Cheesy Hot Honey Chicken Quesadillas Recipe
Delicious and spicy Cheesy Hot Honey Chicken Quesadillas featuring tender chicken coated in a sweet and spicy honey-hot sauce, layered with melted cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses inside crispy grilled flour tortillas. Served with a cool jalapeño cream sauce and fresh cilantro garnish, perfect for a flavorful and satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 quesadilla halves (serves 4) 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
- 0.33 cup honey
- 2–3 tablespoons hot sauce
Jalapeño Cream Sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1–2 fresh jalapeños, deseeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt, to taste
Quesadilla Assembly
- 8 large flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter, for grilling
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Cooking the Chicken: In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Season the chicken pieces with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes until it turns golden brown and is cooked through.
- Coating the Chicken with Honey Hot Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together honey and hot sauce. Pour this mixture over the cooked chicken in the skillet and toss well until all the chicken pieces are thoroughly coated. Keep the chicken warm.
- Preparing the Jalapeño Cream Sauce: In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, chopped deseeded jalapeños, lime juice, garlic powder, and salt. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Assembling the Quesadillas: Lay a flour tortilla flat on a clean surface. Sprinkle a layer of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses evenly over the tortilla, then add a portion of the hot honey chicken on top. Add a light sprinkle of cheese over the chicken and cover with a second tortilla.
- Cooking the Quesadillas: Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt some butter. Place the assembled quesadilla in the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the tortillas are golden brown and the cheese inside has melted.
- Serving: Remove the cooked quesadilla from the skillet and slice into wedges. Drizzle or serve with the jalapeño cream sauce on the side and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro as desired.
Notes
- Feel free to adjust the amount of hot sauce and jalapeños depending on your spice preference.
- To reduce calories, use low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt for the jalapeño cream sauce.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute flour tortillas with gluten-free tortillas.
- Make sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly before coating with the honey hot sauce to ensure safety.
- Keep the assembled quesadilla warm and covered if making in batches to prevent sogginess.
Keywords: cheesy chicken quesadillas, hot honey chicken, spicy quesadilla, jalapeño cream sauce, easy dinner, skillet quesadilla
