Grilled Chicken Thigh Quesadilla

You will get a double dose of grilled flavor in this Grilled Chicken Quesadilla when you grill the chicken thighs first, then grill the assembled quesadilla. One bite will have you convinced that grilling is THE MOVE for cooking your quesadillas this summer.

If you've never grilled a quesadilla, you're about to join team #grilledquesadilla. That hint of smoke you get in each bite is everything. Plus, the chicken used in the filling gets the grilled treatment as well, giving you that double hit of smokiness.

Ooops, I mispoke. I also used smoked Gouda cheese, so this Grilled Chicken Quesadilla is a triple threat of smoky, savory deliciousness.

And the grill marks on the resulting quesadilla? Truly a thing of beauty.

And I recommend using chicken thighs for max flavor and juiciness, and cooking the whole quesadilla on the grill for crispness and smoky flavor.

If you're on the hunt for more ways to make quesadillas, try my ground turkey quesadilla and spinach feta quesadilla next. Or if you're looking for a saucy little side to pair with your quesadilla? This tangy, smoky quesadilla sauce goes great with chicken quesadillas!

Ingredients

• Grilled chicken thighs: Bounce over to my recipe for how to make the juiciest grilled boneless skinless chicken thighs. It only takes 10-14 minutes to achieve perfectly moist and fully cooked chicken thighs on the grill. You can also grill off your chicken a day or two in advance to quickly assemble quesadillas for serving.
• Large flour tortillas: Larger-sized tortillas are ideal for making a quesadilla; look for burrito-sized ones.
• Smoked gouda cheese: Of course, you can use whatever cheese you'd like, but I highly recommend smoked gouda here. And pretty much on and in anything that calls for cheese, like in these pulled pork tostadas.
• Pickled jalapenos: These are optional, but they add a spicy, tangy flavor that really works.

Substitutions

• Skip the grilling your chicken step. Use leftover chicken or grab a Rotisserie chicken on your way home. Both are quick and easy solutions to make dinner easy.
• Use chicken breasts. I find boneless skinless chicken thighs both the easiest and most forgiving cut to prepare on the grill. If you use grilled chicken breasts, you will need to adjust the cooking time.
• Experiment with seasonings. Just about any type of seasoning for chicken works well here, you could even hit the easy button with salt and black pepper. Or consider using my homemade low-sodium taco seasoning or dry adobo seasoning.
• Instead of Gouda cheese. If you don't like smoked Gouda or can't find it you can use good 'ol cheddar (mild, medium, sharp, whatever you please), Colby jack, pepper jack, Oaxaca, Havarti (Havarti dill would be slammin', like in this dill pickle quesadilla recipe), or mozzarella all work.

Variations

This Grilled Chicken Quesadilla recipe is SUPER simple, but endlessly customizable! Try adding some of these ingredients to the mix:

• More MEAT! Try adding bacon crumbles or swapping the chicken for pork or beef. Kind of like in these chorizo quesadillas!
• Vegetables: Mushrooms, greens like kale or spinach, peppers, onions, artichokes, black or green olives, or sundried tomatoes make great additions.
• Beans: Try some chickpeas, black beans, or pinto beans.
• Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Experiment with Condiments: Try it with this roasted garlic chimichurri, citrus jalapeno salsa, and honey chipotle sauce.

How to Make Grilled Chicken Quesadillas

To get started, preheat your grill to medium-low heat. When warmed up, spritz the grill grates generously with cooking spray. Also, if you're using pickled jalapenos, remove 18-20 slices from the jar and arrange in a single layer on paper towels to remove excess moisture. This will prevent the quesadilla from getting soggy as it cooks.

Grill the chicken thighs first; here's an easy recipe for grilled chicken thighs. Only takes 10-14 minutes to cook, and no marinade time is required!

1. Lay a tortilla on a flat surface and sprinkle a ½ cup of shredded smoked Gouda over half of the tortilla. Top with one sliced boneless skinless chicken thigh. Add 9-10 sliced pickled jalapenos. Sprinkle another ½ cup of shredded cheese over the top.

2. Fold the naked half of the tortilla over the top of the side with fillings. Repeat the step above with the second quesadilla. Add the quesadillas to the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes with the lid closed. After flipping, continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes with the lid closed. You want to see some grill marks and for the tortilla to be firm and crisp to the touch.

3. Remove from the heat and cut into four slices. Serve with salsa, spicy pico de gallo, or chipotle lime sour cream sauce.

More Easy Quesadilla Recipes

If you tried this Grilled Chicken Thigh Quesadilla recipe (or any other recipe on Midwexican), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below!