Cheesy Hot Honey Chicken Quesadillas (Printable Version)

Crispy tortillas filled with chicken glazed in hot honey and melted cheese, topped with cool jalapeño cream.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
06 - 1 teaspoon salt
07 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
08 - 0.33 cup honey
09 - 2-3 tablespoons hot sauce

→ Jalapeño Cream Sauce

10 - 1 cup sour cream
11 - 1-2 fresh jalapeños, deseeded and finely chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon lime juice
13 - 0.5 teaspoon salt

→ Quesadillas

14 - 8 large flour tortillas
15 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
16 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
17 - 2 tablespoons butter
18 - Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish

# How to Prepare:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss chicken pieces with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. Add chicken to skillet and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and fully cooked.
02 - Whisk together honey and hot sauce in a small bowl. Pour over cooked chicken, toss well to coat, and keep warm.
03 - Mix together sour cream, chopped jalapeños, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Stir well, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
04 - Lay a flour tortilla flat. Sprinkle about 1/8 of the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese over one half. Top with a portion of the hot honey chicken. Add a little more cheese, then fold the tortilla in half.
05 - Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt a little butter. Cook each quesadilla for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cheese is melted. Remove from skillet and let rest for 1 minute before cutting into wedges.
06 - Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with jalapeño cream sauce for drizzling or dipping. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The combination of sweet heat and cooling cream sauce creates this incredible flavor dance that keeps everyone coming back for seconds
  • Everything comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a restaurant that takes way more effort
  • You can easily adjust the spice level to please everyone at the table from mild to wild
02 -
  • The chicken will continue absorbing the hot honey glaze while it sits so don't worry if it looks a little thin at first it gets better with time
  • Don't overcrowd the skillet when cooking the chicken or it'll steam instead of getting those nice golden edges you want
  • Letting the quesadillas rest for even just 60 seconds makes a huge difference in how cleanly they slice
03 -
  • Cast iron skillets are fantastic for quesadillas because they hold heat so evenly and get those tortillas perfectly crispy
  • If your honey is too thick to pour easily warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds before whisking with the hot sauce
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