Air Fryer Chicken Quesadilla
These crispy, cheesy, air fryer chicken quesadillas are the perfect mid-week meal. Easy to put together and everyone can add their favorite toppings to make it their own. Dinner in less than 20 minutes!
When my kids were little, we ate a TON of quesadillas. They are perfect for little hands, plus you can add toppings depending on what each kid likes.
Even now, as empty nesters, we still eat them often. I love them for lunch so at the beginning of the week I usually prep all the ingredients so it’s a quick build and air fry when I get hungry. They are great for using up any leftover chicken or vegetables from a previous dinner.
And if you are nervous about making them in the air fryer, don’t worry, I was too! I have always made them in a skillet to get the crispy edges but with my air fryer, it’s so much easier and a lot less messy when cooking. Plus you don’t have to worry about flipping them before they burn.
Mexican food is a favorite in our house, and if it’s in yours too, check out my sheet pan steak fajitas, this Mexican spaghetti, these cream cheese chicken enchiladas, and this 7 can taco soup.
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 see the recipe card at the end of this 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
- Make a cilantro lime sauce to mix with your 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.
- 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.
Tips For No Leftovers
- Spray with nonstick spray to keep them from sticking to the basket if you’re not using a parchment paper liner.
- If the tortillas start to slide off the top or flip over on the edges from the air flow, you can seal them together with toothpicks.
- If the top is crisping too much or if you are using a liner and the air flow isn’t reaching the bottom of the quesadilla, carefully flip halfway thru the cooking time.
- If your tortillas are close to the same size as your air fryer basket you can 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.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
This super easy air fryer chicken quesadillas recipe. is perfect for those busy weeknights or something special for the kids on Taco Tuesday!
Air Fryer Chicken Quesadillas
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 frozen corn 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 garnish
- 3/4 cup sour cream 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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