Pineapple Chicken Quesadillas

Pineapple chicken quesadillas are made with spiced chicken, spicy BBQ sauce, Mexican cheese and fresh pineapple.  Quesadillas are easy to put together with simple ingredients.  Throw them in a frying pan or cast iron grill pan and they are ready to eat in about 40 minutes, including prep time.  This is the perfect quick and easy snack or main dish.  Serve with cilantro sour cream and garnish with green onions.

Ingredients needed to make Pineapple Chicken Quesadillas:

• 2 medium size boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple (may substitute canned, drained pineapple tidbits)
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 3 tbsp sweet and  spicy BBQ sauce
• 1 cup grated Mexican cheese (you can use more if you like a lot of cheese)
• 4 soft taco size flour tortillas
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• Cooking spray

How to make Pineapple Chicken Quesadillas:

• Cut chicken into bite-sized cubes.
• Chop pineapple up into bite sized pieces.
• Slice green onions and roughly chop cilantro.
• Mix seasoned salt, garlic salt, chili powder and red pepper flakes together in a medium sized bowl.  Sprinkle the mixed spices over the chicken and coat well.
• Place 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat.
• Add chicken to the pan and brown the chicken, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes or until chicken is done (165 degrees internal temperature).
• Add green onions, minced garlic and pineapple to chicken and cook 1-2 minutes until onions and garlic are softened.
• Transfer the chicken to a medium sized bowl and add the BBQ sauce.  Stir in to coat chicken mixture.
• Clean frying pan out with a paper towel if you are going to use it again to cook the quesadillas.

Assemble Quesadillas:

• Place tortilla on plate or cutting board to assemble.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese on half of tortilla and then top with a quarter of the chicken mixture.
• Fold the tortilla over the chicken and cheese.
• Spray frying pan or cast iron grill with cooking spray.  Cook quesadillas two at a time over medium high heat.  Watch carefully.  Lower heat if they are browning too quickly to medium.  When first side is done, flip the quesadilla over with a spatula turner.  Cook each side of the quesadilla until golden brown (about 2-4 minutes per side).
• When quesadilla is done transfer it to a serving plate.  Respray the frying pan before cooking second batch of quesadillas.
• You can serve the quesadillas whole or cut them up into halves or fourths.

Make sour cream cilantro sauce:

• Place sour cream in a small bowl and add chopped cilantro.  Stir together.  Use as dipping sauce or dollop on top of the quesadillas.  Sprinkle additional chopped green onions over the top of the quesadillas to garnish.

Try serving pineapple chicken quesadillas as a side dish with pollo asado or with chips and pico de gallo.

Other great recipes to try:

Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Air Fryer Zucchini Fries

Greek Salad Skewers

Cuban Sandwich Sliders

Pineapple Chicken Quesadillas

LeAnn

Pineapple chicken quesadillas are made with spiced chicken, spicy BBQ sauce, Mexican cheese and fresh pineapple.  They are easy to put together with simple ingredients and ready to eat in about 40 minutes.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4

Calories 457 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped (may substitute canned, drained pineapple tidbits)
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 3 green onions, chopped (reserve 1/3 for garnish)
• 3 tbsp sweet and spicy BBQ sauce
• 1 cup Mexican cheese, grated You can use more if you like a lot of cheese. I used about 1/4 cup per quesadilla.
• 4 soft taco size flour tortillas
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• Cooking spray

Instructions

 

• Cut chicken into bite-sized cubes. Chop pineapple up into bite sized pieces. Slice green onions and roughly chop cilantro.
• Mix seasoned salt, garlic salt, chili powder and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl.  Sprinkle the mixed spices over the chicken and coat well.
• Place 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add chicken to the pan and brown the chicken, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes or until chicken is done (165 degrees internal temperature).
• Add green onions, minced garlic and pineapple to chicken and cook 1-2 minutes until onions and garlic are softened. .
• Transfer the chicken to a medium sized bowl and add the BBQ sauce.  Stir in to coat chicken mixture.
• Clean frying pan out with a paper towel if you are going to use it again to cook the quesadillas

Assemble Quesadillas:

• Place tortilla on plate or cutting board to assemble.  Place 1/4 cup of cheese on half of tortilla and then top with a quarter of the chicken mixture.
• Fold the tortilla over the chicken and cheese.
• Spray frying pan or cast iron grill with cooking spray.  Cook quesadillas two at a time over medium high heat.  Watch carefully.  Lower heat if they are browning too quickly to medium.  When first side is done, flip the quesadilla over with a spatula turner.  Cook each side of the quesadilla until golden brown (about 2-4 minutes per side).
• When quesadilla is done transfer it to a serving plate.  Respray the frying pan before cooking second bath of quesadillas.

Keyword Pineapple Chicken Quesadillas, Chicken Quesadillas, Quesadillas, BBQ chicken quesadillas