Get ready for your new crave-worthy favorite! Oozing with gooey cheese and packed with bold flavors, they bring a restaurant-quality meal right to your kitchen. The combination of perfectly seasoned chicken, zesty lime juice, and fresh cilantro creates a mouthwatering filling that will have you wanting to make this recipe on repeat. Whether you’re whipping up a quick lunch or looking for an easy dinner option, these quesadillas are a guaranteed hit. Plus, you can even adapt the original recipe to use leftover or rotisserie chicken which is always pretty convenient.

For more cilantro-lime dinner favorites, try our cilantro-lime chicken pizza or our cilantro-lime shrimp tacos.

Why Our Recipe

  • Oozing with both gooey cheese AND flavor.
  • Cook the chicken fresh for juicy results or use leftover or rotisserie chicken to save time.
  • Treat yourself at lunchtime or enjoy a quick and easy dinner that you’ll drool over.
A close up view of a quesadilla stuffed with cheese, cilantro, and chicken.

Decades ago I used to frequent a local restaurant that served a similar quesadilla and I could never get enough of it. Over the years, I’ve perfected my own version. Stuffed with chicken breast, Monterey Jack cheese, and sautéed onions, and flavored with cilantro and lime, they make for one mouth-watering quesadilla. The tortillas are seasoned with a sprinkle of season salt, balancing the acidity of the lime and enhancing every bite. Serve them with a dollop of sour cream on the side for an added touch of deliciousness.

Ingredient Notes

An overhead view of the ingredients needed to make cilantro-lime chicken quesadillas.
  • Chicken Breast: A large boneless, skinless chicken breast works best. Pound it to an even thickness for uniform cooking.
  • Ground Cumin: Adds that warm Tex-Mex vibe.
  • Olive Oil: Could also use other cooking oils you have on hand like vegetable or canola oil.
  • White Onion: Gives the best flavor, but you could also use yellow onion which will be a bit more sharp of an onion flavor.
  • Cilantro: Chop it finely to ensure it’s evenly distributed.
  • Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice is best for the brightest flavor.
  • Flour Tortillas: The recipe is written for 8-inch tortillas, which are generally labeled as “soft taco flour tortillas.”
  • Monterey Jack Cheese: Melts beautifully, but you could always use Oaxaca cheese or mozzarella.
  • Season Salt: Could you skip it? Sure. I tell you what though, it adds that extra layer of flavor that will leave you licking your fingers.

Using Leftover or Pre-Cooked Chicken

Whether you have leftover chicken from another meal, precooked chicken, or shredded rotisserie chicken, you can easily adapt this recipe to save time without sacrificing flavor.

Simply dice or shred your chicken into bite-size pieces. Season it with ground cumin, salt, and black pepper in the same amounts called for in the recipe to bring out those delicious Tex-Mex flavors. Then, give it a quick toss in a skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil to warm it up and infuse it with the spices.

A hand lifting up the top piece from a stack of cilantro lime chicken quesadillas.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

Refrigerate any leftover quesadillas in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

To freeze, allow the quesadillas to cool completely. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

To reheat in a skillet, cook for 2-3 minutes on each side over medium heat until heated through and the cheese is melted.

To reheat in an air fryer, place the quesadillas in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 350 degrees for about 3 minutes.

More quesadilla goodness…