Crispy Baked Quesadillas

It’s no secret that we love quesadillas at our house (who doesn’t?!), but these baked quesadillas are my new favorite easy dinner. The texture is SO good. The tortillas get a little crispy and golden brown and next to the melty cheese, it’s a great contrast of textures.

They are also easy, if you’re making more than one or two quesadillas, baking them in the oven is the most efficient way to cook them all at the same time. Forget standing over the stove to flip them, this is the best method for feeding a crowd.

While I tend to add crockpot salsa chicken to these quesadillas, you can really use any filling you like – beans, cooked meat, sauteed veggies – anything goes.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Ingredients

• Oil – Use a vegetable oil like avocado or canola oil. This helps the tortillas get a little crispy and golden brown.
• Tortillas – Use high-quality flour tortillas for the best flavor. I recently started buying the uncooked tortillas that you need to pan-fry for a few minutes to cook and they are SO good. It does add an extra step, but worth it! Otherwise, use your favorite large flour tortillas or your favorite gluten-free tortillas to make this recipe gluten-free. Corn tortillas don’t fold over quite as nicely for quesadillas, but if you prefer them you could always just stack a whole corn tortilla, add chicken and cheese, and top with another tortilla.
• Cheese – You’ll want a shredded cheese that melts well. I prefer using a more traditional queso asadero or queso Oaxaca for the best quesadilla, but you could also use a cheddar, Monterey jack, or pepper jack cheese. Buy it shredded or shred your own.
• Chicken – We’re using shredded chicken for these baked chicken quesadillas, but you can really use any of your favorite fillings – steak, shrimp, fajita veggies, black beans. You can make your own crockpot salsa chicken, buy it pre-shredded, use rotisserie chicken (sprinkle with taco seasoning or chili powder if desired) or even use leftover chicken.
• Fresh toppings – Use a variety of your favorite toppings to add extra flavor and color to the dish. Salsa, shredded lettuce, sour cream, and sliced jalapenos are all standard, but I’ll also share a list of even more topping ideas below.

How to Make Baked Quesadillas

This is an overview, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.

1. Prep. Preheat oven AND large baking sheet at the same time. We want to start with a hot baking sheet.

2. Assemble. Brush a touch oil on the preheated baking sheet and carefully place a tortilla on it. Add a layer of cheese, chicken mixture, or any other desired fillings, and more cheese and fold over. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
3. Bake. Brush the tops of the oven quesadillas with the remaining oil and bake, flipping over halfway, until the tortillas are golden brown and crispy. Serve with fresh toppings.

Storage

Store leftover quesadillas in the refrigerator for 2-3 minutes. It’s best to make the steak quesadillas fresh, so if you can make just what you need and store the components in the fridge until you’re ready to eat them.

Can you make quesadillas ahead of time?

You can, but quesadillas are best fresh. I would recommend prepping and cooking the components a day or two in advance but cooking right before serving for the BEST quesadillas.

Can you reheat a quesadilla?

If you’re reheating a quesadilla, I recommend cooking in a nonstick skillet until heated through for best results.

If you microwave it, your quesadilla will end up soggy.

Can you freeze quesadillas?

Yes, you can freeze quesadillas for 2-3 months. Store in a freezer or stasher bag or wrap in plastic wrap. Let thaw overnight and reheat in a hot pan for best results.

More Quesadilla Recipes

I’ve already mentioned our deep love of quesadillas and while it’s easy to keep it simple with tortillas and cheese (and I’ve made my fair share of these during the toddler years!), it’s also so fun to add in additional fillings. You’ll love these tried-and-true recipes.

• Shrimp Quesadillas
• Steak Quesadillas
• Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
• Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

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Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.

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