bbq chicken quesadillas on a plate

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas are what’s for dinner tonight! These crispy, cheesy, smokey-sweet quesadillas have been a family favorite for years and years – I actually shared the recipe back in 2010 (!) – and it’s high time I highlighted these delightful ‘dillas on IGE again. Prep shredded chicken up to a few days ahead of time then combine with BBQ sauce, tortillas, and shredded cheese when it’s time to eat!

overhead photo of sliced bbq chicken quesadillas

I don’t know about you, but the combination of BBQ sauce, chicken, and melted cheese is pure comfort food to me. Served hot and gooey, this is a meal I turn to anytime I need to eat my feelings or want something quick and hearty to feed the fam. If you prep the components ahead of time, the dish comes together in 10 minutes too. Perfect for those crazy nights when you’ve got 30 minutes to eat before running everyone off to their extracurricular activities or digging into homework.

Ready to cook?

sliced bbq chicken quesadillas on a plate

How to Make BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

Start by cooking and shredding 2 large chicken breasts (about 1 – 1-1/4lb precooked weight) then mix with your favorite BBQ sauce. Feel free to cook/shred the chicken a few days ahead of time to make this dish come together even faster. Leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken works really well too! I seasoned chicken with homemade seasoned salt then sauteed, but you can season yours with whatever you want.

Next, consult your arsenal of tortillas. Although I don’t love the ingredient list on Mission Gluten-Free Tortillas, they sure do make for awesome lunch time wraps, and get super crispy when used for quesadillas, so I buy them weekly. I also adore Siete brand tortillas which have just five ingredients including water. Woo! They’re a bit pricey though so I usually buy as an occasional treat.

Whichever tortillas you end up going with, heat a large 12″ skillet over medium heat then spray with nonstick spray. Place a tortilla in the bottom then sprinkle on a little freshly shredded cheddar cheese, followed by 1/4 of the shredded BBQ chicken, and another layer of shredded cheese.

This is the nonstick spray I’ve been using lately – it’s from Costco and the only ingredient is avocado oil. No propellents or anything – love it!

Place another tortilla on top then cook until the bottom tortillas is golden brown. Flip then cook until the second side is golden brown.

Slide the quesadilla onto a cooling rack to cool slightly and stay crisp while you make the remaining quesadillas with the remaining ingredients. That’s all she wrote!

When it’s time to eat, slice the BBQ Chicken Quesadillas into wedges with a pizza cutter then serve with extra BBQ sauce for dipping (or ranch – MMM RANCH.) I hope you love this mouthwatering and easy weeknight dinner recipe! Enjoy!

overhead photo of sliced bbq chicken quesadillas

More Cheesy Quesadilla Recipes

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

5/5 (2 REVIEWS)

Description

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas are simple and oh-so satisfying. This easy, cheesy dinner recipe comes together in minutes!

Ingredients

serves 4

  • 8 gluten-free tortillas (I like Mission or Siete brands)
  • 2 large chicken breasts (1 - 1-1/4lb pre-cooked), cooked and shredded
  • 8oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • gluten-free BBQ sauce

Directions

  1. Mix shredded chicken with BBQ sauce in a bowl then set aside.
  2. Heat a large, 12" skillet over medium heat then spray with nonstick spray. Place one tortilla in the bottom of the skillet then sprinkle on a thin layer of shredded cheese. Add 1/4 of the shredded BBQ chicken then add another thin layer of shredded cheese on top, followed by another tortilla. Saute until bottom tortilla is golden brown then flip and saute until golden brown on the second side. Carefully transfer quesadilla to a cooling rack to cool slightly while you cook the remaining quesadillas with remaining ingredients.
  3. Slice quesadillas with a pizza cutter then serve with extra BBQ sauce for dipping.

Notes

  • This recipe is great to prep ahead of time! Shred cheese and cook/shred chicken a few days ahead of time then cook on demand.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

Photo collage of BBQ Chicken Quesadillas