Cheesy Hot Honey Chicken Quesadillas (Printable)

Crisp quesadillas filled with hot honey glazed chicken and melted cheeses, topped with cool jalapeño cream sauce.

# Components:

→ 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

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In a bowl, toss the chicken with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. Add chicken to the skillet and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and fully cooked.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together honey and hot sauce. Pour over cooked chicken, toss well to coat, and keep warm.
03 - In a bowl, mix together sour cream, chopped jalapeños, lime juice, and salt. 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 - Drizzle or serve with jalapeño cream sauce. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The hot honey creates this incredible sweet heat balance that makes people go quiet after their first bite
  • Everything comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you put way more thought into it
  • That cool jalapeño cream sauce saves you from yourself when you get too ambitious with the hot sauce
02 -
  • Don't be tempted to skip letting the quesadillas rest for that minute, otherwise your hot honey chicken will slide right out when you cut them
  • Whisking the honey and hot sauce together before pouring helps it coat the chicken more evenly
  • The cream sauce needs at least 15 minutes in the fridge for all those flavors to really come together
03 -
  • Use room temperature tortillas to prevent cracking when you fold them
  • Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded for way better melting
  • Pat your chicken dry before seasoning it, this helps it develop a nice golden sear instead of steaming
Return