Grilled Chicken Avocado Quesadilla (Printable Version)

Crispy tortilla quesadilla with tender grilled chicken, creamy avocado mash, and melted cheese. Easy Mexican-American main dish.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon cumin
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Avocado Mash

08 - 2 ripe avocados
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Assembly

12 - 4 large flour tortillas, 10-inch
13 - 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
14 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
15 - Cooking spray or olive oil for grilling

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
02 - In a bowl, combine olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss chicken breasts to coat evenly with the spice mixture.
03 - Grill chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly.
04 - In a separate bowl, mash avocados with lime juice, cilantro, and salt until mostly smooth with some chunks remaining.
05 - Lay out tortillas and spread a generous layer of avocado mash on half of each tortilla. Top with sliced chicken, red onion, and cheese. Fold tortillas in half to enclose the filling.
06 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat and lightly coat with cooking spray or olive oil. Cook quesadillas two at a time for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and cheese is melted.
07 - Remove quesadillas from skillet, allow to cool slightly, then cut each into wedges. Serve warm with desired accompaniments.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout and tastes twice as good.
  • The creamy avocado against crispy tortilla is texturally perfect every single time.
  • You can use rotisserie chicken and skip half the work without sacrificing flavor.
  • Everyone from picky eaters to adventurous ones asks for seconds.
02 -
  • Let the chicken rest after grilling or all the juices will run out onto your cutting board instead of staying inside.
  • Do not overfill the tortillas or they will split when you flip them, and the cheese will leak everywhere.
  • Use medium heat for cooking the quesadillas, high heat burns the tortilla before the cheese melts.
03 -
  • Press down gently on the quesadillas with a spatula while cooking to help the cheese melt evenly and the tortilla crisp up.
  • If you are making a big batch, keep finished quesadillas warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.
  • Use a pizza cutter to slice the quesadillas into even wedges quickly and cleanly.
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