Blackened Chicken Quesadillas with Zesty Mango Salsa

These blackened chicken quesadillas are a crowd-pleasing dinner that comes together with minimal effort. Tender dark meat chicken is seasoned with a smoky blackening spice blend and sautéed with bell pepper and onion until perfectly browned. Loaded into flour tortillas with plenty of mozzarella and Mexican cheese, the quesadillas are baked in the oven until golden and melty-no stovetop flipping required.

Serve them with a bright mango salsa made from tangy mango chutney, fresh cilantro and lime juice. A dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of cilantro and a dash of hot sauce add the perfect finishing touches. These quesadillas are hearty enough for dinner and even better as leftovers the next day.

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Ingredients

1 unit Green Bell PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Fry SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

20 ounce Diced Skinless Dark Meat ChickenView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 cup Mozzarella CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Mango ChutneyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 cup Mexican Cheese BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Blackening SpiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Cooking SprayView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the top position and preheat the oven to 425°F. Wash and dry all produce. Halve, peel and thinly slice the onion. Halve, core and thinly slice the bell pepper. Roughly chop the cilantro. Cut the limes into quarters.
2. Open the package of diced chicken and drain any excess liquid. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, chicken, blackening spice, fry seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is browned and cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. Place the tortillas on a clean work surface. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly onto one half of each tortilla. Top with the chicken filling, then sprinkle the Mexican cheese blend over the chicken. Fold the tortillas in half to form quesadillas. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and carefully transfer the quesadillas to the sheet. Place a second baking sheet on top of the quesadillas to weigh them down (this helps them get evenly golden and crisp).
4. Bake the quesadillas on the top rack until golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove the stacked baking sheets from the oven and carefully lift off the top sheet. If the quesadillas aren’t browned enough, return them to the top rack for 3-5 minutes without the top sheet.
5. While the quesadillas bake, make the mango salsa: In a medium bowl, combine the mango chutney, half the cilantro and the juice from two lime wedges. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Transfer the baked quesadillas to a cutting board and slice each into thirds. Divide the quesadilla slices among plates. Top with the mango salsa, sour cream, remaining cilantro and hot sauce to taste. Serve with the remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken breast instead of dark meat?

Yes, you can substitute boneless skinless chicken breast, but dark meat stays juicier and more flavorful. If using breast, be careful not to overcook.

Can I make these quesadillas ahead of time?

Absolutely. Assemble the quesadillas and refrigerate unbaked for up to 24 hours. When ready, bake as directed, adding a couple extra minutes if needed.

What can I use instead of mango chutney?

You can substitute with diced fresh mango mixed with a little honey or sugar and lime juice or use a store-bought mango salsa.