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These Black Pepper Chicken and Bacon Quesadillas with Avocado Basil Ranch are the perfect cheesy quesadillas to enjoy for lunch or dinner. Spicy, roasted lemon pepper chicken folded up with homemade creamy basil ranch dressing, honey mustard, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, and crispy bacon. This colorful chicken quesadilla is simple to make, wholesome, and delicious. Use leftover grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or make my roasted lemon pepper chicken. Everyone will love this fresh chicken quesadilla!
We’re taking things back with these yummy quesadillas. Some of you may remember that quesadillas are one of the main reasons I began to love cooking so much. I used to make them ALL THE TIME for my brothers when I was in high school.
The quesadillas really did ignite my love for cooking and sharing food with the ones around me.
When my brothers and I were in school, they’d often get out around 12 or 1 pm to go snowboarding in the afternoon. I know that sounds not right for kids in middle school, but we grew up in a mountain town and that’s what kids on the snowboard/ski teams usually did Monday through Friday.
By the time they got home from the mountain around 4;30, they’d want food before dinner. Somehow I started making them chicken quesadillas and the meal really stuck. I’d make them almost every day. I loved how happy and excited they would all get.
I rarely make quesadillas now, but anytime I do, they always bring back happy memories.
But these?! These are a game-changer, so delicious and hands down my favorite. It’s the basil ranch dressing that really does the trick. When paired with chicken, cheese, and creamy honey mustard, they are so yummy!
Details
Start out by making the basil ranch dressing. It’s very creamy and easy to make with fresh basil, cilantro, and then the usual ranch ingredients. Mayo, buttermilk, chives, Worcestershire, garlic, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
I’ll usually toss in a jalapeño too. YUM.
Blend everything up in a blender or food processor until creamy – super easy to do. This really adds all the flavor!
Next, make the quesadillas! The recipe calls for already-cooked chicken. You can use whatever you have on hand. Or just make my roasted lemon pepper chicken.
It’s simply chicken (I like to use thighs, but breasts are good too), tossed with olive oil, cajun seasoning, and black pepper. Then roast the chicken up and finished with lemon zest. I gave you the recipe in the notes section. So you can either make the lemon pepper chicken, or as I said, use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken.
You’ll need tortillas, cheese (I love to use gouda and cheddar, or fontina and cheddar), arugula, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, pickles or pepperoncini (or both!), and crispy bacon. Then, the dressing, and honey mustard too.
Assemble everything into the tortillas. Then cook each quesadilla up in a skillet until the cheese is super melty! You can also use a panini press, which is fun.
I serve these topped with avocado plus extra basil ranch and some honey mustard. The honey mustard is not needed, but we sure love it!
Looking for fun family dinners? Here are my favorites:
Sheet Pan Honey Buffalo Chicken with Broccoli
Cheesy Green Chile and Avocado Rice Quesadillas
One Skillet White Chicken Chili Bake
Skillet Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Jalapeño Verde Sauce
Cauliflower Al Pastor Quesadillas
Lastly, if you make these Black Pepper Chicken and Bacon Quesadillas with Avocado Basil Ranch, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Basil Ranch Chicken and Bacon Quesadilla with Avocado
Servings: 4 quesadillas
Calories Per Serving: 436 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Basil Ranch Dressing
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped chives
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- kosher salt and black pepper
Quesadilla
- 4 large tortillas
- 1 1/2 cups shredded gouda and or cheddar cheese
- 1-2 cups baby arugula
- 1-1 1/2 cups grilled chicken, sliced (homemade in notes)
- 1/2 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped dill pickles and or pepperoncini
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1/2 cup honey mustard (homemade in notes)
- 1 avocado, chopped
Instructions
- 1. To make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.2. To assemble, layer cheese, arugula, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, pickles, and bacon on one half of a tortilla. Drizzle over the basil ranch and honey mustard, then sprinkle over more cheese. Fold the tortilla over to cover everything.3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet, add 1 quesadilla, and cook 2-3 minutes per side until crisp and golden brown. Serve warm with avocado and additional basil ranch.
Notes
Honey Mustard: In a bowl combine: 1/4 cup dijon mustard, 1/4 cup honey, 1/3 cup mayo, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste), kosher salt, and black pepper, whisking until smooth.
