Chicken and Steak Quesadilla [Recipe]
Do you have some kind of food that makes you think about sports, board games, or movie nights? Besides pizza, of course. Something that everyone loves, it’s homemade, but still ready so quickly you can make it on a commercial break. For me, that is chicken and steak quesadilla and you’ll see me making it really, really often!
I love the fusion between crispy tortilla, stretchy cheese, and juicy meat cuts. I also like the fact that you can play with spices and additions to fit anyone’s taste. I don’t experiment much here, because everything as basic as this is makes one top-tier bite! I’m sharing my super simple recipe for you to make at home. I’m so excited to hear the feedback!
Ingredients
I made everything in the grill pan, and it was actually done pretty quickly. The key for succulent chicken is definitely marinating and a good steak is seasoned with salt and pepper only. Here are all the ingredients for my favorite combo.
- Tortilla – Of course, you’ll need tortillas. I used store bought and I opted for corn ones. They blend perfectly with all the flavors.
- Chicken – I went with chicken breasts, as I find them the best option in this recipe.
- Steak – Choose your favorite steak cut. Mine is thinly sliced sirloin steak.
- Mushrooms – I added some grilled mushrooms, as well. I mixed two varieties, white and brown button mushrooms.
- Sour cream – I needed some sour cream for the sauce. It gives a bit more complexity to the whole meal and, of course, a touch of tanginess.
- Mayonnaise – Mayonnaise is a staple sauce, but not among my favorites. I like to mix it with sour cream, though, so its flavor is not prominent. For me, it works better as an addition than a base of the sauce.
- Spices and herbs – Of course, salt and pepper come first, especially for the steak. I marinated the chicken with the addition of turmeric, lemon zest, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Also, I added some onion powder to the mushrooms. For the sauce, I went with herbs: parsley, dill, and basil.
- Cheese – My combo of choice was cheddar and mozzarella, both shredded. I love the stretchy moment!
- Butter – I used butter to grill both steak and mushrooms.
- Olive oil – Immersing the chicken in olive oil is top-notch.
- Lemon juice – Lemon adds a missing zing to the sauce, rounding the whole meal.
Let’s grill together!
How to make chicken and steak quesadilla?
Step 1: Preparing the meats
Of course, I always start with marinating. If I have time, I like to do it a few hours prior to cooking. That way, the meat stays incredibly juicy and tender.
I prefer to slice the chicken tenders into almost an inch-thick medallions. In a bowl, I massage them with olive oil and spices: salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic powder, lemon zest, and cayenne pepper. Measure everything by heart here. I love the chicken a bit on the spicier side.
Cut thinly, about half an inch thick, sirloin steaks. Coat them generously with salt and pepper from both sides. Leave them to absorb the spices.
Warm up a grill pan over medium heat, and melt some butter. Arrange the steaks and grill them until you’re satisfied with doneness. I usually do about 3-4 minutes per side.
In the same pan, arrange the chicken tenders and grill until soft. I like to crisp it a bit, though, so I always leave it an additional minute. Set the meat aside, and let’s move to the next step.
Step 2: Preparing the mushrooms
While the meat is marinating, I like to slice the mushrooms so they are ready to go. This time, I used white and brown button mushrooms, which need a few minutes longer to get ready, because they are full of water that needs to evaporate. You can choose your favorite kind, but just keep in mind that they all have different cooking times.
Add some butter to the same grill pan, and cook the mushrooms there, as well. They will soak up all the leftover flavors from the meat. Season the mushrooms with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Sauté them for approximately 7-8 minutes, there is no need for more.
Step 3: Making the sauce
Use spare time while the meat is grilling, and make the sauce. This is the simplest but the best sauce, in my opinion. I mixed sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and herbs.
I mixed up parsley, basil, and dill. Also, if you love pickles, chop a few finely and add them to the sauce. When I do this, I like to replace lemon with pickle juice.
Step 4: Assembling the quesadillas
Cut steaks and chicken medallions into bite-size slices. I fancy doing it under an angle, I feel like I had a chef do it for me like that. 😀
For this, find a pan to fit the whole tortilla in. I used a pancake pan. Smear it with some olive oil and bring to medium heat. Toss the tortilla on top and let it crisp slightly.
Remove from the pan and toss another one. Now start arranging everything in this order: cheese, meats, mushrooms, sauce, cheese, and already crisped tortilla. Carefully, flip it on the plate.
Slice into triangles and devour!
How to store chicken and steak quesadilla?
I would recommend you make as many quesadillas as you can eat at the moment. By storing them assembled, you’ll lose the crispiness and the stretchy element. On the other note, store all the components separately and you’ll have a meal ready in a second!
I like to keep everything in airtight containers and the sauce in a glass jar. Keep the meat and mushrooms for 2-3 days in the fridge, and the sauce for 5 days tops. One more pro tip, don’t slice the meat in advance, so it keeps all the juices in!
What to serve with it?
My absolute favorite side dish to serve with this meal is a salad. Red onion, cucumber, and Roman tomatoes, all finely chopped into pea-size pieces, with fresh herbs marry perfectly. My second favorite is, unsurprisingly, crunchy French fries.
I haven’t tried this yet, but I believe that sweet potato fries would be smashing, as well. If you want more Mexican vibes, serve some spicy guacamole or salsa with quesadillas. Also, don’t sleep on corn and rice! They pair amazingly, too!
Chicken and Steak Quesadilla
Equipment
- 1 grill pan
Ingredients
- 8 tortillas
- 4 sirloin steaks (thinly sliced)
- 2 chicken breasts
- 5 oz white button mushrooms
- 5 oz brown button mushrooms
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ cup mozzarela (shredded)
- ½ cup cheddar (cheddar)
For the Sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tbsp parsley
- ½ tbsp dill
- 1 tbsp basil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
Preparing the Meats
- Slice the chicken tenders into almost an inch-thick medallions. In a bowl, massage them with olive oil and spices: salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic powder, lemon zest, and cayenne pepper. Leave to marinate.
- Cut thinly, about half an inch thick, sirloin steaks. Coat them generously with salt and pepper from both sides. Leave them to absorb the spices.
- Warm up a grill pan over medium heat, and melt some butter. Arrange the steaks and grill them until you’re satisfied with doneness.
- In the same pan, arrange the chicken tenders and grill until soft.
Preparing the Mushrooms
- Slice the mushrooms. Add some butter to the same grill pan, and cook the mushrooms there, as well.
- Season the mushrooms with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Sauté them for approximately 7-8 minutes.
Making the Sauce
- Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and herbs. Use parsley, basil, and dill.
Assembling the Quesadillas
- Cut steaks and chicken medallions into bite-size slices.
- Find a pan to fit the whole tortilla in. Smear it with some olive oil and bring to medium heat. Toss the tortilla on top and let it crisp slightly.
- Remove from the pan and toss another one. Now start arranging everything in this order: cheese, meats, mushrooms, sauce, cheese, and already crisped tortilla. Carefully, flip it on the plate.
Notes
- onion, cucumber, tomato, and herb salad
- French fries
- sweet potato fries
- rice
- corn
- guacamole
- salsa
Nutrition
Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.
