Chicken Quesadillas

Shannon Vavich
This is the type of recipe I call a "satellite recipe". A satellite recipe is a recipe in which the main ingredient is the product of a "master recipe". The master recipe for these chicken quesadillas is my Crockpot Shredded Chicken. This quesadilla recipe is a great way to use up leftover shredded chicken from my crockpot shredded chicken recipe (the master recipe). This recipe isn't precise - it's more of an idea and a process. The quantities of this recipe are scaleable, just use whatever leftover chicken you have and make as many quesadillas you and your people want. My family really loved these. I made too many, but they loved having them as leftovers - even cold!

This is the first of the satellite recipes from my master recipes I presented and demonstrated in this video:  

In the video, I demonstrate how I prepare 12 freezer-to-crockpot recipes in 30 minutes and for under $200.  

The shredded chicken recipe makes fantastic chicken quesadillas! 

Here is the recipe for shredded chicken: 

Ingredients:

6-7 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2-3 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

1 cup olive oil

3 cups Pace Picante sauce

Dump all ingredients into a crock pot and cook on low for 7-10 hours.

Use two forks to pull the cooked chicken breasts apart while it’s still in the crockpot.  The shredded chicken will soak up the sauce.

To pre-prepare freezer to crockpot meals, follow the instructions in the video and/or see this post: https://theflyingkitchen.com/prep-12-big-family-dinners-in-30-minutes-for-under-200/

I tried the hand-mixer method to shred this chicken, and it worked well.  Here is a video demonstrating how I shredded the chicken:

The chicken I used was about half of the above recipe.  

Here is the video of how I made the quesadillas:

Quesadilla Recipe:

a little olive oil in a spray bottle

Shredded chicken from the above recipe

soft-taco sized tortillas

8oz cream cheese, cubed 

colby/jack blend shredded cheese

for dipping:

Pace medium picante sauce

sour cream

guacamole, if you have it

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.  Spray with olive oil.  Place one tortilla in pan and sprinkle with a little cheese.  Distribute about 1/3 cup shredded chicken over the cheese.  Dot with a few pats of cream cheese.  Top with more cheese.  Add another tortilla over the top of the whole thing.  Spray the tortilla.  When the cheese has melted enough to glue the top tortilla to the quesadilla, flip with a spatula.  If you find that the bottom tortilla cooks to quickly, lower heat and cover the pan to trap the heat in the pan and help the cheese melt faster. 

You’ll only need to cook the tortilla for a couple minutes on each side.  When the quesadilla is toasted on each side, use a spatula to lift it and place it on a cutting board. Use a pizza cutter to cut each quesadilla into fourths.

Dip each quesadilla wedge in salsa/sour cream/quacamole. 

Chicken Quesadillas

This is the type of recipe I call a "satellite recipe". A satellite recipe is a recipe in which the main ingredient is the product of a "master recipe". The master recipe for these chicken quesadillas is my Crockpot Shredded Chicken. This quesadilla recipe is a great way to use up leftover shredded chicken from my crockpot shredded chicken recipe (the master recipe). This recipe isn't precise – it's more of an idea and a process. The quantities of this recipe are scaleable, just use whatever leftover chicken you have and make as many quesadillas you and your people want. My family really loved these. I made too many, but they loved having them as leftovers – even cold!
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

  • olive oil in a spray bottle
  • any leftover shredded chicken you have from my crockpot shredded chicken recipe
  • soft taco sized tortillas
  • 8 oz cream cheese cubed
  • 1-3 cups shredded colby/jack cheese blend cheddar works well too

For Dipping

  • salsa / picante sauce
  • sour cream
  • guacamole

Instructions
 

  • Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.  Spray with olive oil.  Place one tortilla in pan and sprinkle with a little cheese.  Distribute about 1/3 cup shredded chicken over the cheese.  Dot with a few pats of cream cheese.  Top with more cheese.  Add another tortilla over the top of the whole thing.  Spray the tortilla.  When the cheese has melted enough to glue the top tortilla to the quesadilla, flip with a spatula.  If you find that the bottom tortilla cooks to quickly, lower heat and cover the pan to trap the heat in the pan and help the cheese melt faster. 
  • You’ll only need to cook the tortilla for a couple minutes on each side.  When the quesadilla is toasted on each side, use a spatula to lift it and place it on a cutting board. Use a pizza cutter to cut each quesadilla into fourths.
    Dip each quesadilla wedge in salsa/sour cream/guacamole. 

Video

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Crockpot Shredded Chicken

Shannon Vavich
An incredibly easy, delicious and versatile crockpot or pressure cooker meal. I use this chicken as a filling for tacos, to top rice, with potatoes or pasta and in slider sandwiches.
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

  • 6 chicken breasts
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 3 cups Pace Medium Picante Sauce

For a creamy shredded chicken:

  • 8 oz block of cream cheese (add about an hour before serving)

Instructions
 

  • Dump all ingredients into a crockpot and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours.
  • Use two forks to pull the cooked chicken breasts apart while still in the crockpot. The shredded chicken will soak up the sauce.
  • For a creamy shredded chicken, add a block of cream cheese to the crockpot about an hour before serving. Let it melt and stir to combine with the shredded chicken.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!