Roasted Lemon Pepper Chicken: Preheat the oven to 425° F. In a baking dish, toss 1 pound of chicken breasts and or thighs with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons cajun seasoning, and a good pinch of black pepper. Bake the chicken for 20-25 minutes, until lightly charred and cooked through. Finish with the zest of a lemon. Thinly slice or shred.
Hi! Looking forward to trying this one!
Do you have a suggestion for an alternative in the ranch dressing to mayo? I really dislike mayo so would love to avoid it if there’s an alternative!
Thanks
Hey Sonya,
Sure, greek yogurt would be great to use! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Girl!!!
Pretty much blown away every time I cook one of your recipes, but this one is over the top on point with flavor!!!
Hey Alyson,
Happy Wednesday!! 🍉🍓 Thanks a bunch for testing out this recipe, I’m so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! xT
This was delicious! I added a little agave to the bacon to make it slightly sweet and I used smoked Gouda & cheddar. YUM! I’ll definitely make this again
Hey Katy,
Wonderful!!🌴🍍 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, love to hear that it turned out well! xx
OK, I admit, I was a little skeptical about putting honey mustard in the quesadillas but everything about this was delicious! What a great weeknight dinner!
Hey Melissa,
Happy Sunday!! 🍉🍓🫐 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and your comment! xT
These were delicious omg! My new favourite!!
Hey Katie,
Happy Sunday!! 🍉🍓🫐 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and your comment! xT
Yum! I loved the flavors on this dish. The arugula, the sun dried tomatoes, the honey mustard. I’d like to make the dressing in advance to make this a dish I could achieve on a weeknight? Do you think it would be okay to make it a day in advance? Maybe 2 days?
Hey Joan,
Happy Thursday! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Totally, the dressing is good for 2 weeks in the fridge! xT
Just made this and they were a huge hit!! Subbed avocado into the basil thing and it’s delish. Cooked some up to reheat later, too. We eat lots of quesadillas here, and I love changing it up!
Hey Cat,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for testing this recipe out, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
This is insane! So delicious!!!! It was definitely a chore, and took the whole afternoon to make (cooking the chicken, making homemade tortillas, making both sauces, chopping everything, etc… Many steps). BUT, it was worth it!
Hey Sarah,
Happy Monday!!🌞 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
So delicious! Will definitely be adding these to the monthly rotation. Kept it dairy and gluten free by using Siete almond flour tortillas, kite hill almond yogurt, vegan cheese shreds, and omitting the buttermilk. SO much flavor!
Hi Megan,
Happy Easter!! 🐰🐣🌈 Thank you very much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your comment, I’m so glad it turned out well for you! xT
Previous to my last comment. Sorry forgot to add. In the Heading and write up it says Basil Avocado Ranch Dressing, but the recipe doesn’t call for Avocado. Then I realised you have another recipe for Avocado Ranch. So it was a little confusing.
Sorry for any confusion!
Delicious! Even my fussy 13yr old loved them. So a big winner here in the UK. Thank You xx. I adapted the Ranch Dressing and Honey Mustard, and used Vegan Mayo instead as I’m allergic to the real stuff. It’s an absolute winner in my book😊
Hey Ruth,
Happy Easter!! 🐰🐣🌈 Thank you very much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your comment, I’m so glad it turned out well for you! xT
This recipe is incredible and so full of flavour! What a great combination! Definitely going to make this recipe again! Thank you!!!
Hey Krista,
Wonderful!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for giving it a go! xT
Over the top good!
Hey Hilary,
Happy Wednesday!!🌈 🐇 I am so glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you! Thanks for sharing your feedback and trying it out! xT
Would it work to leave out the buttermilk? Feels like a waste to buy a container just for 2 Tbsp.
I left it out and it was delicious! I had sour cream as my base.
Thanks Alex!
Hi Ben,
I would just use some whole milk in place of the buttermilk:) I hope you love this recipe! xx
Thank you for sharing this recipe- We just made them for dinner and they are delicious, and the basil ranch dressing is so very good! We will be making these again for sure
Hi Melissa,
Fantastic!! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xx