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This delicious recipe for air fryer chicken quesadillas comes together with just
a few ingredients! Perfect for a fast dinner, lunch, or snack, they’re ready in just 7
minutes using shredded cheese and cooked shredded chicken. Plus, I’ve
included instructions on how to reheat leftover quesadillas in the air fryer.
Making an air fryer quesadilla is one of those “non-recipe” recipes. It’s open to a lot of variations depending on your preferences, what is in your fridge, and the size of your air fryer.
Use my instructions as a guideline and then go make it your own.
Once you realize how awesome it is to whip up fast meals in your air fryer, make sure you check out our air fryer calzones and other quick and easy air fryer recipes.
Top your homemade quesadilla recipe with homemade or store-bought salsa, sour cream, guacamole, mango pico de gallo, and chipotle southwest sauce. Serve alongside Instant Pot Mexican rice or Instant Pot cilantro lime rice.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Some air fryers are so powerful that the top tortilla can “fly” off while making quesadillas in the air fryer. You can weigh the top tortilla down with a metal trivet/rack, or hold everything together with a few toothpicks.
- Depending on the size of your air fryer and tortillas, cooking time may vary. Start checking on your quesadilla around 3 minutes.
- For perfect melty cheese quesadillas, shred your own cheese if possible! Store-bought shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent added to it (AKA the white powdery stuff) that affects the way it melts. While it will melt, it’s just not quite as smooth as freshly shredded cheese.
Extra-Quick Air Fryer Chicken Quesadilla
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tortillas {size will depend on your air fryer}
- 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese {or Monterey Jack}
- 1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken {optional}
- 1/2 tsp olive oil {or olive oil cooking spray}
Instructions
- Depending on the size of your tortillas/air fryer basket, either place a mixture of cheese on half the tortilla or the entire tortilla.2 tortillas, 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Top the cheese with half of the chicken.1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken
- Depending on the size of your tortillas/air fryer basket, either place another tortilla on top, or fold the tortilla in half.
- Brush the top of the tortilla with a bit of olive oil and bake at 350˚F for 5 minutes. Some air fryers are so powerful that the top tortilla can "fly" off during cooking. You can weigh the quesadilla down with a metal trivet/rack, or hold everything together with a few toothpicks.1/2 tsp olive oil
- Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes if needed.
- Cut into triangles and serve.
Notes
- Some air fryers are so powerful that the top tortilla can “fly” off during cooking. You can weigh the tortilla down with a metal trivet/rack, or hold everything together with a few toothpicks.
- Depending on the size of your air fryer and tortillas, cooking time may vary. Start checking on your quesadilla around 3 minutes.
Skillet Instructions:
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
- Swirl a pat of butter around until it coats the bottom of the skillet.
- Cook the quesadilla for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melty.
- Flip, and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thought of this recipe in a pinch after a long day with only 10 min to make dinner for my two little kids. I pulled it up real quick, kept it simple on the toppings, and the quesadilla came out crispy and delicious with perfectly melted cheese. While it was cooking I was able to start making preparations for bedtime since I didn’t have to watch it. I didn’t flip it and it was a little crispier on one side after 5 min but the cheese inside was melted so I called it good. It was still cooked crisp enough on both sides and I quickly threw in another one for myself. It was so yummy and I love how the crisp outside actually picks up salsa!
I never thought about how the crispiness makes it easier for the salsa, but you’re totally right!! Thanks for pointing that out because now I want to get some chunky pico and start dipping. 🙂