Rotisserie Chicken Quesadillas with Homemade Pico de Gallo
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Looking for a quick and easy meal that is bursting with flavor? Try our Rotisserie Chicken Quesadillas with fresh homemade pico de gallo. Not only do they cook in a snap, but your family will be impressed with how flavorful this tasty treat can be. With minimal prep and just the right combination of spices and condiments, these quesadillas take it to the next level!
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Rotisserie Chicken Quesadillas
Rotisserie Chicken Quesadillas are a tasty dish that is perfect for Mexican-themed fiestas, Cinco De Mayo celebrations, or as a casual meal.
This Tex-Mex recipe makes use of the convenience of store-bought rotisserie chicken, which saves you time in the kitchen without sacrificing flavor.
Shredded chicken is combined with a spicy seasoned sour cream sauce and piled into tortillas with Mexican cheese.
The quesadillas are then baked in the oven until the cheese is melted, and the tortillas have crisped up.
To serve, a fresh Pico de Gallo is served on the side, in addition to any leftover sour cream sauce. Some avocado or Guacamole is another tasty addition.
They are easy to make, and the flavors can be customized to suit your taste – try our Chicken & Sweetcorn Quesadillas.
Whether you are looking for a quick and easy dinner or a crowd-pleasing appetizer, these rotisserie chicken quesadillas are sure to impress.
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon, Amazon Fresh, or other stores if available online.
Ingredients Needed For Rotisserie Chicken Quesadillas
- Fresh Produce – Cherry Tomatoes, Red Onion, Cilantro (Fresh Coriander), Serrano Peppers*, Limes, Garlic, Avocado
- Protein – Rotisserie Chicken. This recipe takes advantage of the convenience of rotisserie chicken, which can be found in most grocery stores. A combination of dark and light meat is used in this recipe, but dark meat is preferred for its juicy and flavorful qualities. However, if rotisserie chicken is not available, cooked and shredded boneless, skinless chicken thighs are an excellent alternative.
- Dairy – Sour Cream, Unsalted Butter, Mexican Cheese Blend (a mixture of Monterey Jack, cheddar, Asadero, and Queso Quesadilla cheeses, often used in dishes like nachos and quesadillas as it melts well.)
- Pantry – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Black Pepper
- Chili Powder – use mild or hot depending on your personal tastes and spicy heat preference.
- Ground Cumin
- Ground Coriander
- Garlic Powder
- Smoked Paprika
- Chipotle Powder
- Large Flour Tortillas
*Serrano peppers are up to five times hotter than Jalapeño peppers. If your spicy-heat tolerance isn’t good, you can substitute the Serrano with Jalapeño.
The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found on the recipe card at the end of this post.
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Equipment Needed For This Recipe
- Large Rimmed Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper – also known as baking paper or greaseproof paper. You could also use a Nonstick Baking Mat.
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping/Cutting Board
- Mixing Bowls
- Frying Pan
- Rubber/Silicone Spatula
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use cups and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American US customary, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, that you can mix cup measurements with weighted measures, but never mix US customary/imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Rotisserie Chicken
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is rotisserie chicken, so here are some more chicken recipes using the same:
- Quick Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Using Rotisserie Chicken)
- Rotisserie Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese & Walnuts
- Baked Potato Skins with BBQ Chicken & Caramelized Onions
- Comforting Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole with Mushrooms & Peas
- Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Sauce
How Do I Make Rotisserie Chicken Quesadillas?
The printable recipe card with the full ingredients list and instructions can be found at the end of this post.
Step 1 – Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas 4. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat and set it aside.
Step 2 – Prepare Taco Seasoning: Place the chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, black pepper, and sea salt into a small bowl. Stir to combine and set the bowl aside.
Step 3 – Prepare Pico de Gallo: Place the tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, serrano peppers, and garlic into a medium glass or non-reactive bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.
Step 4 – Prepare Sour Cream: Place the sour cream and taco seasoning into a small bowl and stir to combine.
Step 5 – Prepare Chicken: Place one-half cup of the seasoned sour cream into a large bowl with the shredded rotisserie chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Toss to combine and set the seasoned chicken aside.
Note: Reserve the remaining seasoned sour cream for serving.
Step 6 – Toast Tortillas: Heat a large non-stick pan or skillet over medium heat. Add some butter and spread it over the pan with a spatula as it melts.
Add a tortilla to the hot pan and toast on one side for about 1 minute, or until just golden brown. Transfer the toasted tortilla to the prepared baking sheet, toasted side down.
Carefully wipe out the skillet with a clean, damp cloth, then add another chunk of butter. Once the bottom of the skillet is coated, add a second tortilla.
Step 7 – Prepare Quesadillas: While the second tortilla is toasting, add one-sixth of the seasoned chicken to one-half of the non-toasted side of the first tortilla. Top with one-quarter cup of shredded cheese, and some chopped cilantro if using.
Fold the other half of the tortilla over and press down with a spatula to set it. Set the baking sheet aside.
Step 8 – Repeat & Bake: Repeat steps 6 and 7 until all the tortillas are toasted, filled, and arranged on the prepared baking sheet.
Place the full baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the quesadillas are heated through.
Step 9 – Cut & Serve: Remove the quesadillas from the oven and leave them to cool slightly before cutting each one into thirds.
