These jerk chicken quesadillas are the perfect balance of smoky heat, melty cheese, and fresh, tangy sweetness—all in a quick and easy 30-minute meal. The jerk-seasoned chicken and sautéed peppers and onions bring bold flavor, while the pineapple salsa adds a cooling contrast.
Crisped up in a skillet until golden and gooey, these quesadillas are guaranteed to become a weeknight favorite! You can even double-up the pineapple salsa and serve it with tortilla chips for an appetizer or snack.
A 30-minute meal, especially on a busy weeknight, is a lifesaver for our family. What I love about this recipe is that it's light, while still being flavorful, and it has ingredients that I can add to my Hungryroot order.
Side note: Hungryroot is my latest mom hack obsession. When I know the week ahead is going to be a doozy in the "finding time to make dinner" department, I call on Hungryroot to help me out.
Just this last week my order included two of their recipes and the ingredients to make them PLUS the everything I needed to make these jerk chicken quesadillas. I cannot tell you how great it was to have dinner already planned for 3 nights of the week.
It's not common for me to make a recommendation, so when I do, you know it's got to be good. So if you want to give Hungryroot a try, they're offering the Little Black Skillet audience an amazing discount of 40% off your box.
Y'all, this is better than any deal out there. Click here to snag it, and be sure to use the promo code: LITTLEBLACKSKILLET
While you're at it, be sure to check these other 30-minute meals I like to make when I'm busy. My chicken piccata meatballs are so easy and use pre-made meatballs just like the ones I got as my weekly freebie on Hungryroot.
This egg roll bowl is another quick recipe that you can order the ingredients for (use the superblend salad mix in place of cruciferous crunch.) And, you can't go wrong with a sheet pan dinner. These sheet pan pork chops and veggies are a great weeknight option.
Enough about that though--let's make these jerk quesadillas!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this recipe:
- boneless chicken breasts
- Jamaican jerk seasoning
- sliced bell pepper and onion mix
- pepper-Jack cheese slices
- tortillas
- vegetable oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- fresh pineapple
- red onion
- fresh cilantro
- lime
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, let's get cooking!
- First, make the salsa: Combine the pineapple, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, salt, pepper, and oil in a medium bowl. Stir and set aside.
- Next, rub the chicken with a little oil. Season with the jerk seasoning, salt, and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes before thinly slicing.
- Then, add the pepper and onion mix to the drippings in the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender. Combine with the sliced chicken in a bowl.
- Finally, place half of the tortilla rounds on a clean surface. Tear 4 of the cheese slices into smaller pieces and place on the tortillas. Top evenly with the chicken mixture and the remaining cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas. Wipe out the skillet. Add more oil to cover and heat over medium. Cook the tortillas in batches, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet and serve with the salsa.
Hint: Look for jerk seasoning in the spice aisle at your grocery store or online. The jerk seasoning blend I have in my pantry is from Penzey's Spices, and it's salt-free (and on the milder side of things). Before seasoning the chicken with additional salt, make sure your jerk seasoning doesn't already include salt in it.
Substitutions
Need to make some ingredient swaps? Here are some ideas:
- Chicken breasts - Instead of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Rotisserie chicken is also a great option. Shred the chicken and toss with a little oil and the jerk seasoning.
- Pepper and onion mix - I love the convenience of this pre-prepped product. You can slice a green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and yellow onion yourself if you prefer. Or, thaw frozen fajita vegetables--just be sure to pat them dry so the veggies can get browned when cooking.
- Fresh pineapple - If the pineapple doesn't look all that great, substitute canned pineapple instead.
- Pepper Jack cheese slices - Swap out Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, or your other favorite cheese for the pepper Jack.
Variations
Check out these additional ways to change up this jerk chicken quesadilla recipe:
- Spicy - The jerk seasoning you use may already be on the spicy side. But, if it's not and you want to amp things up, add some crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
- Vegetarian - This recipe is easy to make vegetarian. Instead of chicken, season tofu slices with the jerk seasoning.
