These buffalo chicken quesadillas have crisp, golden tortillas and a bold, spicy filling. The chicken is mixed with just enough buffalo sauce to bring the heat without soaking the tortillas, and the melted cheese keeps everything neatly tucked inside.
Cooked quickly in a buttered skillet, they deliver real buffalo flavor with minimal prep and no fuss.
What Makes These Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas Work
- Similar to buffalo chicken dip, first mixing the chicken with the buffalo sauce coats it evenly. This ensures the filling stays flavorful instead of dry or patchy.
- Buttering the skillet gives the tortillas even browning and helps them crisp without breaking.
- The sauce amount is intentional, enough for bold buffalo flavor without soaking the tortillas.
- Cooking over medium-low heat lets the cheese melt before the outside browns, so the quesadillas hold together and slice cleanly.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Rotisserie chicken keeps the filling moist and speeds up prep.
- A thicker Buffalo wing sauce clings better to the chicken than thin hot sauce. This helps prevent soggy tortillas.
- Colby-jack cheese melts without separating or turning greasy. Don’t choose pre-shredded cheese, it won’t melt as well.
- 8-inch flour tortillas are big enough to fold easily and crisp without cracking.
Cheese Swaps
- Pepper jack adds a little heat while still melting smoothly.
- Cheddar adds a sharper flavor and melts slightly firmer.
- Monterey jack melts smoothly and keeps the filling mild.
Simplified Steps: Skillet Method
1. Mix the filling: Similar to buffalo chicken dip, the filling is mixed before cooking so the flavor stays even throughout.Stir the shredded chicken and buffalo sauce together until evenly coated.
2. Assemble: Spread the chicken mixture over one half of each tortilla, top with cheese, then fold closed and press lightly to seal. This method will bind everything together once melted.
3. Cook: Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the quesadillas until the first side is golden, flip, and cook until the cheese is melted and the second side is crisp.
4. Rest and slice: Transfer to a cutting board, let rest briefly, then slice and serve warm.
If you’re looking for a milder option, these chicken-based quesadillas also use the skillet method.
Avoiding Soggy Quesadillas
- Using too much sauce makes it harder for the tortilla to crisp.
- Heat that’s too high browns the tortilla before the cheese fully melts, making flipping messy.
- Flipping too early can cause the filling to shift instead of staying sealed inside.
- Letting the quesadillas rest for a minute after cooking helps everything set before slicing.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the quesadillas with blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping, then finish with sliced green onions for a bit of freshness. They pair well with carrots and celery sticks or a simple side salad on the side.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Separate slices with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Reheat in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until the tortilla crisps and the cheese melts. Skip the microwave if you want to keep the tortilla crisp.
For another quick skillet dinner, this chicken enchilada skillet comes together just as fast.
Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken breast, finely shredded
- ¾ cup buffalo wing sauce, Sweet Baby Ray’s brand used
- 4 flour tortillas, soft taco sized (8-inch)
- 2 cups colby-jack cheese, shredded
- 2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Optional Garnish and Dippers
- Thinly sliced green onions
- Bottled blue cheese dressing
- Bottled ranch dressing
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl stir together the finely shredded chicken and buffalo wing sauce until fully combined.
- Lay out a flour tortilla onto a clean work surface. Spread ½ cup of the chicken mixture onto half of the tortilla, top the chicken with ½ cup shredded cheese then fold over and press lightly to close and ensure that your fillings do not come out the open side of the tortilla. Repeat until all four quesadillas are assembled.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Once melted, place two quesadillas into the skillet and allow them to cook for 1 ½ – 2 ½ minutes or until golden brown. Carefully flip the quesadillas to the other side and cook for an additional 1 ½ – 2 ½ minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is melted. If needed, add an additional ½ tablespoon butter to the skillet to help evenly crisp and brown the second side. You may also need to adjust the temperature to the skillet (higher or lower) as needed to ensure the buttered tortillas do not burn.
- Remove the cooked quesadillas from the skillet, set aside onto a clean cutting board and repeat with the remaining two assembled quesadillas. Once all the buffalo chicken quesadillas have been cooked to a golden brown, use a sharp knife to cut each quesadilla into halves, forming large triangles, plate and garnish with a sprinkle of green onions. Serve with a side of ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping, if desired.
Notes
- This recipe can easily be doubled to serve a crowd. A large (approximately 3-pound) cooked rotisserie chicken will typically yield between 3-4 cups finely shredded chicken if using the white and dark meat.
- Be sure to use your favorite brand of bottled, or homemade, buffalo wing sauce in this recipe for best results.
- Hand-shredded cheese melts better than pre-shredded varieties, which often contain anti-caking agents.
- Cheddar cheese (medium or sharp), monterey jack or pepper-jack cheese all make great substitutes for the colby-jack cheese in these quesadillas.
- If using a larger 10-inch sized flour tortilla to assemble these quesadillas, you will need to note that your quesadillas will be slightly thinner once cooked and golden. You may also need to cook just one quesadilla at a time depending on the size of your skillet. The larger quesadillas can be cut into thirds for more manageable sized pieces if picking up with your hands to eat.
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