To serve, arrange the cut quesadilla onto a plate, sprinkle with some fresh cilantro, lime wedges, diced avocado (or guacamole), the Pico de Gallo, and the remaining seasoned sour cream on the side. Enjoy!
More Tex-Mex Recipes
Looking for more Tex-Mex dishes to make? Check these recipes out next:
- Quick & Easy Steak Street Tacos with Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Loaded Sheet Pan Nachos with Pico de Gallo for Feeding A Crowd!
- Flavorsome Grilled Chipotle Lime Shrimp Skewers For Tacos & Salads
- Crispy Taco Cheese Cups Are A Great Low Carb Snack!
- Instant Pot Stuffed Poblano Pepper Soup Recipe
Recipe Tips
- This recipe calls for 1-2 serrano peppers, which can be up to five times hotter than jalapeño peppers. Of course, the amount used will depend on the desired amount of heat. A good rule of thumb is to start by adding a small amount and gradually add more if desired after the flavors have a chance to develop.
- Although the taco seasoning includes salt and black pepper, adding a light sprinkle of both to the seasoned rotisserie chicken adds a nice touch of additional flavor to this recipe.
- For fast weeknight Mexican or Tex-Mex-themed meals, prepare double, triple, or larger batches of the taco seasoning mix. The unused portion can be stored in an airtight container for several months.
- For best results, carefully wipe the skillet with a clean, damp cloth and add a fresh pat of butter before toasting each tortilla. Reusing the butter in the skillet can cause the tortillas to develop an unpleasantly dark brown color.
Storing Leftovers & Freezing
- Storing Leftovers:
- Cool (within 1-2 hours), transfer to an airtight container, and store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Not suitable for freezing.
- With all leftovers, make sure the food looks and smells okay before consuming.
- Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart for Cooking
- You can always consult the Food Standards Agency in your country for the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods: Food Standards Agency (UK) | Food Safety (USA).
Printable Rotisserie Chicken Quesadillas Recipe Card
To save ink, any demonstration photos on the recipe card do not print.
Rotisserie Chicken Quesadillas with Fresh Pico de Gallo
Sink your teeth into these crispy and cheesy Rotisserie Chicken Quesadillas that are loaded with juicy chicken and paired with a zesty and colorful fresh Pico de Gallo that will make your taste buds dance.
Ingredients
For the Taco Seasoning
- 1 Tbsp ground chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp chipotle powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¾ tsp sea salt
For the Pico de Gallo
- 1-pint (500g) cherry or grape tomatoes, diced
- ½ medium red onion, finely diced
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 1 large lime, juiced
- 1-2 serrano peppers, finely diced
- 2-3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Quesadillas
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken meat, shredded
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1½ - 2 Tbsp taco seasoning (see above)
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 6 large flour tortillas
- ¼ c. unsalted butter, cut into 6 equal-sized chunks
- 1½ cup Mexican blend cheese
- 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)
- To Serve:
- 2 large limes, cut into wedges
- Diced avocado or guacamole
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas 4. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat and set it aside.
- Place the chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, black pepper, and sea salt into a small bowl. Stir to combine and set the bowl aside.
- Place the tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, serrano peppers, and garlic into a medium glass or non-reactive bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.
- Place the sour cream and taco seasoning into a small bowl and stir to combine. Place one-half cup of the seasoned sour cream into a large bowl with the shredded rotisserie chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Toss to combine and set the seasoned chicken aside. Reserve the remaining seasoned sour cream for serving.
- Heat a large non-stick pan or skillet over medium heat. Add some butter and spread it over the pan with a spatula as it melts. Add a tortilla to the hot pan and toast on one side for about 1 minute, or until just golden brown. Transfer the toasted tortilla to the prepared baking sheet, toasted side down. Carefully wipe out the skillet with a clean, damp cloth, then add another chunk of butter. Once the bottom of the skillet is coated, add a second tortilla.
- While the second tortilla is toasting, add one-sixth of the seasoned chicken to one-half of the non-toasted side of the first tortilla. Top with one-quarter cup of shredded cheese, and some chopped cilantro if using. Fold the other half of the tortilla over and press down with a spatula to set it. Set the baking sheet aside.
- Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all the tortillas are toasted, filled, and arranged on the prepared baking sheet. Place the full baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the quesadillas are heated through.
- Remove the quesadillas from the oven and leave them to cool slightly before cutting each one into thirds.
- To serve, arrange the cut quesadilla onto a plate, sprinkle with some fresh cilantro, lime wedges, diced avocado (or guacamole), the Pico de Gallo, and the remaining seasoned sour cream on the side. Enjoy!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 865Total Fat: 51gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 194mgSodium: 1673mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 8gSugar: 13gProtein: 44g
This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Recipes To Make A Special Dinner
These quesadillas could be served as an appetizer or main dish.
Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:
- Appetizer: 7 Layer Dip Cups – An Easy Tex-Mex Appetizer for Parties!
- Soup: Southwestern Chicken Soup with Black Beans
- Salad: Mexican Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
- Main Dish: Quick & Easy Beef Taco Salad for Taco Tuesday!
- Side Dish: Fully Loaded Mexican Street Corn with Mexican Crema & Cotija Cheese
- Beverage: Mexican Horchata
- Dessert: Fresh Summer Fruit Salad with Honey-Yogurt Dip
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.