These scrumptious party-sized sheet pan quesadillas stuffed with beans, corn, and a seasoned cheesy chicken filling make dinner a breeze!
Easy dinners made from scratch are one of the best ways to enjoy healthy delicious meals on a budget with little time and effort. These easy sheet pan shrimp fajitas are another family favorite around here for this exact reason!
Table of contents
Oven Quesadillas on a Sheet Pan
Sheet Pan Quesadillas is such an easy recipe to feed a crowd because it really is one giant quesadilla! With 10 minutes of prep time and just over half an hour in the oven, making a single pan quesadilla is as convenient and hands-off as it gets. For this recipe, I used a simple filling of chicken, beans, corn, and cheese, but you can definitely fill it with whatever you have on hand. It’s then baked until golden and crunchy on the outside and cheesy and melty on the inside.
It’s also something to serve as an appetizer on game day because you can just cut them into single size pieces and have them on a platter for easy access. They’re also a hit with my hungry family because it makes enough for a meal, but there’s usually leftovers for the next day.
These are great for a quick family dinner when you don’t have time to spend figuring out what everyone wants in theirs. You could potentially make two sheet pan quesadillas, one with meat and one without. That way there’s something for everyone and it’s a hassle-free way of providing options. Having optional garnishes for everyone to choose from such as guacamole, sour cream or salsa is the best way to top it off!
Why this recipe works
- Quick and easy with the added convenience of having a one-sheet dinner ready to go to serve any sized gathering
- Always a hit at parties because it’s super tasty no matter what you fill it with.
- Customizable because you can really fill it with whatever you want.
- Great for serving a crowd because you can cut them to as large or small size as you want and no one goes home hungry.
- They’re versatile and can be used as an appetizer or a main.
Ingredients/shopping list
- Chicken: Cooked and shredded. A great time to use up any leftover chicken. Can use store-bought rotisserie chicken in a pinch.
- Canned Black beans: Drained and rinsed.
- Canned corn: drained and rinsed.
- Seasoning: We’re using a blend of ground cumin, chili powder, and garlic powders.
- Cheese: Shredded Mexican cheese compliments the other Mexican flavors.
- Flour tortillas: I use the taco-size tortillas rather than the burrito sized ones. But either would work.
- Optional garnishes: Salsa, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, green onions, jalapeños, or cayenne pepper.
How to Make Quesadillas in the Oven
This is the easiest quesadilla recipe that comes together in just a few easy steps. Using pre-cooked chicken will make it even easier.
Step 1: To prepare, preheat the oven, lightly grease a half sheet pan (18×13 inches) with cooking spray or line in with parchment paper. Then line it with the tortillas. Let half of the tortilla hang over the edge of the pan so that you can fold it back onto itself once it’s filled.
Step 2: Mix the filling ingredients, minus the cheese, together in a large bowl. Spread the mixture evenly onto the center of the tortilla then top with shredded cheese.
Step 3: Fold the tortillas that are overhanging the edges of the pan to cover the chicken mixture. There will be an open gap which will need to be covered with a few extra tortillas.
Step 4: Place a second baking sheet over top of the tortillas to press them down and bake. Remove the top baking sheet for last 10-15 minutes of bake time and remove from the oven once nice and golden brown.
Cut into any shape or size you want and serve with your favorite toppings.
Variations/Substitutions
Variation 1: Although I love chicken in this recipe, you can substitute ground beef or ground turkey as well.
Variation 2: For a vegetarian or vegan option, use sautéed mushrooms, onions, zucchini, red bell peppers, pinto beans or black beans, and vegan cheese.
Variation 3: If you love spicy quesadillas, add sliced jalapeno peppers to the chicken mixture or as a garnish.
Tips
- Pre-cook chicken by boiling chicken breasts in water for 30 minutes, or baking in the oven at 375 for 30 minutes or until no longer pink.
- This is the perfect recipe to use frozen shredded crock pot chicken or use a store-bought cooked Rotisserie chicken too!
- Shred chicken with a fork or put in a food processor and pulse for few seconds (this is my favorite way to shred!).
- Use a quarter sheet pan for a smaller batch and use 8 tortillas (serves 4).
- Feel free to omit the bean or corn if desired.
- Use any favorite cheese other than a Mexican blend. Shredded cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, Colby cheese, pepper jack cheese or even Mexican Queso fresco are all wonderful!
- Use a couple of tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning instead of separate spices.
- Don’t overfill the quesadilla. By all means, load it up with your favorite flavors, but keep in mind that going overboard may lead to a mess and possibly soggy tortillas.
- For added flavor toss in some sautéed onion to your chicken mixture.
- If you are using an older pan, or nonstick baking sheet, make sure to spray with nonstick cooking spray before you place it on top of the quesadillas to bake.
FAQ’s
Quesadillas can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
You can either reheat them in the microwave, back in the oven or warm them up on the stovetop. If you are reheating lots at a time, your best bet is in the oven.
Yes, you can. They freeze quite well for up to 4 months. Keep in a freezer friendly bag or other airtight container. Best used within the first 2 months to maintain optimal freshness.
Other Easy Mexican Recipes
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Sheet Pan Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken cooked and shredded
- 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can corn drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 ounce bag Mexican shredded cheese
- 12 flour taco-size tortillas
Optional garnishes
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
- Jalapeno peppers or Cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
- Lightly grease a sheet pan.
- In a bowl, mix the shredded chicken, black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder.
- Line the sheet pan with the tortillas letting half of the tortilla to overhang the sides of the pan so that you can fold them over onto the mixture.
- Spread the chicken mixture evenly onto the center of the tortillas then top with shredded cheese.
- Fold each tortilla that is overhanging to cover the chicken mixture and place 2-3 additional tortillas over the center where any meat mixture is still showing.
- Place a 2nd sheet pan on top of the tortillas to hold the down in place.
- Bake for 20 minutes
- Then remove the top sheet pan and cook uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cut into triangles or squares.
- Top with your favorite garnishes.
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