Chicken Cheese Quesadilla (Tawa Quesadilla)
چکن چیز کیساڈیا (توا کیساڈیا)
A quesadilla is a Mexican toasted cheese wrap, and it's perfect for Pakistani kitchens: fill a tortilla or roti with leftover chicken, vegetables and grated cheese, fold it in half and toast it on a until crisp and melting. It takes 10 minutes, uses up leftovers, and the wedges pack neatly into a lunch box. Mild fajita spices make it tasty without being hot, so children enjoy it too.
- ⏱ Total: 20 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 10 min
- Easy
- Serves 2
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Mix the chicken, corn, capsicum, onion, cumin, paprika and salt in a bowl.
Lay a tortilla flat. Sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over one half, add half the chicken mixture, then another quarter of the cheese. Fold the empty half over and press down.
Heat a over medium-low heat with a teaspoon of butter. Cook the quesadilla for 2–3 minutes per side, pressing with a spatula, until golden and crisp and the cheese has melted.
Rest for 1 minute so the cheese sets slightly, then cut into 3 or 4 wedges. Serve with a yogurt dip or ketchup.
Kitchen notes
Keep the heat medium-low: the cheese needs time to melt before the tortilla burns.
For a lunch box, cool the wedges on a rack (so they don't steam and go soggy) before packing.
Bean and cheese version: replace the chicken with mashed red kidney beans (rajma) for a vegetarian quesadilla.
A Mexican idea for desi kitchens
In Mexico, a quesadilla is simply a tortilla folded around melting cheese, often with other fillings. It’s the same idea as many quick desi breakfasts, a stuffed roti toasted on a tawa, which is why it fits so easily into Pakistani home cooking. Use shop tortillas, or make your own (see our crispy chicken wrap for a quick tortilla recipe), or simply use thin rotis.
The cheese is the glue
Cheese on both sides of the filling melts and holds everything together, so nothing falls out when you cut it. Mozzarella gives stretch, cheddar gives flavour, and a mix of both is ideal.
Great for leftovers
Quesadillas are one of the best ways to use up last night’s chicken, a spoon of leftover vegetables or a few beans. Chop the filling small and keep it fairly dry so the tortilla stays crisp.
In the lunch box
Cooled wedges travel well and taste good at room temperature. Add fruit and a small pot of yogurt dip. More ideas: chicken pinwheels, pasta salad and our school lunch box collection.
Questions people ask
Can I use leftover chicken tikka or fajita filling?
Yes, both are excellent. Chop the pieces small so the quesadilla folds and cuts neatly.
What can I serve with it?
Yogurt mixed with a little garlic and mint, a simple salad or fresh fruit. Older children may enjoy a mild tomato salsa.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 33 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
