Looking for something quick + easy plus bursting with flavor? Then you’ve GOT to try these Chicken Adobo Quesadillas that will wake up your tastebuds.

Smoky, spicy shredded chicken covered in melty quesadilla cheese sandwiched between a crispy golden buttery tortilla.

With only 5 min prep and 10 min cook time with leftover Smoky Chicken Adobo meat, it’s quick + easy to make. It’s perfect for lunch or dinner.

Okay, you tried the Spicy Chicken Adobo Tacos and loved them.

BUT, if you have a lot of leftover chicken and don’t know what else to do with it – HERE is the solution.

Chicken Adobo Quesadillas are perfect for using that leftover shredded chicken and turning it into a fantastic lunch or even a quick dinner the next day.

Here is what you need to make these crispy, smoky, and slightly spicy quesadillas.

Spicy Chicken Adobo Shredded Chicken – It works great with leftover shredded chicken straight from the fridge or even thawed from the freezer.
Quesadilla Melting Cheese – You can substitute with Monterey Jack or Cheddar.
Cotija Cheese – Freshly grate a block of cotija cheese. BONUS: It works in SO many Mexican-based dishes, so always keep it on hand.
Soft Flour Tortillas – I like to use flour tortillas for the texture it provides, but corn tortillas work perfectly fine as a Gluten-Free Option.
Butter – Use good quality butter to fry the tortilla, but you can use olive oil as a healthier substitute.
Cilantro – It’s not Taco Tuesday worthy without cilantro, but you can skip it if you don’t care for the taste.
TOP WITH: Chipotle Aioli Sauce – It’s quick and easy and ready in under 5 min.

Start by heating a cast-iron griddle or skillet over medium-low heat. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in the skillet and coat both sides of the tortilla in the butter.

Fry for about 30 sec -1 min, then flip to fry the other side. When it starts to bubble up, that’s when you add the cheese and other toppings.

Add the crumbled quesadilla cheese and top with the shredded adobo chicken, and if you want to add other toppings, now is your chance.

Top it off with some more grated cotija cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, and of course, MORE quesadilla cheese.
It’s got to be cheesy, right?

Go ahead, fold one side of the tortilla over and allow it to warm through and melt the cheese.

Once it gets golden brown, sprinkle 1/2 tbsp of cotija cheese over the tortilla and carefully turn that side onto the pan to cook. Once it’s golden and crispy, turn it over and repeat on the other side.

Make sure not to burn the cheese.

Trust me; it took multiple tries to get this not to burn and yet be so CRISPY.

Mouthwatering crispy golden quesadilla that’s oozing with cheese + a slightly smoky, fiery kick.

Go Ahead, have some FUN with this recipe!

Add in your favorite toppings. Grilled bell peppers and onions, fresh jalapenos, or even some fire-roasted tomatoes work great with the smoky flavors of the spicy adobo chicken.

You can substitute the Quesadilla Melting Cheese for cheddar or Monterey Jack. Just make sure to use freshly grated block cheese for the ULTIMATE melty cheese pull.

Don’t forget to add a dollop of chipotle aioli sauce on top and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

Grab a bag of your favorite tortilla chips and dig into this zesty, smoky corn salsa.

Try some of this Street Corn Salsa with that quesadilla.

Chicken Adobo Quesadillas

Smoky, spicy shredded chicken sandwiched between melty quesadilla cheese covered in a crispy buttery tortilla. With only 5 min prep and 10 min cook time with leftover Spicy Chicken Adobo meat, it's quick and easy to make and perfect for lunch or dinner.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: 15 min, 15 min or less, adobo chicken, chipotle aioli sauce, cotija cheese, easy, leftovers, mexican style chicken, one pan dish, quesadilla, quesadilla cheese, quick, quick dinner, quick lunch, spicy chicken, spicy food, spicy mexican chicken, taco tuesday

Servings: 2

Author: carinakyriacos

Ingredients

• 1 cup smoky Adobo Chicken shredded leftover chicken from the Smoky Chicken Adobo recipe
• 1 cup quesadilla cheese Mexican melting cheese, crumbled
• 2 tbsp cotija cheese divided and crumbled
• 2 tbsp butter divided
• 2 large soft tortillas
• 1 tsp fresh cilantro chopped
• 1 tbsp chipotle aioli sauce

Instructions

• Warm the leftover spicy adobo shredded chicken in the microwave for 2-3 min or until warm. You can also warm on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally until warm.
• Melt 1 tbsp of butter over medium-low heat in a large cast-iron or skillet pan.
• Fry one side of the tortilla until golden and soft, then flip and cook the other side. At the same time, add ¼ cup of the quesadilla cheese, ½ cup of shredded chicken, and sprinkle ½ tbsp cotija cheese and a pinch of the cilantro on top with another ¼ cup of quesadilla cheese to one half of the tortilla.
• Flip over the bare side to sandwich the cheese and meat on the other side. Cook for 3-4 min and gently flip to the other side and cook for another 3-4 min.
• Sprinkle about ½ tbsp of the remaining cotija cheese on the top side of your quesadilla and flip to cook for 1 min. Sprinkle another ½ tbsp of cotija and flip to cook for 1 min. Remove to a plate and keep warm while preparing the second quesadilla
• Repeat cooking steps 2-5 with the other tortilla and remaining ingredients.
• Cut the quesadillas in half or quarters to serve. Top with Chipotle Aioli Sauce and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro on top.

Tried this recipe? Take a pic!Tag Us @TheSaltyNerve + #thesaltygram!

Looking for more Quick + Easy dishes?