Grilled chicken with cheese (Printable)

Grilled chicken, melted cheese, and sautéed peppers folded into a crisp tortilla.

# What you'll need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked grilled chicken breast, sliced or shredded
02 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
07 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
08 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - ¼ teaspoon salt
10 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ To Assemble

11 - 4 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
12 - 1 tablespoon butter or additional olive oil

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced bell pepper and onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Remove from skillet and set aside.
02 - Wipe the skillet clean to prepare for cooking quesadillas.
03 - Lay one tortilla flat. On half, layer ½ cup grilled chicken, ¼ of the sautéed vegetables, ¼ cup cheddar cheese, and ¼ cup Monterey Jack cheese. Fold the tortilla in half to enclose the filling. Repeat with remaining tortillas and fillings.
04 - Melt butter or drizzle olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook each assembled quesadilla for 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing gently, until golden brown and cheese melts.
05 - Transfer cooked quesadillas to a cutting board, let rest for 1 minute, then slice into wedges. Serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Ready in 30 minutes, so weeknight panic becomes weeknight victory.
  • Feeds four people or becomes a sneaky meal-prep hack for tomorrow's lunch.
  • Forgiving enough for beginners but tasty enough to impress without trying.
02 -
  • Medium heat is your friend—high heat burns the outside before the cheese melts inside, and that's a bitter disappointment.
  • Don't skip wiping the skillet between sautéing and cooking, or leftover onion bits burn and taste acrid in the final dish.
03 -
  • Slice your peppers and onions thin so they soften without turning mushy, and they'll cook through in the pan before you assemble anything.
  • Medium heat is slower but forgiving, giving you time to notice when the cheese is actually melted instead of scorching the outside trying to rush it.
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