Description
This Blooming Chicken Quesadilla Ring is a festive and delicious appetizer perfect for gatherings. Layers of seasoned shredded chicken, sautéed peppers and onions, and a creamy cheese mixture are wrapped in flour tortillas, arranged in a flower-like ring, and baked until golden and crispy. Served with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream for dipping, this dish combines vibrant flavors and textures, impressing guests with every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers (red, yellow, green, or orange), sliced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
Dairy
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
- ¼ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (for filling)
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese, shredded (for filling)
- ¼ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (for topping)
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese, shredded (for topping)
Protein
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie or homemade)
Other
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning
- 12 medium flour tortillas (10″ – 12″)
- Cooking spray or additional olive oil for brushing
- Salsa (for serving)
- Guacamole (for serving)
- Sour cream (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking tray. Preheat your oven to 375℉ (190℃). Line a large baking sheet or a pizza tray with parchment paper or lightly grease with foil to prevent sticking.
- Sauté vegetables. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and bell peppers. Sauté for about 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and lightly golden. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Make the chicken filling. In a large bowl, combine the room temperature cream cheese, sour cream, lime juice, shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese, and taco seasoning. Mix thoroughly until well blended.
- Combine with chicken and veggies. Add the shredded cooked chicken and the cooled sautéed onions and peppers into the cheese mixture. Gently fold until everything is evenly incorporated. Set aside.
- Prepare tortillas. Slice each of the 12 flour tortillas in half, creating 24 semicircles.
- Fill tortillas. Evenly distribute the chicken filling among the sliced tortillas, using about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons per tortilla half. Spread the filling, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Roll tortillas into cones. Carefully roll each filled tortilla half into a cone shape, shaping tightly enough to hold but not so tight as to squeeze out the filling.
- Arrange the base layer. Place a small round bowl in the center of the prepared baking tray. Arrange half of the tortilla cones around the bowl with the pointed ends touching it, forming a ring base.
- Add cheese topping to base layer. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese evenly over the arranged cones.
- Arrange the second layer. Place the remaining tortilla cones on top of the base layer to create a second ring layer. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar and mozzarella over the top. Remove the bowl from the center carefully.
- Prepare for baking. Lightly spray the edges of the tortillas with cooking spray or brush them with olive oil to encourage crispiness.
- Bake the quesadilla ring. Place the baking tray on the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the tortilla edges turn crispy and golden.
- Garnish and serve. Carefully transfer the baked quesadilla ring to a serving platter. Garnish with the thinly sliced green onions if desired.
- Serve with dips. Fill a small bowl with salsa and place it in the center of the ring. Serve additional bowls of sour cream and guacamole on the side for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature to help blend smoothly.
- You can customize the heat by adding jalapeños to the sautéed veggies or increasing taco seasoning.
- If preferred, substitute tortillas with whole wheat or gluten-free options.
- Do not overfill the tortillas to prevent filling leakage when rolling.
- Use a small, oven-safe bowl or ramekin to help shape the ring and remove it carefully to preserve the form.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated in an oven or air fryer for best texture.
