TGI Friday's Copycat Chicken Quesadillas
A copycat of TGI Friday's chicken quesadillas: spiced grilled chicken and sautéed peppers folded into crispy flour tortillas with a blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar, served with fresh pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole and salsa. Serves 4, total time about 35 minutes.
⏱️ Prep: 15 min🍳 Cook: 20 min
Nutritionper 100 g›
250
Calories
16g
Protein
15g
Carbs
14g
Fat
Ingredients
| 1.5 lbs (680 g) | boneless, skinless chicken breasts |
| 2 tablespoons (30 ml) | olive oil |
| 1 teaspoon | chili powder |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin |
| 1 teaspoon | garlic powder |
| 1/2 teaspoon | paprika |
| to taste | salt and pepper |
| 8 | large flour tortillas (10-inch) |
| 3 cups (340 g) | shredded Monterey Jack cheese |
| 1 cup (115 g) | shredded cheddar cheese |
| 1 | red bell pepper, diced |
| 1 | green bell pepper, diced |
| 1/2 | red onion, diced |
| 2 tablespoons (28 g) | butter for cooking |
| 2 | medium tomatoes, diced (for pico de gallo) |
| 1/4 | red onion, finely diced (for pico de gallo) |
| 1/4 cup (15 g) | fresh cilantro, chopped |
| 1 | jalapeño, seeded and minced |
| 1 | lime, juiced |
| to taste | salt (for pico de gallo) |
| 1 cup (240 g) | sour cream (for serving) |
| 1 cup (240 g) | guacamole (for serving) |
| to taste | salsa (for serving) |
| to taste | fresh cilantro for garnish |
Instructions
- Make the pico de gallo: in a medium bowl combine diced tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, minced jalapeño, lime juice and salt. Mix well and set aside to let the flavors develop.
- Season the chicken breasts on both sides with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken 6-7 minutes per side until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Rest 5 minutes, then dice or shred into bite-sized pieces.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, add a little more oil if needed. Sauté the red bell pepper, green bell pepper and red onion 4-5 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and remove from heat.
- In a large bowl combine the shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar. Mix the chicken with the sautéed peppers and onions to make the filling.
- Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat with a little butter. Place a tortilla in the pan, sprinkle about 1/2 cup cheese over half of it, add a generous portion of the chicken-and-vegetable mixture, then top with another 1/2 cup cheese. Fold the tortilla in half into a half-moon.
- Cook 3-4 minutes on the first side until golden and crispy, pressing gently with a spatula. Flip and cook 2-3 minutes more until golden and the cheese is fully melted. Keep warm and repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Let each quesadilla rest 1-2 minutes, then cut into 3-4 triangular wedges with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
- Arrange the wedges on a platter and serve hot with sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo and salsa on the side. Garnish with fresh cilantro.