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Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on January 31, 2013

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)1 celery rib, sliced thin¼ cup sour cream 2 scallions, sliced thin3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch-thick strips⅓ cup hot sauce 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Before You Begin

The test kitchen prefers the mild burn of Frank’s RedHot hot sauce. If you are using a spicier brand (like Tabasco), use less and supplement it with water to equal 1/3 cup.

Instructions

  1. Combine blue cheese, celery, sour cream, and scallions in bowl. Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and hot sauce and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer chicken mixture to bowl. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Wipe out skillet.
  2. Working one at a time, spread one-quarter of blue cheese mixture over half of tortilla, leaving ½-inch border around edges. Top with one-quarter of chicken mixture. Fold tortilla over filling, pressing firmly to seal.
  3. Heat 1½ teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook 2 quesadillas until golden brown and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board. Repeat with remaining 1½ teaspoons oil and remaining 2 quesadillas. Cut into wedges. Serve.
Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
1 celery rib, sliced thin
¼ cup sour cream
2 scallions, sliced thin
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch-thick strips
⅓ cup hot sauce
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Ingredients

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
1 celery rib, sliced thin
¼ cup sour cream
2 scallions, sliced thin
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch-thick strips
⅓ cup hot sauce
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Ingredients

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
1 celery rib, sliced thin
¼ cup sour cream
2 scallions, sliced thin
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch-thick strips
⅓ cup hot sauce
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Why This Recipe Works

We rethought fried wings and blue cheese dip. Poaching chicken breasts in hot sauce infused a fiery kick fast, yielding a hearty base for our quesadillas. Instead of the usual dip, we spread a creamy blue cheese mixture inside the tortillas.

Before You Begin

The test kitchen prefers the mild burn of Frank’s RedHot hot sauce. If you are using a spicier brand (like Tabasco), use less and supplement it with water to equal 1/3 cup.

Instructions

  1. Combine blue cheese, celery, sour cream, and scallions in bowl. Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and hot sauce and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer chicken mixture to bowl. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Wipe out skillet.
  2. Working one at a time, spread one-quarter of blue cheese mixture over half of tortilla, leaving ½-inch border around edges. Top with one-quarter of chicken mixture. Fold tortilla over filling, pressing firmly to seal.
  3. Heat 1½ teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook 2 quesadillas until golden brown and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board. Repeat with remaining 1½ teaspoons oil and remaining 2 quesadillas. Cut into wedges. Serve.

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