Sheet Pan Chicken Quesadillas help you get ready for a dinner party, game day, or even just when you want quesadillas on the double. In under an hour, you’ll have plenty of golden brown, crispy, cheesy quesadillas stuffed full of savory chicken and hearty beans. Lightly spicy and extremely satisfying, Sheet Pan Chicken Quesadillas will get everyone jumping with joy! Don’t forget plenty of salsa for dipping!
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, optional
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts divided
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 large jalapeño pepper, cored and diced
- 6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- fine sea salt, to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound of chicken, cooked, shredded or diced
- 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- butter, melted, for greasing the sheet pan and topping the quesadillas
- 16 (10-inch) flour tortillas or 24 (8-inch) flour tortillas
- 3-4 cups Mexican blend or pepper jack cheese, shredded
Optional toppings:
- guacamole, to taste
- pico de gallo, to taste
- red salsa, to taste
- salsa verde, to taste
- sour cream, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2 –Heat a large sauté pan over medium-low heat.
Step 3 –Add the bacon and cook to your desired level of doneness, about 4-6 minutes.
Step 4 –Transfer the cooked bacon to a power-towel-lined plate.
Step 5 –Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease in the sauté pan, discarding the rest.
Step 6 –Increase the heat to medium-high.
Step 7 –Add the white parts of the scallions, the bell pepper, and the jalapeño.
Step 8 –Sauté the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Step 9 –Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, sea salt, and pepper, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Step 10 –Transfer the sautéed vegetable mixture to a large mixing bowl.
Step 11 –Add the cooked bacon, chicken, beans, sour cream, cilantro, and the green parts of the scallions, tossing the mixture until everything is evenly combined.
Step 12 –Taste the mixture for seasoning.
Step 13 –Lightly brush the bottom of a 13×18-inch sheet pan with melted butter.
Step 14 –Arrange the tortillas overlapping the perimeter of the pan so that half of the tortillas overhang the rim.
Step 15 –Layer tortillas in the center of the baking sheet so the entire bottom of the baking sheet is covered.
Step 16 –Spread the chicken filling evenly over the tortillas.
Step 17 –Sprinkle the chicken mixture evenly with the cheese.
Step 18 –Place as many tortillas as you used to cover the center of the pan on top of the chicken mixture in the center of the sheet, almost like making sandwiches.
Step 19 –Fold the overhanging tortillas back towards the center until all of the chicken filling is covered.
Step 20 –Brush the tops of the quesadillas with melted butter.
Step 21 –Place another large baking sheet on top of the quesadillas to weigh them down.
Step 22 –Bake for 20 minutes.
Step 23 –Remove the top baking sheet carefully.
Step 24 –Bake until the tortillas are lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
Step 25 –Serve!
