Baked Chicken Quesadillas made in the oven so you can make multiple quesadillas at the same time! Stuffed with Mexican seasoned chicken and capsicum/bell peppers, plenty of gooey cheese and enclosed with crispy golden brown tortilla, this is how you can make quesadillas for a crowd without standing over the stove, making them one by one. 🙂
Oven Baked Chicken Quesadillas
Last month I went on a mini break with friends and we hired a gorgeous swanky house right on the beach at Sapphire Beach (Coffs Harbour) on the New South Wales North Coast. And my darling friends, they insisted that I mustn’t do much cooking, that I must relax.
Well! Isn’t it lucky that I did get a bit organised with a shopping list and meal plan. Because in the entire 4 nights / 5 days we were there, we only went out for ONE MEAL. In fact, other than that brief 2 hour outing, we only left the house for a short 20 minute stroll on the beach before we declared that the pool and our sun lounges were beckoning us back (along with the frozen mango daiquiris we had planned to start making the minute the clock ticked over to 12 o’clock).
.
There were only 4 of us, and yet making Quesadillas for lunch was still a pain. As I stood over the stove cooking them one by one, popping them in the oven and praying they would stay crispy until I finished, I vowed to find a way to make a big batch in one go.
So I figured how to make crispy Chicken Quesadillas in the oven. 🙂
It wasn’t as easy as just wacking stuffed folded tortillas in the oven. I found a few little tricks made quite a difference:
Letting the filling cool. As a general rule for anything, it’s takes longer to get a crispy surface in the oven than in a fry pan. So if you use hot filling, the extra steam inside the quesadilla makes the tortilla too soggy to go crispy (unless you way overcook it to the point of very brown);
Spray the tray with oil and pop it in the oven to heat up. Yup, that really helps make the underside get crispy once it is flipped; and
Crank up the oven – but not too much, otherwise the edges get too brown before the surface gets crispy all over.
I stuffed these Baked Chicken Quesadillas with the makings of Chicken Fajitas! Seasoned chicken, onion and capsicum / bell peppers. Plus cheese of course. Mustn’t forget the cheese!
There’s no denying that they don’t come out quite as shatteringly crispy as you can make them on the stove by pressing down firmly on the quesadillas while they cook. But these are still crispy – crispy enough!
Also the other thing I observed is that the tortilla starts to wrinkle after around 20 minutes. Here they are after I had been faffing around with the camera for around 30 minutes – you can see how different they look to when they are fresh out of the oven (photo above).
Small compromises for the sheer convenience of of being able to make a big batch in one go!
I hope you find this Oven Baked Chicken Quesadillas recipe handy! I’ve always felt like quesadillas are like pancakes – only make them in select circumstances, when there aren’t too any people to feed.
But now you can make quesadillas for a crowd – even with two trays so you can make 8 at the same time – or more if you have a large oven! – Nagi x
PS You can see how crispy they are in the video (below recipe) when I am stacking the quesadillas. 🙂
More things stuffed between crispy flatbreads!
Things stuffed inside crispy flatbreads are always a good thing! I’ve done a few over the years:
Gozleme – Crispy Turkish olive oil flatbreads stuffed with spinach and feta
And though not stuffed, this ever popular Easy Soft Flatbreads has to make the list (use as naan for curries, Greek Gyros, Doner Kebab, Chicken Shawarma – the options are extensive!)
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Oven Baked Chicken Quesadillas
Ingredients
Chicken
- 400 g / 14 oz chicken , cut into small bite size pieces (thigh, breast or tenderloin)
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder (or sub with onion powder)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- 1/2 tsp salt + black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 small onion , diced (brown, white, yellow)
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 red capsicum / bell pepper , diced
- 1 green capsicum / bell pepper , diced
Quesadillas
- 4 flour tortillas (20cm/8″)
- Olive oil spray
- 1 cups grated cheese, or more to taste (tasty, cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack or other melting cheese of choice) (Note 1)
Instructions
- Place Chicken ingredients in a bowl and mix to coat chicken.
- Heat oil in skillet over high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 1 minute. Then add capsicum and cook for 2 minutes until starting to soften. Transfer into bowl.
- Return skillet to the stove. Add chicken and cook until browned. Add to same bowl. Set aside until the filling cools (to speed it up, cover and refrigerate, and/or spread out on plate).
- Preheat oven to 220C / 430F (standard) or 200C/390F (fan / convection).
