Description
This Blooming Chicken Quesadilla Ring is a visually stunning and delicious appetizer perfect for parties or family gatherings. Layered with a creamy, cheesy chicken filling tossed with sautéed peppers and onions, this ring bakes into a crispy, gooey masterpiece that’s ideal for dipping into salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers (red, yellow, green, or orange), sliced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (1 brick, 250 grams)
- ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1½ tablespoons taco seasoning
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie or homemade)
Other
- 12 medium flour tortillas (10″-12″)
- Additional ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Additional ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Cooking spray or oil for brushing
Dips and Garnish
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375℉ (190℃) and line a large baking sheet or pizza tray with parchment paper or greased foil to prevent sticking.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and bell peppers and sauté, stirring often, until softened and golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Prepare Chicken Filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, lime juice, ¼ cup shredded mozzarella, ¼ cup shredded cheddar, and taco seasoning. Mix thoroughly until smooth and well combined.
- Add Chicken and Veggies: Gently fold in the shredded cooked chicken and cooled sautéed onions and peppers until evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Set aside.
- Prepare Tortillas: Slice each of the 12 medium flour tortillas in half to create 24 semicircles.
- Fill Tortillas: Evenly divide the chicken filling among the tortilla halves, spreading about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons onto each, leaving a small border around the edge.
- Roll into Cones: Carefully roll each filled tortilla half into a cone shape, making sure to roll tightly enough to hold the filling without squeezing too hard to avoid the filling oozing out.
- Arrange Base Layer: Place a small round bowl in the center of the prepared baking sheet. Arrange half of the rolled cones around the bowl with the pointed ends touching it to form a ring base.
- Add Cheese Layer: Sprinkle half of the additional ¼ cup cheddar cheese and ¼ cup mozzarella cheese over the base layer of cones.
- Arrange Second Layer: Place the remaining cones on top of the base layer to complete the ring. Then, sprinkle the remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheese evenly over this top layer. Carefully remove the bowl from the center.
- Prepare for Baking: Lightly spray the edges of the tortillas with cooking spray or brush them with oil to encourage crispiness.
- Bake: Bake on the middle rack for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tortilla edges are golden and crispy.
- Garnish: Carefully transfer the blooming quesadilla ring onto a serving platter. Optionally garnish with thinly sliced green onions.
- Serve: Place a small bowl of salsa in the center of the ring. Serve alongside bowls of sour cream and guacamole for dipping. Enjoy warm!
Notes
- Use room temperature cream cheese for easy mixing and a smooth filling.
- Adjust the taco seasoning amount to your taste preference for spice level.
- Make sure to not overfill the tortilla cones to prevent leaking during baking.
- Cooking spray helps the edges brown and become crispy but you can substitute with a light brush of olive oil.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated in an oven or air fryer for best texture retention.
- Substitute with gluten-free tortillas to make this dish gluten-free.
