Pantry Plan Share a recipe Sign in Menu

Quesadillas · Chicken and Black Bean

Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas

Leftover or rotisserie chicken, black beans, a little cumin and plenty of melty cheese make a filling lunch that comes together in 20 minutes.

New, no ratings yet0 reviewsby Simmerbee Kitchen

Prep
10 min
Cook
16 min
Total
26 min
Serves
4 quesadillas
Level
Easy
Start cook modeAdd to planSave
Print
Full pageOne page, ingredients and steps4×6 cardIngredients on the front, steps on the back3×5 cardIngredients on the front, steps on the back
Jump to recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie works great)
  • 1 can black beans, 15 oz, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup frozen corn, thawed (optional) ≈ 68 g
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
    Swaps for ground cumin

    Instead of cumin

    • Ground coriander: The same amount. Brighter and citrusy, less earthy.
    • Chili powder: Twice as much. Contains cumin, plus chile heat and garlic.
    • Caraway seeds, ground: Half as much. A related flavor, a bit sharper.

    More for cumin

  • ½ tsp chili powder
    Swaps for chili powder

    Instead of chili powder

    • Homemade blend: For 1 tbsp: 1½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp dried oregano, a pinch of cayenne. Close; adjust the cayenne for heat.
    • Ancho chile powder: The same amount, plus a pinch of cumin. Smokier and fruitier, mild heat.

    More for chili powder

  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
    Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • 2 cups monterey jack, shredded ≈ 226 g
  • 4 flour tortillas, 10-inch
  • 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped (optional)
    Swaps for cilantro

    Instead of cilantro

    • Dried cilantro: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp chopped fresh (a third as much). Dried cilantro has almost no flavor; skip it as a garnish and add more of the other seasonings.
    • Flat-leaf parsley + lime zest: The same amount of parsley, plus a little lime zest. Fresh and green, without the soapy taste some people get from cilantro.
    • Thai basil or mint: Half as much. Sweeter and more perfumed.

    More for cilantro

  • salsa, and sour cream, to serve

Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.

Steps

Kid helper. A child can do steps 1, 3, 4 and 5: no knife, no heat. Steps marked “Grown-up” use a knife or heat. Cooking with kids

  1. Stir the chicken, black beans, corn (if using), cumin, chili powder and salt together in a bowl.
    Kid step
  2. Heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) to keep finished quesadillas warm.
    200°FGrown-up: heat
  3. Lay a tortilla flat. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over half of it.
    Kid step
  4. Spoon a quarter of the chicken mixture over the cheese, then add another 1/4 cup cheese and some cilantro on top.
    Kid step
  5. Fold the empty half over and press it down gently. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.
    Kid step
  6. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 quesadillas at a time until golden on the bottom.
    ⏱ Side 1: 3 minGrown-up: heat
  7. Flip and cook until golden, the filling is hot and the cheese has melted.
    ⏱ Side 2: 3 minGrown-up: heat
  8. Keep them warm in the oven while you cook the second batch.
    Grown-up: heat
  9. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa and sour cream.
    Grown-up: knife, heat

Tips

  • Cheese on both the bottom and top of the filling acts like glue, so nothing falls out when you flip.
  • Use leftover grilled or roasted chicken. Raw chicken must be cooked to 165°F (74°C) before it goes in.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a dry skillet or a 375°F oven until hot, 165°F (74°C) in the center.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.

Quick answers

What can I swap?
  • Instead of cumin: Ground coriander, the same amount.
  • Instead of chili powder: Homemade blend.

Answered from this recipe's own storage, make-ahead and swap notes.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories
650
Protein
46 g
Carbohydrates
51 g
Fiber
8 g
Sugars
3 g
Fat
29 g
Saturated fat
14 g
Sodium
1,200 mg

Whole recipe, 4 servings: about 2,600 calories.

Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 7 of 7 ingredients.

How we estimate

We add up USDA FoodData Central values for each measured ingredient as written and divide by the recipe's 4 servings, so changing the servings or units here doesn't change a serving. Brands, swaps, trimming and cooking all change the real numbers.

Not counted: frozen corn, cilantro (optional); salsa (to taste or as needed).

Keep this one

Sign in to save recipes into your own collections, log the days you cook them and keep private notes, like "use less sugar next time". Only you see them.

Sign in to saveNo password: we email you a code.

Gear for this recipe

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Brands are suggestions; any similar item works.

Cleanup score 3/5 (some cleanup): 3 things to wash, nonstick skillet, mixing bowl, colander. More skillet recipes.

More kitchen gear and our gear guides

Reviews (0)

No reviews yet. Made it? Tell us how it went.

simmerbee.com/r/quesadillas-chicken-black-beanSimmerbee