Description
This Blooming Chicken Quesadilla Ring is a visually stunning and delicious appetizer perfect for gatherings. Featuring layers of cheesy, seasoned chicken filling wrapped in flour tortillas, baked to golden perfection, and served with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream for dipping, it offers a fun twist on traditional quesadillas and makes sharing easy.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers (red, yellow, green, or orange), sliced
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (1 brick, 250 grams)
- ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie or homemade)
Quesadilla Ring
- 12 medium flour tortillas (10″ – 12″ size), sliced in half
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Cooking spray
Garnish and Dips
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- Salsa, for serving
- Guacamole, for serving
- Sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare a large baking sheet or pizza tray by lining it with parchment paper or greasing it with foil to prevent sticking.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the thinly sliced onion and bell peppers. Cook, stirring often, until softened and golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Prepare Chicken Filling: In a large bowl, combine the room temperature cream cheese, sour cream, lime juice, shredded mozzarella, shredded cheddar, and taco seasoning. Mix well until smooth and evenly blended.
- Add Chicken and Veggies: Fold the shredded cooked chicken along with the cooled sautéed onion and bell peppers into the cheese mixture until the filling is evenly combined. Set aside.
- Prepare Tortillas: Slice each of the 12 medium flour tortillas in half, creating 24 semi-circles.
- Fill Tortillas: Evenly distribute about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling onto each tortilla half, spreading the filling but leaving a small border around the edges.
- Roll Tortillas: Roll each filled tortilla half into a cone shape. Ensure they are rolled tightly enough to hold the filling securely but not so tight that the filling squeezes out.
- Arrange First Layer: Place a small round bowl in the center of the prepared baking sheet. Arrange half of the rolled tortilla cones around the bowl with the pointed ends touching the bowl, forming the base of the ring.
- Add Cheese: Sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese over the base layer of cones evenly.
- Arrange Second Layer: Place the remaining cones on top of the first layer to form a second layer. Then, sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese on top. Carefully remove the bowl from the center.
- Prepare for Baking: Lightly spray the edges of the tortillas with cooking spray or brush with oil to help them crisp up during baking.
- Bake: Bake the quesadilla ring on the middle rack of the oven until the cheese melts and the tortilla edges turn crispy and golden, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the baked ring from the oven and transfer it carefully to a serving platter. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions, if desired.
- Add Dips: Place a small bowl of salsa in the center of the ring. Serve with additional small bowls of sour cream and guacamole on the side for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt for a tangier and healthier alternative.
- Use leftover rotisserie chicken or shredded grilled chicken breast for convenience.
- Feel free to customize the taco seasoning to your preferred spice level or use your favorite blend.
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature for easier mixing.
- If you prefer a gluten-free version, you can use gluten-free tortillas instead of flour tortillas.
- To reheat leftovers, bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 10 minutes until warmed through and crispy.
