Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas

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These quick and easy chicken and black bean quesadillas are seasoned with a homemade Mexican seasoning blend. They're great as an appetizer or a tasty meal the whole family will love!

Chicken and black bean quesadillas shown sliced into wedges and served on a platter.

Why this Recipe Works

Quesadillas are perfect for a busy weeknight and are always in the regular rotation at my house. They're a great way to use up leftover meat and also a great way to sneak in some of those extra veggies that have been hanging around in the fridge.

For extra nutrition, I like to include black beans, sauteed onions, and bell peppers. Corn is great too. But, just about anything will taste great inside a gooey, cheesy tortilla!

What Chicken to use for Quesadillas

For this chicken quesadilla recipe, I like to plan ahead and cook a few salsa chicken breasts in my Instant Pot. I usually make a big batch to use in this and other meal prep recipes for the week like burrito bowls, salads, chicken wraps, or my Southwestern chicken egg rolls.

You can use just about any chicken you want though. Grilled chicken is great and rotisserie chicken is a perfect shortcut too! Another great option is leftover chicken from a big batch of sheet pan chicken fajitas!

Whichever you choose I do recommend seasoning the meat with some Mexican blend seasoning or taco seasoning when cooking to make your quesadillas more flavorful.

Homemade Mexican Seasoning

This homemade Mexican seasoning blend is easy to make by combining some common seasonings you probably have on hand. This allows you to control the flavor and tweak it to your liking. No need to buy pre-mixed taco seasoning!

To make the Mexican seasoning blend, in a small bowl add 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano. Stir until well combined.

For milder heat, replace ½ teaspoon of the chili powder with ½ teaspoon sweet paprkia.

For more heat, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the seasoning and your favorite hot sauce when cooking the chicken and veggie filling.

This will make enough seasoning for 2-3 batches of these quesadillas. The leftover seasoning is perfect seasoning chicken or beef on many of your other Mexican favorites too like tacos, enchiladas, and more.

Close up shot of a platter of quesadillas.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the filling: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and peppers. Cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Add the shredded chicken, black beans, and 1 tablespoon of the Mexican seasoning blend and stir until combined. Cook for around 2 minutes then remove from heat and transfer mixture to a plate.
Add a tortilla: Wipe the pan clean and return to the heat. Reduce heat to medium. Brush one side of a tortilla with melted butter, then set the tortilla in the pan with the buttered side down.
Add cheese and filling: Top the whole tortilla with a small handful of each of the cheeses. Add approximately ⅙ of the chicken and vegetable mixture on one half of the tortilla and cook for around 1-2 minutes.
Fold and cook: Fold the cheese side of the tortilla over the side with the chicken mixture and cook for another minute until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is lightly browned. If the tortilla starts to brown too much, flip to the other side to finish cooking.
Repeat and serve: Repeat the process with th remaining tortillas then cut into wedges and serve.

What to Serve with Quesadillas?

These quesadillas are a go-to meal in my house along with my quick and easy Instant Pot Spanish rice. I also love to serve them with sour cream, homemade quacamole, and pico de gallo. Mexican street corn salad would be another great choice as a side.

For a larger Mexican feast, you can serve them alongside my chicken enchiladas with green sauce, or any of your other favorite main dishes.

Quesadilla Tips and FAQs

What toppings go in a quesadilla?

I like to include veggies in quesadillas to add more nutritional value and make a complete meal. Some great choices are black beans, sautéed onions and peppers, corn, and diced tomatoes.

What kind of cheese is best for quesadillas?

Many Mexican restaurants use Asadero cheese, but I like to use easier-to-find Monterey jack which is similar in flavor and also melts really well.

Do you make quesadillas with one or two tortillas?

I find using one larger tortilla is easier because you can fill the tortilla with a layer of cheese and add your other fillings to one half, then fold the tortilla over after the cheese is melted. This allows the cheese to melt evenly and keeps it in a nice, neat package to flip or remove from the pan.

You can also use two tortillas to sandwich your fillings but will need to flip the quesadilla to cook the top side, which can be tricky.

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