- Spray baking tray lightly with olive oil. Heat in the oven while you assemble the quesadillas.
- Divide the filling between the tortillas, covering half the surface. Top with cheese. Fold in half and press down gently but firmly.
- Remove baking tray from oven. Transfer quesadillas onto tray (you should hear a soft sizzle).
- Bake for 8 minutes. Then turn the quesadillas (over the folded edge) then press down with the egg flip. Bake for a further 8 minutes or until the surface is crispy.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
a) Cooling the filling first (reduces steam inside the quesadilla while baking);
b) Heating oiled baking tray; and
c) Cooking in a fairly hot oven. 3. You can make 2 trays of this at the same time. It will take around 5 minutes longer and the trays should be swapped partway through. The tray that ends up at the bottom will probably need a few minutes longer after you take the top one out. 4. Oven Baked Chicken Quesadillas nutrition per serving (1 quesadilla).
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Oven Baked Chicken Quesadillas recipe video!
LIFE OF DOZER
Usually when I go away, I send Dozer to a Golden Retriever boarder’s place where he rules the house with other Goldies. However on this occasion, he was injured (#DefectDog) so I sent him to my mother’s place where he would be free of temptations to rumble with other Goldies.
My mother (and actually, my whole family) get sick pleasure in torturing me when I go away and they don’t send me Dozer updates unless I plead multiple times. Finally, she sent me ONE photo – this one.
Humph. His usual boarder is so much better. I get daily reports and tons of photos – without any begging!!!
Love, love these quesdillas! Followed your recipe exactly the first time. Perfection! Second time used leftover roast beef, leftover green chili’s, leftover refried beans, and used flour tortillas I buy directly from factory in Cabo San Lucas mexico. Great wat to clean our the fridge!
I’m so happy to hear that Donna Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know – N xx
Hi Nagi, today is my big day. I made your cinnamon roll, naan bread , only use 1/2 dough for tomorrow for butter chicken (marinating the butter chicken overnight)
For this chicken quesadillas, I use naan bread instead of tortillas, turn out great.
Thank you for all great recipes!!!
My husband so proud of me, cause they all delicious!
WOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I am so thrilled to hear it all worked and I look forward to hearing if you enjoy the butter chicken! Your husband is one lucky man! N xx
These were super, the chicken was also great for salad, I love your site may I express my gratitude for including the metric table (I live in Belgium) with your recipes.
Thanks Michelle! I’m in Australia so I use the metric system too 🙂 So glad you enjoyed this! N x
Thankyou so much for this tasty recipe!! My family and I enjoyed it so much 🙂
I’m so pleased to hear that Shauna, thanks for letting me know! N x
I made these for super bowl Sunday and they were an absolute hit! Thank you for always giving us such great recipes, instructions and tips. You are awesome, I have never gone wrong using your recipes. Truly thank you!!!
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed this Izzy! Thanks for letting me know! N xx
OMG Nagi, I must tell you every recipe I have tried of yours has been a huge favorite in my house. These quesadillas were the best thing on the planet. Every time I tell the family I am trying a new recipe, they ask, “is it from Nagi?” I don’t think they will try anything new from anyone else but you. I loved how easy this was. I did two cookie sheet full of the quesadillas because I have three teenage boys and several of their friends that they drag home. Thank you again for the great recipes.
Wow Michele, thanks so much for the lovely compliment! So glad to hear the quesadillas fulfilled 3 teenage boys AND their friends (OMG that is a LOT OF FOOD!!!!!) N xx
Yes Nagi. I buy an 8lb pork butt because that is all the bigger that fits in my slow cooker. But it cooks for the day and then I do the Carnitas. Sometimes just Carnitas with homemade Flour tortillas. They don’t like the store bought ones anymore. Then we use the rest for Quesadillas. The one friend had two, and they are not little quesadillas. I had to make them save one for their father. It is a staple on my menu. Thank you for sharing. You haven’t disappointed with your recipes. And we love your golden. We have a golden named Zoe. My husband says he can tell you are a good person by the dog you have.
Ba ha ha – I cracked up when I read “My husband says he can tell you are a good person by the dog you have.”!!! Goldies. They’re the BEST! Give Zoe a hug from me! N x
Great idea. I never thought of baking them. I bet it saves loads of them for weeknight meals. I have to try it. The tip on using cooled feeling make sense. I have done this before and noticed a difference.
