Leftover chicken rarely gets this much attention. It’s tossed with smoky barbecue sauce, bacon and minced onion, then pressed into a flour tortilla with Monterey Jack, avocado and a swipe of zesty ranch until the cheese runs. Dinner for two lands in about 10 minutes, and the week after Thanksgiving, leftover turkey slides right in.
That inch of bare tortilla around the filling matters. Barbecue sauce and melting cheese push toward the edges as the quesadilla presses, and the border keeps them inside instead of all over the griddle.
🔪 Ingredients for BBQ Bacon Chicken Quesadillas
- Flour tortillas: large, burrito size.
- Bacon: cooked and diced.
- Onion
- Cooked chicken: rotisserie or leftovers; leftover turkey works the same.
- Barbecue sauce: a thick sauce stays put; thin ones run.
- Zesty ranch dressing
- Monterey Jack
- Avocado
Equipment
- Griddle, large skillet or quesadilla press
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
📝 How to Make BBQ Bacon Chicken Quesadillas
- Stir the bacon, chicken, onion and barbecue sauce together in a bowl until the chicken is coated.
- Heat a griddle or quesadilla press over medium heat until a tortilla sizzles when it touches the surface.
- Lay a tortilla flat and spread half the chicken mixture over it, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with ranch, half the cheese and a few avocado slices, then cover with a second tortilla.
- Press until both sides are golden and the cheese has melted to the edges, flipping once if you’re using a griddle or skillet.
- Repeat with the remaining ingredients, then cut into wedges.
🔄 Substitutions
- Leftover roast turkey for chicken, one for one.
- Pepper Jack for Monterey Jack if you want heat.
- Pulled pork for chicken; it pairs with the barbecue sauce just as well.
- Corn tortillas for flour; use smaller ones and make 4 small quesadillas, they crack if overfilled.
💡 Meat Nerd Tips
- Warm cold leftovers first. Chicken straight from the fridge may not heat through in a quick press, so warm the filling in a skillet over medium heat until it’s steaming before it goes on the tortilla.
- Mix the sauce into the meat. Coating the chicken keeps the barbecue sauce from pooling and soaking the tortilla.
- Medium heat, not high. The tortilla browns before the cheese melts if the griddle runs too hot.
🍽️ What to Serve with BBQ Bacon Chicken Quesadillas
- Pico de gallo or a chunky salsa for something fresh and sharp.
- Extra ranch and barbecue sauce for dipping.
- A crunchy cabbage slaw with lime.
- The Meat Lovers Quesadilla if you’re feeding a bigger crowd and want two kinds.
🧊 Leftovers and Storage
- Refrigerate wedges in an airtight container up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a 375°F air fryer 3 to 4 minutes, or on a dry skillet over medium heat, until crisp and hot through.
- Keep avocado out of quesadillas you plan to store; add fresh slices when you serve.
Zesty Ranch BBQ Bacon Chicken Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 2 slices cooked bacon diced
- 1/4 small onion minced
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken chopped
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 – 4 tbs zesty ranch dressing
- 4 oz monterey jack cheese shredded
- 1 avocado sliced
Instructions
- Mix the chopped bacon, chicken, onion and barbecue sauce in a bowl together.
- Preheat griddle or quesadilla press over medium heat.
- Arrange a tortilla on a flat surface. Spread half the bbq chicken mixture evenly over it, leaving a 1″ border. Top with zesty ranch dressing, cheese, and some avocado. Finish off with another tortilla.
- Press until golden and the cheese melts, flipping once on a griddle.
- Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Notes
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Quick Summary
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken mixed with bacon, onion and barbecue sauce, spread on flour tortillas with ranch, Monterey Jack and avocado, then pressed on a griddle or quesadilla press until golden and melted. Serves 2. Prep 5 min, cook 5 min.
❓ FAQs
Yes. Swap it in cup for cup; barbecue sauce and ranch work with turkey just as well.
Leave a 1-inch border, mix the sauce into the meat instead of spreading it on the tortilla, and cook over medium heat so the tortilla crisps while the cheese melts.
Yes. Cook in a dry skillet over medium heat, flipping once with a wide spatula, until both sides are golden and the cheese melts.
That looks amazing and we will certainly be making that. Love quick and easy meals for during the week!
That looks so much better than the sad sandwich I have packed to take with me to work for dinner tonight. Do you deliver? Also, I enjoy the gif. I have been meaning to try them out myself but always forget to take the photos for it.
You’re speakin’ my language here. (Anything that starts with “there’s nothing healthy about…” is my kinda thing.)