Description
This party-sized Chicken Sheet Pan Quesadilla is easy to make, full of great flavor, and perfect for feeding a crowd! See notes above for possible ingredient variations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 slices bacon (optional)
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced with the white and green parts separated
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 large jalapeño pepper, cored and diced
- 6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 pound (about 4 cups) cooked* shredded or diced chicken
- 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto or black beans (or one of each), rinsed and drained
- 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
- 1/4 cup finely-chopped fresh cilantro
- melted butter
- 16 (10-inch) flour tortillas or 24 (8-inch) flour tortillas
- 3 to 4 cups shredded Mexican blend or Pepperjack cheese
- for serving: guacamole, pico de gallo, red salsa, salsa verde, and/or sour cream
Instructions
- Cook the bacon (optional). Cook the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat until it reaches your desired level of crispiness. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease remaining in the sauté pan (discard any excess).
- Sauté the veggies. Increase heat to medium-high and add the white parts of the scallions, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, a generous pinch of salt and black pepper and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Combine the chicken filling. Transfer the sautéed veggie mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add cooked bacon, chicken, beans, sour cream, cilantro, the green parts of the scallions, and toss the mixture until evenly combined. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper, if needed.
- Prep oven and baking sheet. Heat oven to 425°F. Lightly brush the bottom of a 13 x 18-inch sheet pan evenly with melted butter.
- Assemble the quesadilla. Arrange tortillas overlapping around the perimeter of the pan so that half of the tortillas overhang the rim, with two additional tortillas layered in the center so that the entire bottom surface of the pan is covered. Spread the chicken filling evenly over the tortillas, followed by an even layer of the cheese. Place two tortillas overlapping in the center of the pan (similarly to how you arranged the bottom layer), then fold the overhanging tortillas back towards the center until all of the chicken filling is covered. Brush the tops of the tortillas evenly with melted butter.
- Bake. Place another large baking sheet on top of the quesadilla to weigh it down. Transfer the stacked baking sheets to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the top baking sheet and bake for 5 more minutes, or until the tortillas are lightly golden.
- Serve. Slice the quesadilla into your desired size/shape of pieces and serve warm with your desired toppings and sauces.
Notes
Chicken options: I shredded a large rotisserie for this recipe to save a step, but you could use any leftover cooked diced or shredded chicken that you have on hand. Or you could bake or sauté some boneless skinless chicken breasts and add them to the recipe. You will need about 1 pound (roughly 4 cups diced or shredded) cooked chicken.
