Whip Up Italian Quesadillas: A Fast Weeknight Meal Ready in Under 15 Minutes! These quesadillas feature basic ingredients like mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, fresh basil, and rotisserie chicken, creating a simple yet satisfying dish your family will adore.
Quesadillas are our top choice for a fast and convenient weeknight dinner that satisfies the whole family with no complaints! While I usually love making quesadillas in the air fryer, this recipe is incredibly simple to prepare in a skillet or griddle, and you can even use a panini press!
Pair these Italian quesadillas with a delicious soup like Veggie Chili for a wonderfully easy and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients required to prepare this recipe. Please consult the recipe card at the end for precise measurements, and refer to the notes for suggestions on substitutions.
Cheese: I opted for mozzarella cheese, but feel free to use any Italian cheese blend you prefer, as long as it melts well.
Chicken: I utilized rotisserie chicken, but alternative options include ground sausage, leftover meatballs, beef, pepperoni, salami, or prosciutto. Alternatively, canned chicken can be used if preferred.
Basil: fresh basil was my choice, but you can also opt for pesto if it's available or to your liking.
Tortillas: opt for whole wheat tortillas or spinach tortillas.
Alternatively, you may substitute pizza sauce with spicy tomato sauce or even mozzarella if desired.
Step-by-step Instructions
Here are detailed instructions on how to prepare this recipe. For precise cooking times and temperatures, please refer to the recipe card provided at the end.
To start, heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Apply cooking spray or brush olive oil onto the skillet.
Lay your tortilla in the skillet. Add toppings and cheese to one side.
Let the tortilla cook for a few minutes until the cheese starts to melt and the underside of the tortilla begins to brown.
Fold the half of the tortilla without toppings over the half with toppings, forming a half-moon shape.
Continue cooking for another minute, then flip. Cook until the tortilla is browned to your preference and the cheese is melted.
Helpful tips
Here are some helpful tips from the experts:
- For extra melty cheese, cover the pizza quesadilla with a skillet lid when cooking on the skillet. Keep an eye on it to prevent burning, but this will aid in melting the cheese more efficiently.
- Use a pizza cutter to easily slice Italian quesadillas into halves or quarters.
- Reheat leftovers by placing them on a skillet and heating over medium heat until the cheese is melted again and the chicken is warmed through.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.
