Chicken Quesadillas
Ingredients
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- 1 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (~2.5 n/a chicken breasts)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1/2 cups white onion – thinly sliced (~0.5 medium white onions)
- 1 each poblano chile – roasted, peeled, deseeded, and sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh epazote leaves – chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 12 ounces Oaxaca cheese – shredded
- 8 pieces corn tortillas
- salsa verde – for serving
- lime – cut into wedges (for serving)
Instructions
1. Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts in a saucepan, cover with water by 1 inch, bring to a bare simmer over medium heat, and cook until just cooked through (165°F), 12–15 minutes; drain, cool briefly, and shred.
2. Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the white onion and poblano chile (roasted, peeled, deseeded, and sliced) and cook until tender, 5–7 minutes, then add the shredded chicken and fresh epazote leaves, sprinkle in the kosher salt, and toss until hot, 2–3 minutes; scrape the filling into a bowl.
3. Warm the corn tortillas on a dry skillet or comal over medium heat until pliable, 30–45 seconds per side; sprinkle half of the Oaxaca cheese over one side of each tortilla, add the chicken mixture evenly, then top with the remaining cheese and fold each tortilla into a half-moon.
4. Return the skillet to medium heat and cook the quesadillas in batches until the tortillas are spotty-golden and the cheese is melted, 2–3 minutes per side; transfer to a board and rest 1 minute, then cut if desired.
5. Serve hot with salsa verde and lime wedges.
Chicken quesadillas marry tender, juicy shredded chicken with a stretchy, mellow cheese inside toasted tortillas. The result is a balance of creamy, savory filling and lightly crisped edges, often lifted by the gentle heat and fragrance of roasted poblano and the herbal snap of epazote. Made on a comal or skillet, they are simple, satisfying, and endlessly appealing as a snack or a meal.
Rooted in Mexico, quesadillas predate modern kitchens and are traditionally cooked on a comal with corn tortillas and local cheeses like Oaxaca. Regional variations abound: in central Mexico you’ll see corn tortillas and epazote, while northern states often lean on flour tortillas and Chihuahua cheese. Chicken has long been a common, practical filling—easily poached and shredded—helping quesadillas spread from markets and fondas across Mexico to global popularity.