicy chicken, tender spinach, and melted mozzarella cheese. Quick, satisfying, and serves four.

# 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

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, then sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
02 - Add fresh spinach to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Incorporate shredded chicken, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Stir thoroughly to combine and heat through. Remove from heat.
03 - Wipe the skillet clean. Place a tortilla on a flat surface. Distribute one-quarter of the cheese evenly over half the tortilla, then top with one-quarter of the chicken-spinach filling. Fold tortilla in half. Repeat process 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 completely melted.
05 - Remove quesadillas from skillet and allow to cool slightly. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, so you can skip the takeout menu and still have dinner on the table fast.
  • The combination of tender chicken, wilted spinach, and melty mozzarella feels indulgent but keeps things lighter than a heavy casserole.
  • You can customize the filling based on what you have, making it perfect for using up leftovers without any waste.
  • The crispy, golden exterior gives you that satisfying crunch that makes everyone reach for seconds.
02 -
  • Do not overfill the tortillas or the filling will spill out when you flip them, making a mess in the pan and leaving you with uneven quesadillas.
  • Medium heat is your friend here, because high heat will burn the tortilla before the cheese melts, and low heat will leave you with a soggy, pale result.
  • Press gently with the spatula while grilling to help the cheese spread and bind the filling, creating that perfect melty interior.
03 -
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one, because it distributes heat evenly and gives you the crispiest, most evenly browned tortillas.
  • Let the quesadilla rest for a minute after grilling before slicing it, so the cheese sets slightly and does not ooze out when you cut into wedges.
  • If you are short on time, skip the onion and garlic and just toss the spinach and chicken together with the seasonings for a faster, still delicious filling.
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