Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla

Sometimes the simplest things end up being the biggest wins. That’s how I feel about this cheesy, crispy, Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla. My boys and I threw them together a few weeks ago for the first time with some of the items we tend to on hand in the freezer. Suffice it to say that these are way tastier than they have any right to be!

Chicken, bacon, quesadillas on cutting board with a side of ranch dip

I fell in love with the Just Bare brand of frozen chicken bites several years ago when I first found them at Costco. We make ours in the air fryer, and they are the perfect solution for adding some quick protein to a salad or a sandwich.

I could lie and tell you that this recipe was a long series of difficult developments. But, it’s so much simpler than that. We literally just threw together our favorite air fried chicken bites with cheese and some crumbled leftover bacon. Dip your hot quesadillas in some homemade ranch and it all still counts as cooking, OK?

hand holding a cheesy quesadilla up close

And for what it’s worth, I’ll happily eat this for lunch, or for dinner. And I do. On repeat, my friends. I eat this on repeat. I’ve made a LOT of quesadillas over the years. They’re one of my favorite quick snacks or meals, and they never get old because you can just swap out ingredients.

And, what I’ve learned while making probably hundreds if not thousands of quesadillas over the years is that the right pan makes a big difference for steady, even heat. This hard anodized non-stick pan is HANDS DOWN the best nonstick pan I have ever used. Don’t waste your money on the trendy and viral brand names. I’ve owned them, and they aren’t worth it. This one will not let you down.

process shots for quesadilla with chicken and bacon

Bacon Ranch Chicken Quesadillas

In a perfect world, you’re not actually reading this text. In a perfect world, you’re already sitting down to a fresh batch of bacon ranch chicken quesadillas (obviously). But, since you’re here, let me give you a nickel’s worth of free advice.

First, you can (and should) dip this quesadilla in a sauce. Let those flavors collide. Once you’ve tried it with homemade ranch, change the game plan and mix up a batch of creamy avocado sauce. It’s like guacamole after it goes to college. And, it goes perfectly with the flavors in this quesadilla.

overhead photo of sliced quesadilla on cutting board

Another excellent option is to unlock the full on Mexican restaurant experience with a side of the BEST queso blanco. But, be careful with that one, because it is absolutely addictive.

Second, you can (and should) dress quesadillas up as an entree in part of a larger meal. I like to serve them along with a side of elote (Mexican street corn) and some Mexican fried rice.

But, no matter how you serve these quesadillas, I think the more important question is why are you still reading and not cooking? It’s time to break out the frying pan, already!

Preheat a large non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Lightly butter one side of each tortilla with about ½ a teaspoon of butter.
Place one tortilla buttered side down in a hot skillet over medium heat. Layer half of the cheese, the bacon, the chicken chunks, and the remaining cheese on top of the tortilla. Place the second tortilla on top, buttered side up, and cook for a minute or two.
Cover with a lid and add a tablespoon of water to the pan. Allow the steam to melt the cheese, about a minute.
When the cheese is melting and the tortilla facing the skillet begins to brown, use a large spatula to carefully flip the tortilla over and cook on the second side for a few minutes.
When everything has melted together and the tortillas are golden and crisp, remove the quesadilla from the skillet and slice it into wedges. Serve warm with plenty of ranch dressing for dipping.