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Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla

This Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla is incredibly tasty! Buffalo chicken is a family favorite, so this recipe is a must-have that combines the flavors of buffalo chicken with lots of gooey, melted cheese all wrapped up in a crispy tortilla. These are a great lunch or dinner option that can be made quickly!

Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla on a white plate.

As is the case with all quesadilla recipes, this recipe is easy and quick to pull together using simple ingredients.

This Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla is the perfect  making quick lunch, light dinner or game day recipe that the whole family will love.

It’s also a great meal to serve the kids, as I don’t know any child who doesn’t love a quesadilla.

If you love buffalo flavor and lots of cheese this one is for you! You might also like this recipe for Buffalo Chicken Hummus Bites or this How to Make Buffalo Chicken Dip. 

I mix shredded chicken with sautéed onion and garlic, hot sauce, and ranch dressing.

I then arrange the filling in a tortilla with shredded cheddar cheese and mozzarella, before warming up until melted and gooey. Nothing goes to waste in my kitchen and this recipe is a great way of using up leftover rotisserie chicken or roast chicken.

You could use this recipe for Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken or this Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken for the shredded chicken. 

If your family love quesadillas as much as mine do, then try these other great tasting quesadilla recipes too, my Mexican Salmon Quesadillas with Avocado Cream and my Easy Vegetarian Quesadillas.

Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla ingredients

Recipe Ingredients You’ll Need:

  • Oil: I always use olive oil as it has the best flavor but avocado oil would work too. 
  • Onion: I have used a diced sweet onion, but red onion is a great substitution. 
  • Garlic: Always use fresh minced garlic if you have it as it does have the best flavor, but garlic puree or garlic powder will work.
  • Chicken: Use shredded chicken breast, or rotisserie chicken, any cooked chicken will work in this dish.
  • Flavoring: I use a combination of buffalo hot sauce and ranch dressing to flavor the chicken along with freshly chopped cilantro and lime juice. Any brand of sauce will do, so use your favorite. You can also use as little or as much additional buffalo wing sauce as you like.
  • Tortillas: I use 4 medium-sized flour tortillas in this recipe.
  • Cheese: I use of combination of shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese as they melt really well and create a gooey cheese.
Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla with cilantro

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

Step 1: Saute Onion and Garlic: Place a large skillet on the stove-top over a medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes or until the onion is soft.

Season the onions with salt, then add minced garlic and stir for a further minute until fragrant.

Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla onions in skillet

Step 2: Add Chicken: Remove the skillet from the heat. Add in the shredded chicken, hot buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, fresh cilantro, lime juice and ground black pepper to create the buffalo chicken mixture.

If you want to make a homemade buffalo sauce try this recipe.

Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla chicken in a skillet

Give everything a good mix to combine.

Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla chicken mixed with sauce

Step 3: Add Cheese: Place a flour tortilla in the skillet over medium heat.

Now add some of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella over the tortilla. Fill half of it with buffalo chicken and flip the other half of the tortilla over. Toast the tortilla on both sides.

Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla tortilla in skillet with cheese

Step 4: Serve the Quesadillas: Serve these delicious quesadillas warm, straight from the pan with a topping of sour cream and some freshly chopped cilantro and green onions.

You could serve it with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing.

Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla with ranch dip

Recipe FAQ

What kind of cheese is best for quesadillas?

You want a good melting cheese with a bit of stretch, so I’ve used a mixture of shredded cheddar cheese and mozzarella. Look for Mexican cheese if you can find it, something like Chihuahua cheese is ideal. Monterey Jack or Gruyere would be a good melting options too.

How do you make quesadillas crispy?

You want your quesadillas to warm through, without burning the tortillas. So, I recommend cooking them in a hot skillet over a medium heat, not too high or you risk burning the tortillas.
The trick is cook lower and longer for a crispy tortillas with a lovely molten cheese filling.

How do I prevent the quesadilla from getting soggy?

Cook meats (chicken, steak, shrimp) and sauté veggies like peppers, onions, mushrooms, before adding them to your quesadilla.

How do I ensure the cheese melts?

If you cook the quesadilla on medium-low to medium heat to allow the cheese to melt fully while the tortilla crisps. When you remove from the heat let the quesadilla rest for a minute or two after cooking. This helps the cheese set slightly, making it easier to cut and less messy.

Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla on a plate with ranch

Ways to Modify These Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

  • Cheese: You can use a block of cheddar cheese and shred it yourself as it melts better than pre-packaged shredded cheese. You can replace cheddar or mozzarella with a Mexican cheese blend if desired.
  • Gluten-Free: To make gluten-free quesadillas ensure you use gluten free hot sauce, ranch dressing and tortillas.
  • Feeding a Crowd: If you are feeing a crowd you can easily doubled or tripled to cater for larger numbers.
  • Air Fryer: Try making these in the air fryer. They are so easy and get extra crispy. Cook them at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes or until cheese melts, flipping halfway. 
Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla with ranch

Storage Tips:

  • Storing Leftovers: Leftover cheesy buffalo chicken quesadillas can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to warm, reheat in a non-stick skillet on the stove top or microwave until warmed through.
  • Can I freeze quesadillas: No, I don’t recommend it. This is definitely a dish that is best made fresh, as the tortilla and filling can become soggy if frozen.

Sides to Pair with Quesadillas:

If I am making a Mexican meal I will often make my Easy Mexican Coleslaw and serve it with the quesadillas along with this Easy Curtido Recipe or my Quick Pickled Red OnionsThe sharpness of the pickled vegetables really cuts through the cheese.

I also love adding quesadillas to my family Taco night. Try it alongside these Easy Cod Fish TacosSouthwestern Breakfast Egg TacosGrilled Fish Tacos with Tropical SalsaSlow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos or these Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos.

Try Some Other Delicious Mexican Style Recipes:

Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas 1200 x 1200

Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla

This Easy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla is incredibly tasty! Buffalo chicken is a family favorite, so this recipe is a must-have that combines the flavors of buffalo chicken with lots of gooey, melted cheese all wrapped up in a crispy tortilla. These are a great lunch or dinner option that can be made quickly!
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Course: chicken
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dinner, dinner recipe, lunch, side dish, snack
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 10 quesadillas
10
Author: Julia

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 sweet onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups shredded chicken breast, or rotisserie chicken
  • 1/4 cup buffalo hot sauce
  • 1/4 cup ranch dressing
  • 2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • 4 medium-size tortillas
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

  • Sauté chopped onion with a tbsp of olive oil for 5-6 minutes or until the onion is soft. Then add minced garlic and stir for a minute until fragrant.
  • Remove the skillet and add shredded chicken, hot buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, fresh cilantro, lime juice, salt and ground pepper. Mix to combine.
  • Add some cheddar and mozzarella over a tortilla and place it in a skillet over medium heat. Fill half of it with buffalo chicken and flip the other half of the tortilla over.
  • Serve warm with some sour cream or ranch dressing and chopped cilantro.

Notes

  • Use block cheddar cheese and shred it yourself as it melts better.
    Replace cheddar or mozzarella with a Mexican cheese blend if desired.
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