We love quesadillas in our house, and it’s an art we’ve perfected over the years! This recipe originates from my mom’s kitchen. A unique combination of cheddar cheese, canned green chiles, sour cream, and a few spices really amp up a traditional quesadilla. The result is a slightly tangy, cheesy, gooey, restaurant quality quesadilla, with a slight bit of heat from the chiles.
What Makes Quesadillas Better
- Quesadillas on their own are great, but adding more flavor with the green chiles, and grating your own cheese is what really makes this recipe stand out. The most helpful tip for homemade quesadillas is not using pre-shredded cheese!
- When you make a quesadilla, you don’t want to use pre-shredded cheese. It has an anti-caking agent and just doesn’t melt super well. Grate your own cheese for the best quesadilla!
Ingredients for Chile Cheese Quesadillas
- Canned Green Chiles
- I use 1/2 of a small, 4 oz. can for 1 quesadilla using a 9 inch tortilla.
- Shredded Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Flour Tortillas
- I use 2, 9 inch tortillas.
- Spices
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cumin
- Smoked Paprika
- Granulated Garlic
Note: This recipe makes enough for 2, 9-inch quesadillas. You can double, triple, or even quadruple it if needed!
Making a Homemade Quesadilla
- In a small dish, combine the cheese, green chiles, sour cream, and spices.
- Mix really well until it reaches a thick, spreadable consistency.
- Drop about 3-4 tablespoons of the mixture onto a tortilla and spread it evenly.
- You can choose to go thicker with the filling if you prefer, just keep in mind the thicker it is, the longer it takes to melt.
Add a light drizzle of olive oil (or nonstick spray) to a skillet on medium heat, and add the quesadilla to a pan. Toast until lightly browned on the tortilla, then flip, and cook until the cheese is melted.
Ways to Level Up a Quesadilla
Adding a can of green chiles to a quesadilla is a perfect way to add flavor. Just make sure to drain them well is the best tip I can give! You can buy canned chiles of varying heat, I like the mild ones.
Other ways to level up a quesadilla:
- Add jalapeños if you like it really spicy.
- Pickled jalapeños are also great but same rule applies, drain them well.
- Add rotisserie chicken, or cooked chorizo for added protein.
- Add beans for more fiber. Black, or pinto work great. Even a thin layer of refried beans is great.
- Have a crowd? Serve with a toppings bar!
- Salsa, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, onions, lots of possibilities.
If you like Mexican inspired recipes here’s a few more we love:
- Mexican Baked Rice
- Mexican Lasagna
- Mexican Breakfast Casserole
- Shrimp Cocktail (Mexican Resort Style)
- Easy Mexican Chicken Bake
What do you think about this recipe? Have questions? Comment below!Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, and connect with us on Instagram and tag your @Laughingspatula recipes with #laughingspatula, while you’re at it…We love to see your pics!
Cheers! To easy, one pot tasty recipes!
-Rachel
The Secret to the Best Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 4 flour tortillas (9 inches)
Filling
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 1 4 oz can green chiles (drained well and dried on a paper towel)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Prepare filling ingredients. Open can of chiles, and drain liquid completely. Pour chiles onto a paper towel and pat dry to remove excess liquid.
- Combine drained/dried chiles with sour cream, cheese, and spices. Mix well to combine, until a thick spreadable mixture is formed.
- Spread 1/2 of the mixture onto 1 tortilla, and the rest on another (to make 2 total quesadillas).
- Spran stovetop pan with nonstick spray and heat on medium. Cook quesadilla in skillet until both sides are toasted and the quesadilla filing is melted. Repeat with quesadilla number 2.
- Slice and serve as desired. Enjoy!
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