To feed a hungry family or to serve as an appetizer to a crowd, this labor-saving quesadilla awakens your taste buds with less sweat in the kitchen.
Quesadillas are a popular Mexican dish that is well-balanced and delicious, containing ingredients from all the major food groups. But if you’re trying to make them for a crowd you can spend a lot of time at the stove making them one by one and holding them in a warm oven as you make the next one. That method certainly works well, but it’s quite labor intensive… enter these incredible sheet-pan quesadillas, where you can make enough for a hungry family in one pop – or you can cut them into smaller pieces and pass them round as appetizers at your next barbecue.
After filling a layer of large tortillas with a well-seasoned mix of chicken, peppers, onions, beans, corn and lots of cheese the tortillas are then folded on to the top to make one massive quesadilla that you can cut and serve in any size portion you choose. It’s a simple but effective hack that reduces your effort but doesn’t compromise the flavor one little bit. Who’s not going to love that?
Another great thing about this recipe is that you can substitute ingredients to make different versions – try ground beef instead of chicken or refried beans instead of the black beans and you’ll have a fresh take on this classic. We’ve even made them with left over chili and had delicious results.
Corn vs. Flour Tortillas
Corn has been eaten in Mexico for centuries, while flour wasn’t introduced until the Spanish landed there a few hundred years ago. Mexicans still favor corn tortillas over the flour ones we tend to prefer here North of the border. Flour tortillas have a milder flavor, a softer texture and are easier to work with than their corn counterparts. However, corn tortillas have a lot to recommend them, too: they’re lower in calories, higher in fiber and are naturally gluten-free. This recipe works really well with either kind of tortilla. Corn tortillas do have a tendency to break when folded unless they’re really fresh. Simply microwave corn tortillas under a wet paper towel for 15-20 seconds and you’ll find them as easy to work with as their flour counterparts.
Ingredients
- 8 large tortillas (burrito size)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- 15 ounces black beans (1 can), drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup corn kernels, canned, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Preparation Steps
Step 1: Start by heating your oven to 425°F and lightly greasing your sheet pan.
Step 2: Cook the onion and bell pepper in olive oil until soft, then add the chicken and spices, cooking until done. Mix in the beans and corn.
Step 3: Arrange tortillas on the sheet pan with one in the center and others around the edges, overlapping.
Step 4: Spread the chicken mixture on the tortillas, then sprinkle with both cheeses.
Step 5: Fold the edge tortillas over the center, cover with another sheet pan, and press down lightly.
Step 6: Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake until golden brown.
Step 7: Let the quesadilla cool slightly before cutting into pieces. Serve with your favorite sides.
FAQs
This dish can be made up to 12 hours in advance and stored covered in the fridge until ready to bake. Leftovers can be refrigerated (up to 4 days) or frozen (up to two months) if they’re well wrapped. From the fridge, reheat on a pan if you like them crispy or in the microwave if you prefer them soft. Frozen portions should be wrapped in foil and reheated in the oven. Unwrap them for the last few minutes of cooking time.
Crumbled tofu or plant-based ground, sautéed with a little chili powder works very well in this recipe. Or you can omit the meat substitute altogether and add some extra roughly mashed beans to the quesadilla.
You have two choices. Either add a few chopped jalapeños to your bell pepper, or add a teaspoon of cayenne to your spice mix. If you like you can do both if you want them muy picante!
Serving Suggestions
We like to serve these with a a few different dips – pico de gallo, salsa, guacamole and sour cream all work really well with these flavours, but our favorite has to be https://bakedbree.com/best-queso-ever.
Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 8 large tortillas burrito size
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper chopped
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 15 ounces black beans 1 can, drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup corn kernels canned, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Start by heating your oven to 425°F and lightly greasing your sheet pan.
- Cook the onion and bell pepper in olive oil until soft, then add the chicken and spices, cooking until done. Mix in the beans and corn.
- Arrange tortillas on the sheet pan with one in the center and others around the edges, overlapping.
- Spread the chicken mixture on the tortillas, then sprinkle with both cheeses.
- Fold the edge tortillas over the center, cover with another sheet pan, and press down lightly.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake until golden brown.
- Let the quesadilla cool slightly before cutting into pieces. Serve with your favorite sides.
