These loaded quesadillas will become a fast favorite!
I love making quesadillas, and these loaded quesadillas are the best! It’s a great meal that is easily customizable, and you only need a few simple ingredients to make them. The purest form of a quesadilla is just cheese melted into a tortilla, but these loaded quesadillas have black beans, salsa, chicken and peppers to add a lot of flavor and make them more filling and wholesome. These are great for a light lunch, snack, or dinner! You can easily make these gluten free by subbing the tortillas for corn ones, and you can skip the chicken to keep these vegetarian.
There are so many options when it comes to filling quesadillas
The options are truly endless. this recipe is more of a guide for you, but you can add whatever you have in the fridge. Quesadillas are often my fridge cleanup meal, when I have a few things I need to use up. My favorite fillings are chicken, shredded and ,mixed with little taco sauce and taco seasoning, bell peppers, black beans and corn. Having said that, I have on many occasions used just 1 or 2 of these ingredients, and the result is still delicious! I’ve listed more options in the recipe notes below.
How to get the best loaded quesadillas
These loaded quesadillas are easy to make, you just have to keep a couple things in mind. Have everything ready so when you’re assembling them the tortilla doesn’t burn. And for the best, crispy quesadillas, use a cast iron skillet AND butter. The combination makes for the best crunch! aLso, don’t worry if the cheese spills out a little. Caramelized cheese gives these quesadillas amazing flavor and texture. Serve these with some fresh avocados, sour cream and your favorite salsa.
Loaded Quesadillas
These loaded quesadillas are delicious and hearty! They make a great snack or light lunch/dinner, and once you make them you'll be hooked!
Chicken
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 tsp taco seasoning
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp taco sauce (or salsa)
Quesadillas
- 8 tortillas (flour or corn)
- 3 cups shredded cheese (mexican blend)
- 1 can black beans (drained)
- 1 bell pepper (diced)
- butter (for cooking)
Start off by preparing the chicken. Boil the chicken breast in a little water, then shred it using two forks. Add the taco seasoning, salt and taco sauce. Mix well and set aside.
Heat your cast iron pan on a medium flame, then lower once hot. lightly brush the pan with butter, then add one tortilla. Add 2-3 tablespoons cheese to one half, then add all the toppings like chicken ,beans and peppers. Add a little more cheese on top, then fold over the tortilla to create a semi circle. Press down lightly to make sure the cheese melts into the fillings. Flip once the bottom is golden brown and cook the other side till it's golden brown.
Cut in half and serve with a dollop of sour cream and your favorite salsa or taco sauce.
Variations. There are so many different variations you can make. Add any vegetables you like, or any protein. You can use up leftovers and give them new life in these quesadillas. Some filling options are roasted vegetables, tofu, shrimp, beef, kidney beans and corn.
Substitutions. You can switch out the flour tortillas for corn ones to make this gluten free. You can also keep the fillings vegetarian and use a vegan cheese to make these vegan.
Take them over the top. To add amazing flavor and texture, add extra cheese and let it spill out the edges slightly. It caramelizes as it cooks and adds so much texture and flavor.
Have you tried this delicious recipe?
I love hearing your feedback! If you’ve tried this recipe I’d love to hear how it turns out in the comments below.
Sconce & Scone 