Grilled Chicken Avocado Quesadilla (Printable)

Golden-grilled quesadilla filled with seasoned chicken, creamy avocado mash, and melted cheese. A satisfying Mexican-American favorite.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon cumin
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Avocado Mash

08 - 2 ripe avocados
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Assembly

12 - 4 large flour tortillas, 10-inch
13 - 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
14 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
15 - Cooking spray or olive oil for grilling

# Directions:

01 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
02 - In a bowl, combine olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss chicken breasts thoroughly to coat evenly.
03 - Grill chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - In a separate bowl, mash avocados with lime juice, cilantro, and salt until mostly smooth with some chunks remaining.
05 - Lay out tortillas. On half of each tortilla, spread a generous layer of avocado mash. Top with sliced chicken, red onion slices, and cheese. Fold tortillas in half to enclose filling.
06 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat and lightly coat with cooking spray or olive oil. Cook quesadillas two at a time for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cheese is melted.
07 - Remove quesadillas from skillet and let cool slightly. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The avocado mash keeps everything creamy without any heavy sauces or extra prep steps.
  • You can have dinner on the table in half an hour, even on the messiest of days.
  • It tastes like restaurant quality but uses ingredients you probably already have around.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully in a skillet the next morning for breakfast.
02 -
  • Don't skip resting the chicken, if you slice it right away all the moisture runs out and the filling gets watery.
  • Use medium heat for cooking the quesadillas, high heat burns the tortilla before the cheese melts.
  • Press down gently with your spatula while they cook to help the cheese bond everything together.
03 -
  • Spread the avocado mash all the way to the edges so every bite has that creamy layer.
  • If your tortillas keep tearing when you fold them, warm them in the microwave for ten seconds first to make them more pliable.
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one, it holds heat evenly and gives you the best crispy crust.
Go back