Tandoori Chicken Quesadilla (Printable)

Tender spiced chicken and creamy yogurt sauce with melted cheese in a crispy tortilla wrap.

# Ingredient list:

→ Tandoori Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
02 - 120 ml plain Greek yogurt
03 - 15 ml lemon juice
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2.5 cm ginger, grated
06 - 1.5 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1.5 tsp ground coriander
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1 tsp garam masala
10 - 0.5 tsp turmeric
11 - 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
12 - 0.5 tsp salt
13 - 15 ml vegetable oil

→ Yogurt Sauce

14 - 120 ml plain Greek yogurt
15 - 15 ml chopped fresh cilantro
16 - 15 ml lemon juice
17 - 0.5 tsp ground cumin
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Quesadilla Assembly

19 - 4 large flour tortillas
20 - 150 g shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
21 - 0.5 small red onion, thinly sliced
22 - 1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced
23 - Butter or oil for greasing pan

# Cooking steps:

01 - Combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, paprika, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, and salt in a bowl. Add chicken strips and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 15 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and slightly charred. Remove from heat.
03 - Whisk together yogurt, cilantro, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
04 - Place one tortilla on a flat surface. Sprinkle one-quarter of the cheese over half the tortilla, add one-quarter of the cooked chicken, red onion, and bell pepper. Drizzle with yogurt sauce and fold tortilla in half. Repeat for remaining tortillas.
05 - Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter or oil. Cook each quesadilla for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cheese has melted.
06 - Slice each quesadilla into wedges and serve hot with additional yogurt sauce.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but it's ready in 35 minutes flat.
  • The yogurt-spiced chicken stays juicy while the cheese gets gorgeously melted, so every bite feels intentional.
  • You can prep the marinade while your coffee brews and have dinner mostly done before sunset.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinating step, even if you're rushed—those 15 minutes make the difference between chicken that's merely cooked and chicken that tastes like it came from a tandoor.
  • The yogurt sauce should go light on the quesadilla itself, or you'll end up with a soggy mess; save the extra for dipping instead.
  • Medium heat on the griddle is your friend; too hot and the tortilla browns before the cheese melts, too cool and you get a floppy, greasy disk.
03 -
  • Slice your chicken thin and let it marinate while you prep your vegetables; that way, everything comes together when you need it without rushing.
  • Keep the griddle temperature medium and patient—rushing the cook leads to burnt tortillas and cold cheese, and that's a lesson I learned once and never forgot.
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