Chicken Quesadillas With Avocado-Cucumber Salsa

By Melissa Clark

Updated Jan. 29, 2024

Chicken Quesadillas With Avocado-Cucumber Salsa
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1½ to 2 minutes
Rating
5(992)
Comments
Read comments

There is one caveat when using leftover grilled meat. As the meat chills, the flavors recede, becoming quieter and mellower. For these quesadillas that I made out of Sunday’s grilled chicken thighs, shredded and stuffed into a corn tortilla with a little cheese and quickly toasted, I stirred together a lime-zest-imbued cucumber and avocado salsa that added a welcome citrus edge.

Featured in: When Grilling Today Fills Tomorrow’s Cravings

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1avocado, peeled, pitted and diced small
  • 2Kirby cucumbers, peeled and diced small
  • 2tablespoons finely chopped red onion
  • 1½tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1½teaspoons finely grated lime zest
  • 1tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ½jalapeño, seeded, if desired, and finely chopped
  • ¼teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼teaspoon black pepper
  • ½pound cooked chicken, shredded (about 1⅓ cups)
  • ¼pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about a cup)
  • 86-inch corn tortillas
  • Olive oil, for brushing
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

422 calories; 24 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 24 grams protein; 378 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a bowl, mix together the avocado, cucumbers, red onion, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, jalapeño, salt and pepper.

  2. Step 2

    Sandwich some of the chicken and cheese between two tortillas; repeat with the remaining chicken, cheese and tortillas. Brush the top and bottom of each quesadilla lightly with oil.

  3. Step 3

    Heat a large, nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Cook the quesadillas, in batches, if necessary, until the cheese melts and the tortillas are crisp and golden, 1½ to 2 minutes per side.

  4. Step 4

    Cut into wedges and top with some of the salsa.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
992 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Nancy Chek

The tortillas in the picture are wheat, not corn. (I prefer wheat for their flexibility.)

Alex lane

Adding sweet diced mango inside balances it all out in my opinion

Jane

Using leftover chicken, with the dicing, grating, peeling, chopping and squeezing of ingredients, I found that this recipe took an hour to prep and cook. I consider myself an experienced and organized person in the kitchen. Can't imagine how it can be all be completed in 15 minutes if doing by hand. With that said, my husband and I enjoyed the quesadillas. The salsa is fantastic.

Jennifer O

Last made this 3 years ago. So enlightened by past commenters. I used corn tortillas I buy at Trader Joes that are only made of ground corn & water. They are a bit thicker than at other grocery stores which have a lot of ingredients I can't pronounce. So they create a slightly more chewy quesadilla. Added small diced roasted red bell peppers/onion to chicken/cheese, plus small diced mango in the salsa from frozen bagged cubes. Excellent, can't wait to make again.

Lore

As I love corn tortillas (both because of taste and gluten free diet), I made it work: used two smaller corn tortillas and heatet them in the pan with a little bit of oil. Added cheese on both of them and let it melt. Then added chicken and the salsa to one of them and flipped the other one on top. More like a tortilla burger than a true quesdilla, but all the same great flavors! Added Tajin instead of japaleño.

RMS

The best quesadillas I have ever eaten, BY FAR!

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.