Make this Copycat Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla recipe right in the comfort of your own home. It is so easy to throw together and makes a perfect and easy weeknight dinner. I like my chicken quesadillas with some guacamole on top and chips and corn salsa on the side. Oh! And a margarita too. Obviously.
Two weekends ago Nathan and I had the most amazing date night. We often get a babysitter with absolutely nothing planned. And then around 5 pm we start to ask each other what it is we want to do on our date night. Two weekends ago, we were actually in the car pulling out of our driveway asking each other what we should go do.
We didn’t have a clue.
And we were both super tired.
And hungry.
It made me nervous that date night was going to be a total bust.
We ended up at this restaurant that we have gone to way too many times, sitting at the bar. We ordered drinks and a big pot of mussels and fries. (Literally everyone who knows us knows exactly where we were based on that last sentence. ???? )
And it was amazing!
I think my favorite date nights ever involve us sitting next to each other all cozy at the bar of some restaurant getting drinks and appetizers. We get to share the food, which is fun, and we are so physically close to each other that it’s just so cozy. We usually strike up a funny conversation with the bartender and spend more time laughing in one evening than we have all week.
.After that we went to another restaurant, got more seats at the bar, and ordered more food. It was seriously one of the best date nights we’ve had in a really long time.
At the second restaurant (did you not know that all great date nights include at least two restaurants?), Nathan got a delicious quesadilla. But you guys, can I be honest? My husband probably likes quesadillas from Taco Bell better than the ones at the nice restaurant we were sitting in. They are seriously one of his favorite fast food options. But they are *so easy* to make from home!
HOW TO MAKE A TACO BELL CHICKEN QUESADILLA AT HOME
The absolute key to the great Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla is the sauce! Because their quesadillas are so much more than just throwing cheese in a tortilla shell and throwing it into a pan! The sauce comes together with some mayonnaise, diced jalapeños, and spices!
TIPS FOR MAKING THE PERFECT COPYCAT TACO BELL CHICKEN QUESADILLA
- You definitely want to buy good cheese if you are going to make a great chicken quesadilla. I know it is tempting to buy a big bag of shredded cheese, but don’t do it! Buy a block of cheese (I like a nice marbled Colby Jack), and shred some right before you make your quesadilla. It makes it melt so much better.
- Cook your quesadilla in a skillet you can cover with a lid. You want to cook it over low heat and cover it between flipping it.
- The chicken quesadilla you see above is enough for two people. It’s a big guy! (And that’s what I’m basing the recipe and nutritional information on.) But I totally won’t judge you if you need that whole quesadilla and a giant jalapeño margarita.
Enjoy and happy dating, friends!
Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 2 10 inch flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese
- 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
Quesadilla Sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonaise see note
- 2 tsps minced pickled jalapeños
- 2 tsps pickled jalapeño juice
- 3/4 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Place a large skillet that you can fit with a lid over very low heat.
- In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the sauce.
- Divide the sauce in two and spread over each of the tortillas.
- Working with one tortilla at a time, spray the skillet with a very small amount of cooking spray. Place the tortilla (that has been prepared with the sauce) in the skillet. Add half the cheese and half the chicken and fold it over on itself.
- Let it cook for about four minutes or until the shell begins to turn golden brown. Cover while it is cooking. Flip it over, recover, and cook for another four minutes. Repeat with the other prepared tortilla.
- Slice with a pizza cutter and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Other fast easy dinners you might love
San says
Dude my husband will freak. He makes late night runs there. ???? not kidding.
cakespy says
This looks and sounds amazing!!! I am a quesadilla fiend. I love the idea of a fast food style one but with better ingredients.
Krissy says
I just made these…literally!!! I’m in love…and so is my family!! Every last one of them had doubts, until they bit into one…..Wooow!! Since it wasn’t a date but family night, I had to triple up on the ingredients!! Now they all want seconds!!!????????????????????
Lisa Longley says
I’m so happy to hear this Krissy!
Diana says
This sounds wonderful and works well with my 1000 cal/day diet,just do protein drinks for other meals.
Lisa Longley says
I am 100% on board with diets that include quesadillas!
Renee says
How do you cook the chicken?
Lisa Longley says
I just use cooked chicken – roasted, boiled, or store bought rotisserie works great.
Jessica says
Hi, Just wondering if this would work if I used a tomatillo jalapeno salsa in the mayo mixture?? I don’t have any canned jalapeno ???? thanks!!
Lisa Longley says
So the only thing I would be considered about is the amount of liquid that would add. It would certainly be a different flavor, but you just wouldn’t want it to make the sauce too soupy.
Robin McCloskey says
I didn’t have pickled jalapenos, so I just used diced hot green chiles instead, and added a little extra cayenne. Deliciousness!!
Lisa Longley says
I’m so glad you liked it Robin!
Kelsey says
Oh my godddd these are incredible! I loveeeee Taco Bell quesadillas and wanted to be able to make from home, so I went on a search and found this gem. The sauce is amazing and tastes even better than taco bells. Made a quadruple batch (single batch doesn’t make much at all) and put it in a jar in the fridge, will be good for multiple things. I didn’t have any cayenne so I put a few dashes of green cholula hot sauce in and gave it a really nice zing.
SO GOOD
Lisa Longley says
So glad you liked it!
Justin says
I’ve tried numerous recipes to nail the creamy jalapeno sauce but could never nail it. This NAILED it. Awesome job. Great recipe!
Lisa Longley says
So happy you liked it!
GEORGI KOOIKER says
My grand-daughter is the Taco Bell quesadilla expert. She is very picky. She didn’t want what I was making for dinner with chicken breasts so I said, “lets look up a cheater recipe for TB quesadillas”. WOW……I am now the greatest grandmother on the planet. She said these were not only great but better than Taco Bells!! This was a simple quick recipe to make. The sauce can be whipped up in a second. I pounded a chicken breast and cooked it in a little olive oil and butter, shredded it, and built the best quesadilla ever. At least that is what my grand-daughter said. Thank you for the recipe. I love to cook and I will be checking out more of your recipes.
Lisa Longley says
Thank you so much for coming back to tell me!
GEORGI KOOIKER says
oops…..forgot the well deserved five stars!!