When I need to get a super quick and mostly hands-off dinner on the table, I turn to sheet pan dinners. And I’m loving this family friendly sheet pan chicken quesadilla recipe!

I’m just adding these sheet pan recipes to my ever-growing obsession, guys. Unless you’re totes sick of them already, but I wonder how someone could be sick to death of a recipe that takes basically one pan, 20 minutes, and keeps the fam dam happy?

I don’t know. But if you’re loving these easy recipes as much as I am, come on over and sit right next to me.

These sheet pan pulled chicken thigh quesadillas utilize leftover shredded chicken as the base, which makes them an awesome ‘chaining’ meal. You know, how when one dinner one night sort of…. blends into dinner the next night?

That’s called ‘meal chaining’, my friend!

And it’s gonna save you a rid-donk-ulous amount of time each week if you utilize it. ‘Cook once, eat twice”, as they say!

So when you’ve got a rotisserie chicken, or just a plain ole roasted chicken, or any amount of chicken leftover to shred, pop it into these sheet pan chicken quesadillas and whip up a quick slaw and you’re laughing all the way to family dinner bank.

Or you’re just, you know, going about your business. Totally your call. But I’m thinking you’ll like this sheet pan recipe just a little bit more since it requires so little work to pull off.

Use any type of ‘tortilla’ or flatbread you’ve got going

I was sent a variety of flatbreads to try by the nice people at Flatout, and even though this particular flatbread is marketed for pizza crusts, it was a perfect quesadilla shell; just soft enough, crisped up beautifully in the oven. and had a ton of flavor. It’s only 120 calories, too, so if you’re doing the healthy thing, these flatbreads have your back.

There’s another sneaky leftover you can pop into these quesadillas: beans.

I love my slow cooker for many things, not only because it makes cooking beans so dang easy. I used to always forget to soak my beans. or not feel like I had the time to watch them as they cook.

But I’ve got a super simple crockpot black bean recipe that is almost completely hands off (read: no soaking!) yet yields the most flavorful, toothsome beans you could ever ask for. I’ll be sharing the recipe soon, so keep n eye out!

Cooked beans are an awesome dish to store in the freezer (yay for perfect leftovers!).

Whenever I make them, I make sure to double the batch and freeze the rest. They reheat like champs and can be used to bulk up ground beef or chicken dishes, saving time and cash.

But it’s the roasted radish slaw that totally brings these sheet pan pulled chicken quesadilla recipe together.

It cooks alongside the quesadillas and is served warm with the dish.

They require the most “work” in the whole recipe, clocking in at a grand total of… 10 minutes? Maybe 5? It’s all in your shredding/slicing technique, to be honest. The better you are with a knife, the faster this part of the recipe will come together.

After roasting, the sliced radish and cabbage are tossed in a simple mixture of apple cider vinegar and sour cream.

You don’t have to, but it’s nice to toss these when they’re fresh out of the oven; it helps the flavors of the apple cider vinegar kind of ‘cool’ a bit, while bringing the simple slaw flavors front and center.

But since they’re not cooked to death in a hot oven, the cabbage and radish retain a crispy crunch; just perfect to be served alongside the quesadillas, with their soft textures of black beans and chicken.

Ingredients:

For the quesadillas:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup cooked black beans
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (about ½ ounce)
• 8 flour or corn tortillas (at least 5” across)
• 2 cups leftover shredded chicken
• 6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• Olive oil (for brushing)

For the slaw:

• 1 small head green cabbage (sliced thin (about 1 cup shredded cabbage))
• 4-5 large radishes (sliced into matchsticks (about 1 cup sliced radish))
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sour cream

Prep Ahead:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, 3-4 minutes, until they have softened and have started to turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir into the onions, cooking until the garlic has whitened and become fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
2. Turn the heat to low and add the black beans, sea salt, pepper and cumin to the pot, stirring to combine. Heat gently for 3-5 minutes until the beans are heated through, then stir in the cilantro and set aside.
3. When cool enough to handle, transfer to a resealable bag or container. 
4. Toss the shredded cabbage and radishes in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl until evenly coated. 
5. Spread the mixture evenly on one sheet pan and place in the oven. 
6. Roast for 10 minutes, removing from the oven halfway through cooking and stirring.
7. Once the cabbage and radish are done cooking, remove from the oven and place in a large bowl. Toss with the apple cider vinegar and sour cream until coated, and transfer to a resealable bag or container. 

Store the black bean mixture and the slaw separately in the fridge for up to one week. 

Prepare From Prepped:

1. Preheat the oven to 400*F.
2. Place four tortillas on the second sheet pan, leaving at least ½” space between each tortilla.
3. Take 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and divide evenly onto the tortillas on the sheet pan.
4. Divide the black beans evenly on top of each tortilla, then top with the shredded chicken.
5. Top each tortilla with the remaining shredded cheese, then add the remaining 4 tortillas on top of each. Brush each tortilla topper with olive oil, and place the sheet pan in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has fully melted and the tops of the tortillas have browned and crisped.
6. Serve the quesadillas with the roasted slaw on the side.

Make From Fresh:

1. Preheat the oven to 400*F.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, 3-4 minutes, until they have softened and have started to turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir into the onions, cooking until the garlic has whitened and become fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Turn the heat to low and add the black beans, sea salt, pepper and cumin to the pot, stirring to combine. Heat gently for 3-5 minutes until the beans are heated through, then stir in the cilantro and set aside.
4. Line 2 metal sheet pans with aluminum foil.
5. Toss the shredded cabbage and radishes in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl until evenly coated. 
6. Spread the mixture evenly on one sheet pan and place in the oven. 
7. Roast for 10 minutes, removing from the oven halfway through cooking and stirring.
8. Once the cabbage and radish are done cooking, remove from the oven and place in a large bowl. Toss with the apple cider vinegar and sour cream until coated, and let sit, at least 5 minutes, until it’s time to serve.
9. Place four tortillas on the second sheet pan, leaving at least ½” space between each tortilla.
10. Take 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and divide evenly onto the tortillas on the sheet pan.
11. Divide the black beans evenly on top of each tortilla, then top with the shredded chicken.
12. Top each tortilla with the remaining shredded cheese, then add the remaining 4 tortillas on top of each. Brush each tortilla topper with olive oil, and place the sheet pan in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has fully melted and the tops of the tortillas have browned and crisped.
13. Serve the quesadillas with the roasted slaw on the side.

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