Spiced Chicken Quesadillas with Mandarin Salsa and Smoky Crema

These spiced chicken quesadillas are anything but ordinary. Tender dark meat chicken is seasoned with a bold Southwest spice blend, then layered with gooey Mexican cheese inside golden, crispy tortillas. The real magic comes from the toppings: a bright mandarin scallion salsa and a smoky red pepper crema that add tangy, creamy and smoky notes in every bite.

Perfect for a weeknight dinner that feels like a celebration, this recipe transforms simple ingredients into a handheld flavor fiesta. Serve with extra lime wedges for a fresh finish.

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Ingredients

2 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Diced Skinless Dark Meat ChickenView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Mandarin Orange SlicesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Smoky Red Pepper CremaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Mexican Cheese BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Halve, peel and thinly slice onion. Finely dice tomato. Trim and thinly slice scallions. Roughly chop cilantro. Drain and finely dice mandarin orange slices. Quarter lime.
2. Open package of chicken and drain off any excess liquid. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, onion, Southwest Spice Blend, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Add ¼ cup water; cook until evaporated, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a large bowl.
3. Place tortillas on a clean work surface; sprinkle one half of each tortilla with Mexican cheese blend and chicken mixture. Fold tortillas in half to create quesadillas. Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for chicken over medium heat. Add quesadillas and cook until tortillas are golden brown and cheese melts, 1-2 minutes per side. (Work in batches if needed.)
4. In a small bowl, combine tomato, scallions, cilantro, mandarin orange and juice from half the lime; season with salt. In a separate small bowl, combine red pepper crema and juice from remaining lime. Cut quesadillas into wedges; divide between plates. Top with salsa and serve with crema on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken breast instead of dark meat?

Yes, but dark meat stays juicier. If using breast, cook just until done to avoid dryness.

What can I substitute for the smoky red pepper crema?

Mix sour cream with a pinch of smoked paprika and a dash of hot sauce for a similar flavor.

How do I prevent quesadillas from getting soggy?

Make sure the chicken filling is not too wet and cook the quesadillas on medium heat until the cheese melts and the tortilla crisps.