That’s exactly what I use this recipe for – midweek meals 🙂 Still very fond of my skillet cooked ones, but not if I’m making more than 2!!
oh hai Dozer! I am such a fool for visiting your blog on a fast day #damnYou5:2Diet Quesadillas are all the yum.
You aren’t! In December????
Hahahahah I love the baby hands comparison! K so my friend…I do this…but I do a Russian version of this… (I KNOW I KNOW I have to post) now I figured out something else… USE FRESH TORTILLAS! It is literally a game changer man! The flavor is night and day! Huge flavor boost! And they get even crisper if you can believe it! Which REALLY reminds me…I need to do this post like yesterday. I’m so glad you had a great time…And your videos are just mind blowing lately. Killin it sista!!!
Really?? Tell me you’re blogging it soon! I really need to do a fresh tortilla post!
Delicious looking meal, I can’t wait to give it a try.
As I have mentioned in other posts, I live in an isolated spot. This means that I have to make most things from scratch. Because of this I tend to make my own flour tortillas. If you haven’t made them before, they really are easy to make.
Thanks as always for sharing.
It’s on my list of things to share!! I’d love to know how you make yours 🙂 N x
No problem at all. Here you go:
Ingredients for 4 tortillas:
150g Flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Olive oil
85ml Warm water
Method:
In a food processor with a dough blade, pulse together the flour, baking powder and salt to combine, 2 to 3 pulses.
With the machine running, slowly add the oil and water until a cohesive ball of dough forms. Once the ball of dough forms, process (or knead) for 30 additional seconds.
Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and shape into balls, then cover with a clean dish towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan until quite hot. Meanwhile, working with one ball of dough at a time on a clean work surface, sprinkle a small amount of flour on top of the dough, then roll into a very thin circle, 8 to 10 inches in diameter.
Wipe the pan with a paper towel dipped in a little oil before adding each new tortilla, just enough oil to moisten the surface and clean off any residual flour from the previous tortilla.
Place the round into the frying pan and cook for about 30 seconds per side.
If the temperature is right small bubbles will start to form and the edges of the dough beginning to look dry, then turn over and repeat. Place the cooked tortilla on a plate and cover with a clean dish cloth to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.
If the temperature is too low the tortillas will not bubble and the dough will simply dry out and become brittle.
That’s so kind of you Lincoln! Thank you, I will try your recipe over the holidays!
These were awesome..My family loved them!
WOO HOO! So glad to hear that Susan! N xx
I have never baked a quesadilla! What a great idea!
It works really well Victoria! And so good to be able to make stacks in one go! N x
love it.
Dozer doesn’t look too pleased.
Ba ha ha! I think he definitely was sulking! N x
This is what I call a deliciousness on a plate! I am starving here and these photos don’t make it any better :)! Wish I had one “tiny” quesadilla in front of me in real and not only on the screen! 🙂
When do you think we will be able to transport food via computers?? 😉
Brilliant idea!!! My wife is the quesadilla maker here…actually its quesadilla day today… she uses the CI skillet for just the 2 of us… Oven baked for a bunch of us seems to make perfect sense…
Thank you… :O)
Thanks Ross! Glad to make her life easier…! 🙂 N x
Can’t wait to try…thanks
You’re welcome Lyn! Hope you do try it! N x
Love quesadillas, but fortunately only have to make two at a time for us, and they fit nicely in my 12″ frying pan. Definitely want to try this recipe though.
Ah 🙂 Lucky you!!! 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi! I love tortillas, especially when they are full of good stuff like these! Your pictures remind me of our vacations to the Outer Banks of North Carolina…sun, sand and sea (and of course drinks)! The only thing we’ve got here are the drinks…raining, cold and dreary, but at least no snow! I’ve got some leftover chicken from last night and I certainly have peppers so I think these will be dinner tonight!
Dorothy…I kid you not…I think I subconsciously remembered you telling about all those peppers you had!!!!
I love your recipes. good work!
Thank you Oana! N x
Nagi, as usual you have come up with an easy way to fix one of my favorite things! What size flour tortillas did you use?
Hi Elizabeth! I can’t remember if I answered but in case I didn’t – around 8″20cm diameter, or thereabouts. 🙂 I did update the recipe though! N x
Nagi, would your EASY SOFT FLATBREAD (NO YEAST) work instead of tortillas?
Hi Lee! Unfortunately not, they won’t go crispy enough 🙁 N x