Description
A creative and crowd-pleasing Blooming Chicken Quesadilla Ring featuring layers of creamy, cheesy chicken filling wrapped in crispy tortillas, baked to golden perfection. Perfect for parties or family gatherings, served with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole dips.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers (red, yellow, green, or orange), sliced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
Dairy and Cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (plus additional ¼ cup for topping)
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese (plus additional ¼ cup for topping)
Protein and Seasoning
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie or homemade)
- 1½ tablespoons taco seasoning
Others
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 12 medium flour tortillas (10″ – 12″ diameter), sliced in half
- Cooking spray (or oil for brushing)
- Salsa (for serving)
- Guacamole (for serving)
- Sour cream (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375℉ (190℃) and prepare a large baking sheet or pizza tray by lining it with parchment paper or greased foil to prevent sticking.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and bell peppers, sautéing for 5-6 minutes until softened and golden brown. Stir frequently to avoid burning. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Prepare Chicken Filling: In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, lime juice, shredded mozzarella, shredded cheddar, and taco seasoning. Mix thoroughly until evenly blended.
- Combine Chicken and Veggies: Add the shredded cooked chicken and the cooled sautéed vegetables to the cheese mixture. Gently stir everything together to ensure an even distribution of ingredients. Set aside.
- Prepare Tortillas: Slice each of the 12 flour tortillas in half, creating 24 semi-circles.
- Fill and Roll Tortillas: Spoon approximately 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling onto each tortilla half, spreading evenly but leaving a small border around the edges. Roll each tortilla into a cone shape, ensuring the filling holds the shape without squeezing too tightly to avoid filling spilling out.
- Arrange on Baking Tray: Place a small round bowl in the center of the prepared baking sheet. Arrange half of the tortilla cones around the bowl with their pointed ends touching the bowl, forming the base layer.
- Add Cheese: Sprinkle half of the additional shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese evenly over the base layer to create a cheesy foundation.
- Create Second Layer: Arrange the remaining tortilla cones on top of the base layer to form a second ring. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese evenly over the top cones. Carefully remove the bowl from the center.
- Prepare for Baking: Lightly spray or brush the edges of the tortillas with cooking spray or oil to help them crisp up in the oven.
- Bake: Place the quesadilla ring on the middle rack in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the tortilla edges are golden and crispy.
- Garnish and Serve: Carefully transfer the baked quesadilla ring to a serving platter. Optionally, sprinkle the thinly sliced green onions over the top for freshness and color.
- Serve with Dips: Fill a small bowl with salsa and place it in the center of the ring. Serve additional bowls of sour cream and guacamole alongside for dipping. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature to easily mix with other ingredients.
- You can substitute sour cream with plain Greek yogurt for a healthier option.
- Use any combination of bell peppers for a colorful presentation.
- Rotisserie chicken is a convenient option, but shredded homemade cooked chicken works well too.
- Don’t overfill the tortillas to avoid filling leakage during baking.
- Cooking spray helps crisp the tortillas evenly but you can also lightly brush tortillas with olive oil.
- Keep an eye on the quesadilla ring in the last few minutes to prevent burning.
- Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