- Jerk Chicken Quesadillas with Mango Salsa - Mango is another great tropical fruit that pairs well with the jerk chicken. Use it instead of the pineapple to switch things up.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need for this recipe:
- dry measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- microplane zester
- juicer
- 2 medium bowls
- chef's knife
- large skillet
- tongs
- metal spatula
Storage
Store the pineapple salsa separate from the quesadillas in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Wrap any leftover cooked quesadillas in aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To reheat, use an air fryer or oven set to 325°F.
This recipe doesn't freeze well.
Tasty Tip
I prefer to cook the chicken breasts whole and then cut into thin slices after it's had a chance to rest. I find that it helps keep the chicken juicier that way. To speed up the cooking time, you can slice the chicken first before cooking.
Frequently asked questions
Jerk seasoning is a blend of many spices: garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried chile peppers, allspice, ginger, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, smoked paprika, cloves, white pepper, and dark brown sugar.
Every chef's jerk recipe is different so you'll find varying levels of spiciness. Depending on the amount of scotch bonnet peppers added, the seasoning becomes significantly hotter, while blends with less or milder peppers equal a less spicy jerk seasoning.
Both--Jerk seasoning and Jerk chicken, a specialty from Jamaica, is believed to have been created by enslaved Africans who combined their spices and cooking techniques with the native indigenous Arawak people.
Traditional quesadillas were made with corn tortillas along with cheese, vegetables, and meat fillings.
These are the 3 things to keep in mind to make the best quesadilla:
1. You need lots of cheese to hold the fillings together.
2. Don't overfill the quesadilla.
3. Carefully brown each side--don't flip too early. Allow the cheese to melt and the tortilla to brown before flipping.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these easy jerk chicken quesadillas:
🍽Get the recipe
Jerk Chicken Quesadillas with Pineapple Salsa
Equipment
- dry measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- microplane zester
- juicer
- 2 medium bowls
- chef's knife
- large skillet
- tongs
- metal spatula
Ingredients
For the pineapple salsa:
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped pineapple
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
For the jerk chicken quesadillas:
- ¾ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2)
- Vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoon Jamaican jerk seasoning (I used Penzey's salt-free)
- 1 (16-ounce) package sliced bell peppers and onions
- 8 slices pepper-Jack cheese
- 8 soft taco-size flour tortillas
Instructions
- Make the salsa: Combine the pineapple, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, and oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Rub the chicken with 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Sprinkle with the jerk seasoning and ½ teaspoon salt (if your jerk seasoning is salt-free).
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165°F. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain and placing in a medium bowl.
- While the chicken rests, add the pepper and onion mix to the drippings in the skillet. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender. Combine with the sliced chicken in the bowl.
- Place 4 of the tortillas on a clean work surface. Tear 4 of the cheese slices into smaller pieces and place on each of the tortillas. Top evenly with the chicken mixture and the remaining cheese. Place the remaining tortillas on top.
- Wipe out the skillet. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook the quesadillas, one at a time, until golden brown on each side about 2 minutes per side. Remove the quesadillas from the skillet and cut into wedges before serving with the salsa.
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Be sure to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F when tested with a meat thermometer.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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Jean says
Omg these were so good. And that salsa. Never tried with pineapple and it was divine
AshleyFreeman says
Hooray! So glad you liked them!
Leslie says
Jerk Chicken with the pineapple salsa was the perfect flavor combination..such a great balance!
AshleyFreeman says
Thank you so much for your note Leslie!
Andrea says
These quesadillas were bursting with smoky flavor from the seasoning and perfectly balanced by the sweet and tangy pineapple salsa. Definitely a meal I’ll make again.
AshleyFreeman says
Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing, Andrea!
Nicole Kendrick says
This was amazing! The spicy seasoning of the chicken with the sweet and savory salsa was so good!
AshleyFreeman says
I think the salsa may be my favorite part! Thanks for giving this recipe a try!
Paula says
Obsessing over these jerk chicken quesadillas. They had just the right amount of spice to be flavorful but not so much that it was overwhelming.
AshleyFreeman says
Yay! So glad you loved them!