Air Fryer Chicken Quesadilla
Air fryer chicken quesadillas deliver a crispy, melty snack in under 20 minutes. These delicious bites are packed with seasoned chicken and gooey cheese, making them the perfect recipe for a quick lunch or a busy weeknight dinner.
I’ve been making quesadillas for years. They were a lifesaver when my kids were little because they’re perfect for small hands, and they could pick their favorite fillings.
Even though we’re empty nesters now, I still make them all the time because they’re just so darn convenient!
To make them even easier, and in trying to limit my trips to the store, I prep all the ingredients on the weekend. That way, when we get hungry, we quickly throw them together and pop them in the air fryer.
They’re also fantastic for using up leftover chicken or vegetables from previous meals. Nothing goes to waste!
I’ll admit, I was skeptical about making quesadillas in the air fryer at first. I’d always been loyal to my trusty skillet method for getting those crispy edges. But wow, the air fryer changed everything! No more hovering over the stove, no messy cleanup, and no worrying about burning them while trying to flip at the perfect moment.
These work beautifully as a quick lunch, easy dinner, or even cut into triangles as party appetizers along with some guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.
Serve them with Mexican street corn salad and some lazy enchiladas for a complete meal.
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Tortillas – I like to use flour tortillas because I think they hold up better when air frying but you can substitute corn tortillas if you like those better.
- Chicken – Use cooked chicken not raw! I like shredded chicken because it’s easier to spread around better but you can use diced or strips like tenders. A rotisserie chicken from the deli makes for even easier prep.
- Peppers – A lot of recipes don’t use bell peppers but I LOVE them so I added them in.
- Seasoning – A homemade chicken taco seasoning is perfect. Substitute fajita or southwest seasoning if you prefer.
- Cheese – Shredded cheddar is perfect but I also love Monterey Jack or Mozzarella because it melts so well.
- Toppings – This can be anything you like! I love avocado, salsa, sour cream
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How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Quesadillas
- Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Cook the onion, sliced peppers, and corn until the peppers are tender and slightly charred. Roughly 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In a bowl, combine the cheese, salsa, and seasoning. Mix to combine and make sure the seasoning is dissolved in the salsa.
- Spray tortillas on both sides with non-stick spray or brush with oil. Divide the cheese mixture into thirds and spread onto 3 tortillas.
- Top the three tortillas with the pepper mixture, black beans, and chicken, dividing evenly between the three. Add a second tortilla to the top.
- Preheat air fryer to 375 degrees F. Spray air fryer basket with non-stick spray. Place the quesadilla in the basket and air fry 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Remove from air fryer and allow to rest for a minute. Cut into wedges and serve with your favorite toppings.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Serving Suggestions
Toppings like salsa, sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, salsa verde, etc. are perfect for smearing on top.
These are great all by themselves, but you can turn them into a meal with a few sides. Cilantro lime rice, street corn salad, a Mexican coleslaw, refried beans, or a fiesta salad are delicious options.
Storage & Reheating
If you have any leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, air fry the quesadillas at 325F until heated through.
You might need to spritz with cooking spray to help crisp the tortilla up again.
Variations
- Try it with steak or even fried chicken tenders, chopped up. Or you can leave out the chicken all together and make them vegetarian instead.
- Make a cilantro lime sauce to mix with your shredded cheese instead of taco seasoning.
- Add some southwest rice to them to add more texture.
- Switch up the Mexican flavors and make buffalo chicken or bbq chicken instead. I love these buffalo chicken taquitos so this is similar.
- These quesadillas are my second favorite, right next to this blooming quesadilla ring and these homemade Mexican pizzas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The time in the air fryer isn’t long enough to cook it to a safe temperature. Use cooked chicken!
I love to use Monterey Jack because it melts so well! More authentic cheeses to try are Oaxaca and Chihuahua cheese but sometimes they are hard to find.
Yes, you can! Preheat the oven to 400F, place them on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Flip at least once to make sure the tortillas get crispy on both sides.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Spray with nonstick spray to keep them from sticking to the basket.
- Seal the tortillas with toothpicks if the tortillas start to slide off the top or flip over on the edges from the air flow.
- Flip halfway thru so it browns evenly.
- If your tortillas a little large, use one tortilla and fold it in half instead of using two full tortillas.
- Prep all your ingredients earlier in the week so all you have to do is assemble and air fry when you’re ready to enjoy.
- Use a store bought rotisserie chicken for even easier meal prep.
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This air fryer chicken quesadilla recipe is super easy to make, fun to add your favorite toppings, and great as a party appetizer or afternoon snack.
Air Fryer Chicken Quesadilla Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 large flour tortillas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3/4 green bell pepper seeded, sliced into strips
- 3/4 red bell pepper seeded, sliced into strips
- 3/4 yellow bell pepper seeded, sliced into strips
- 1 1/2 cups corn (frozen) thawed
- 1 1/2 cups cheese shredded (Mexican blend or Monterey Jack)
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- Non-stick Spray
- 1 pound chicken cooked shredded
- 1 1/2 cups black beans
- 3/4 cup guacamole for garnish
- 3/4 cup sour cream for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Add diced onions, sliced bell peppers, and corn.
- Cook until the onions are soft and the peppers start to char a little. Roughly 5 to 6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the salsa, taco seasonings, and shredded cheese. Mix until the seasoning is mostly dissolved.
- Preheat air fryer to 375 degrees F. Spray air fryer basket with non-stick spray.
- Spray the tortillas on both sides with nonstick spray.
- Divide the cheese mixture between three of the tortillas and spread into an even layer.
- To the three tortillas, evenly add the pepper, onion, and corn mixture in a single layer.
- Sprinkle with the chicken and the black beans.
- Top with a second tortilla.
- Place one quesadilla in air fryer and cook until golden brown and cheese has melted, roughly 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from air fryer and allow to rest for a minute.
- Cut into wedges and serve with your favorite toppings.
Nutrition
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