Chicken Quesadilla with Black Beans and Corn
Quesadillas are a go to dish at our home. It seems that we often have some wraps or soft tortillas in the pantry. Also, our fridge is regularly stocked with cheese and vegetables like onions and peppers. So, on those days when I have a little bit of leftover chicken, quesadillas are a great choice.
If you ever wonder how to make a quesadilla then this recipe is for you! Today’s recipe is a quesadilla with lots of stuff in it. Not only did I have some left over chicken, but I also threw in some black beans, corn and other veggies. It seems that almost any time I am cooking Mexican or Tex Mex, I find myself using black beans and corn. But, they are so good!
Along with those ingredients, I sautéed some onion, pepper, tomato and jalapeno which gives the filling such and incredible flavour.
Any quesadilla needs lots of cheese, so I used a mixture of cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses. It made the quesadilla so gooey!
Note for cooking quesadillas.
This recipe gives instructions for cooking up the quesadillas on a griddle or skillet. While this is generally the more common way to cook up a quesadilla, there are definitely other methods.
- Griddle/Skillet – this is my favourite way to cook quesadillas and is the more common and traditional method. Simply heat the quesadilla on the griddle so that it browns and crisps up on one side. Then, flip it over and do the same on the other side. Simple!
- Grill – throw the quesadilla on a gas or charcoal grill to crisp up the outside and make some nice grill marks on the tortillas. Be careful though, especially when flipping, that the filling does not fall out and go in between the grates.
- Oven – Baking the quesadilla in the oven is a handy way to prepare a lot of them at once. Simply assemble them on a baking sheet and bake in a 375F oven for 10-15 minutes. While I have cooked quesadillas in the oven lots and even give instructions using this method on other recipes on this site, I prefer to cook them on a griddle. Baking in the oven is definitely convenient when making for a crowd, but it does tend to dry out the tortillas a little more than I would like.
- Panini Press – Use a panini press the same way that you would cook quesadillas on a griddle. Close the lid of the panini press and you can cook both sides of the quesadilla at the same time. It can be quite handy!
Here are a few other quesadilla recipes on the site:
- Chicken Cilantro Quesadilla – the combination of chicken and cilantro make every bite full of flavour
- Smoked Chicken and Salsa Quesadilla – I have made this quesadilla many times when I have some leftover smoked chicken. It is so good!
- Peach Quesadilla – adding some fruit to this quesadilla gives it a sweet flavour and goes well with the cheese.
These quesadilla are amazing as a snack or appetizer all on their own. They are also excellent as part of a full Mexican meal.
Try serving them alongside these other great Mexican dishes!
Prepare the filling by sautéing the onion, pepper, tomato and jalapeño in a skillet. Once they are tender and cooked through, add the corn, black beans, chicken and chili powder.
Stir the mixture and continue to cook for another 6-8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let it cool down a little bit.
Assembling and cooking the quesadillas could not be easier. I use large soft tortillas which can then be cut into 4 bite size quesadilla wedges when done.
I cook the quesadillas on a large rectangular cast iron griddle. This works great and allows me to cook 2 at a time. You can also use a skillet or frypan, but with those, you can likely just cook one at a time.
Place a soft tortilla on the griddle or skillet that is heated over medium heat. Spoon some of the filling evenly across half of the tortilla.
Sprinkle some of the grated cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses on top of the filling. Fold over soft tortilla to make a half moon shape. Let the quesadillas cook for a few minutes.
The quesadilla is ready to flip once it has browned on the bottom. Use a lifter, to carefully lift up the quesadilla to see if it has browned up nicely. When ready, Carefully turn the quesadilla over.
As you can see in the picture above, this in the browning that I am looking for on the tortillas. This gives the outside a nice crispness. They are so good!!
Once flipped, cook for a few more minutes on the other side.
Once the quesadilla is finished cooking, remove from the griddle/skillet and place on a cutting board. Cut the quesadilla into 4 wedges.
Cook the remaining quesadillas the same way.
Serve the quesadilla with salsa, sour cream or this amazing Chipotle Lime Cream Sauce, Pico de Gallo, or Three Ingredient Guacamole.
Chicken Quesadilla with Black Beans and Corn
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium onion , sliced thinly
- 1 sweet pepper (red or yellow) , cored and sliced thinly
- 2 medium tomatoes , diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper , cored and minced
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 1 can black beans (19oz/540ml can) , drained
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast diced or shredded
- 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 6 large soft tortillas
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, pepper, tomato and jalapeño. Sauté, stirring often until tender, about 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in the frozen corn, black beans, chicken and chili powder. Cook, stirring often for another 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool a little bit.
- Heat a griddle or another skillet over medium heat. To make a quesadilla, place a soft tortilla on the griddle or skillet. Spoon some of the sautéed mixture on half of the tortilla. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of both cheddar and monterey jack cheeses on top of the mixture. Fold the soft tortilla over and press down slightly.
- After the quesadilla has cooked for a few minutes, carefully use a lifter to flip the quesadilla over. Cook for a few more minutes. Remove the quesadilla off the griddle and place on a cutting board. Cut into 4 wedges.
- Cook the remaining quesadillas.
Nutrition
Per serving:
