Chicken Tinga Quesadillas

Smoky, crispy, and ready all at once, these quesadillas are baked on a sheet pan so every wedge comes out evenly golden and crunchy. No skillet needed.

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Resting Time5

Total Time1

Course: Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Cinco de Mayo, comfort food, easy, fast

Servings: people

Author: Marissa Stevens

Ingredients

For the Chicken Tinga

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 small white onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 cup canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juices (roughly half of a 14.5-oz can)
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano ideally Mexican oregano
2 teaspoons chipotle hot sauce or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Quesadillas

2 green onions very thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
4 ounces canned roasted and diced green chiles drained
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded
2 tablespoons vegetable oil such as avocado oil or other high heat, neutral oil
4 8-inch flour tortillas

Instructions

To Make the Chicken Tinga

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Add the tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, cumin, oregano, chipotle hot sauce, and chipotle chili powder. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer.
Nestle the chicken into the sauce, season lightly with salt and pepper, and flip once to coat. Reduce the heat so the sauce barely bubbles, cover, and cook 15–18 minutes, turning the chicken halfway, until it shreds easily.
Remove the chicken, shred with two forks, then return it to the sauce and stir to coat. Adjust salt, pepper, or heat to taste. Transfer the finished tinga into a large bowl and let it cool slightly so it’s ready to add the other quesadilla filling.

To Make the Quesadillas

Preheat oven to 425 °F (218 °C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
Add the green onions, cilantro, green chiles, and shredded Monterey Jack to the bowl of chicken tinga. Fold gently with a spatula until the cheese and vegetables are evenly combined with the meat.
Arrange the tortillas flat in a single layer on a clean countertop or work surface. Spoon 1/4 of the tinga mixture over one half of a tortilla, leaving about a 1/2-inch border at the edge. Fold the bare half over the filling and press so the tortillas lie flat. Repeat with remaining tinga mixture and tortillas. Brush the tops with 1 tablespoon of oil, then flip the tortillas oiled-side down onto the prepared baking sheet, arranging them so the rounded edges point toward the center. Brush the now-exposed sides with the remaining tablespoon of oil.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until the bottoms start to brown. Turn the quesadillas with a wide spatula, press lightly, and bake 5 minutes more, until both sides are golden. Let the pan rest on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then slice each quesadilla into four wedges with a pizza cutter or sharp knife and serve hot.

Notes

I use mild diced green chiles so the chipotle flavor stays front-and-center. Medium or hot chiles will add a nice extra kick if you like things spicier.
Monterey Jack melts smoothly, but cheddar or pepper Jack work the same way if that’s what you have on hand.
To bring back the crunch, reheat wedges on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet in a 375 °F oven for about 8 minutes.

Nutrition

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