Quesadillas de Tinga con Queso Oaxaca (Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas)
Crisp golden flour tortillas folded around stretchy melted cheese and smoky chipotle shredded chicken.
Made with Chipotle tinga sauce and Flour tortillas and Shredded chicken (pollo deshebrado). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time25 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.44 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put your ready made chipotle tinga sauce (see the base recipe) and shredded chicken (see the base recipe) in a pan. Simmer for 8 minutes until thick and hot all the way through, then take off the heat.
8 min - 2
Lay a flour tortilla (see the base recipe) in a dry non stick frying pan over a medium heat. Scatter over a quarter of the cheese, then a quarter of the chicken, then more cheese.
- 3
Fold the tortilla in half. Press down gently and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until golden underneath.
2 min 30 s - 4
Brush the top with a little oil, flip carefully and cook for 2 minutes more until the cheese is melted and the outside is crisp.
2 min - 5
Repeat to make 4 folded quesadillas, keeping them warm in a low oven. Make a second batch with the other 4 tortillas if you want a larger meal.
- 6
Cut each into wedges and serve with soured cream, avocado, coriander and lime.
Tips
- Do not overfill. Too much sauce makes the tortilla soggy and the cheese cannot seal it.
- Oaxaca cheese melts into long strands. Low moisture mozzarella is the best UK swap.
- Press with a spatula as they cook so the tortilla browns evenly and the cheese melts through.
Storing and freezing
Eat straight away for the crispest finish. Cool leftovers within 2 hours, keep in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in a hot pan until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I use corn tortillas?
Yes. Use two corn tortillas per quesadilla, folding each in half over the filling, which makes them gluten free if the tortillas are labelled so. Corn ones are more delicate, so cook them gently.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes. Swap the chicken for shredded mushrooms or tinned black beans and heat them in the tinga sauce. The cheese keeps it rich.
Can I freeze them?
Yes, wrap cooked and cooled quesadillas in portions and freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in a hot oven until crisp and steaming hot all the way through.
More made with chipotle tinga sauce
Tortas de Tinga (Chipotle Chicken Sandwiches)
NFEmpanadas de Tinga con Papa y Queso (Baked Chipotle Potato and Cheese Empanadas)
VNFHuevos Ahogados en Tinga (Eggs Poached in Chipotle Tinga Sauce)
NFTinga de Pollo con Arroz Rojo y Aguacate (Chipotle Chicken Tinga Rice Bowls)
GFDFEFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.