My Chicken Fajita Quesadillas are a combination of two delicious Tex-Mex favorites. I love Fajitas and Quesadillas, so why not combine the two? I’m also going to be doing the quesadillas two ways: one, using a grill-press, and two, without the grill-press.

Rice is also one of my favorite side dishes and goes well with this dish. I’m taking a little help from the grocery store on this one. I’m using a quick-cooking Basmati rice along with a few other bold and flavorful ingredients that will make my Tex-Mex Rice super delicious.

Prep Time: 10 minutes (prep can be done while the chicken is poaching)
Cook Time: 45 to 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yields: 6 Quesadillas
Equipment: 1 (12-inch) sauté pan, cast iron grill press, 1 (4-quart) saucepot with lid, meat-safe cutting board, 2 medium-size bowls, 1 large mixing bowl, 2 rimmed baking sheet pans, non-stick cooking spray

Ingredients For Fajita Spice Blend:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Ingredients For Poached Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 quart of  chicken broth, unsalted
1 tablespoon of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Ingredients For Chicken Quesadillas:
2 tablespoons of Canola oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (if making vegetarian, substitute mushrooms)
1 large onion, sliced into thin half-moons
1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1 green bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1 yellow bell pepper,  seeded and julienned
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Fresno chili, seeded and minced
4 green onions, sliced thin (reserve green tops for garnish and sliced thinly on the bias)
1/4 cup of Fajita spice blend
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup of chicken broth, unsalted (if making this recipe vegetarian, substitute water or vegetable broth)
1/4 cup of fresh Pico de Gallo, homemade or store-bought (reserve more for garnish)
2 (8-ounce) packages of shredded Mexican cheese blend (substitute shredded Monterey Jack and/or Queso Fresco)
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, finely chopped (reserve some for garnish and 2 tablespoons for the Mexican-style rice)
1 (20-ounce) package of 10″ large flour tortillas (8-count)
Garnish:
2 limes cut into wedges for garnish, optional

Instructions For Fajita Spice Blend:
In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Store in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place.

Instructions For Poaching Chicken:
Place the chicken in a single layer. Add thyme, smashed garlic, Kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper into the saucepot. Pour 1 quart of unsalted chicken broth to cover the chicken by one inch. Turn the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer. Begin checking the chicken after 8 minutes. The chicken will turn opaque in color. Place an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat; the chicken registers 165 degrees F. Chicken will typically finish cooking in 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat.

While the chicken is poaching, cook the rice for 8 to 10 minutes, then drain well. Slice onions into half-moon slivers, julienne the peppers, mince the garlic, seed, and mince the Fresno chili, and slice the green onions, reserving the tops.

In a large mixing bowl, I add the cooked Basmati rice, drained corn medley (Southwest-style), drained fire-roasted tomatoes, Pico de Gallo, green onion tops, Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Mix to combine.

Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid to a plate, discarding the poaching liquid. On a plastic cutting board, using two forks, shred all the chicken and transfer it to a large plate.

Instructions For Quesadillas:
In a large sauté pan, heat the Canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and minced chili to the pan. Sauté for 2 minutes just until hot. Next, add the sliced green onion (the white parts) and minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute more.

Add the cooked, shredded chicken to the pan, the fajita seasoning blend, and unsalted chicken broth, and stir to combine. Turn the heat to medium, add the Pico de Gallo and fresh lime juice, and simmer, stirring for another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the fajita filling into two bowls, equally divided. Each bowl of fajita filling will make 3 quesadillas.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Spray one side of a tortilla with non-stick cooking spray. Place the tortilla, sprayed side down, into the same sauté pan set on medium-low heat, sprinkle an even layer of the shredded cheese onto the whole tortilla, then top half of the tortilla with the cooked chicken fajita mixture. Fold the other half of the tortilla over, placing the grill press on top. Cook, flipping once, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat the process using all the remaining fajita filling.

While you’re making the remaining quesadillas, transfer the cooked quesadillas to the oven to keep warm.

Slice the quesadillas into wedges. Top with shredded cheese, Pico de Gallo, and finely chopped cilantro. Serve with a side of Mexican-style rice and garnish with some cilantro and lime wedges.

There you have it, my Chicken Fajita Quesadillas.

Recipe For Tex-Mex Rice:
Click the link below.

Notes:
1) If you don’t want to make all eight at one time, transfer the fajita filling to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

2) Place the finished quesadillas on a sheet pan in the oven to keep warm while you’re making the remaining ones.

3) For Vegetarian Quesadillas: Follow the recipe, omit the chicken, and substitute mushrooms or Tofu. The other change would be to substitute water or vegetable broth.

4) The link for my Pico de Gallo Two-Ways recipe is below. I used fresh store-bought for this dish.

5 ) If you prefer the tortillas just warmed up and not pressed, you can warm the tortillas up in the microwave. On a microwave-safe plate, wrap up 2 tortillas in a couple of sheets of damp paper towels. Heat for anywhere between 30 to 60 seconds.

6) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2020/07/28/tex-mex-rice/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/08/05/pico-de-gallo-two-ways/