BBQ Chicken Pineapple Quesadillas
Smoky BBQ chicken, sweet grilled pineapple, and gooey melted cheese stacked into a crispy quesadilla.
Prep: 10 · Cook: 15 · Total: 25 · Serves: 4 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.9/5 (412 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
Picture the best Hawaiian pizza you have ever had, then imagine it stuffed inside a crispy quesadilla at a roadside diner outside Nashville. That is what we are chasing here.
Story
I first put these together after a long drive through Tennessee where every roadside spot was slinging pulled pork and pineapple in some form. Got home with the flavor in my head and no time to fire up a smoker, so the quesadilla treatment happened out of pure necessity. Turns out the char on the pineapple does most of the smoky lifting. Shredded rotisserie tossed in a good bottled barbecue sauce (I like the sweeter Kansas City style here) gets you there without breaking a sweat. Cut them into wedges, slide the plate to the middle of the table, and watch them vanish.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, plus more for dipping
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped into small chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, diced small
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 4 large (10 inch) flour tortillas
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Pickled jalapeños, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a dry skillet over medium high. Add the pineapple chunks in a single layer and let them cook, without stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until they pick up a deep golden char. Flip and repeat, then transfer to a plate.
- In a bowl, toss the shredded chicken with the barbecue sauce until every strand is coated. Add the red bell pepper, red onion, and half the cilantro. Stir gently.
- Combine the Monterey Jack and cheddar in a separate bowl. Butter one side of each tortilla lightly.
- Place a tortilla butter side down in the skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle half of one tortilla with a handful of cheese, then top with a scoop of the BBQ chicken mixture, a scatter of pineapple, and more cheese. Fold the empty half over.
- Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the tortilla is deep golden and the cheese has fully melted into a lava layer. Slide onto a cutting board.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Let each quesadilla rest for a minute, then slice into wedges. Finish with the remaining cilantro and serve with extra barbecue sauce and pickled jalapeños on the side.
Chef Tips
- Char the pineapple first. That deep caramelization is what makes this taste like something off a smoker instead of out of a can.
- Do not skip the butter on the tortillas. It is the difference between a soft quesadilla and one that shatters when you bite in.
- Rotisserie chicken is the play. If you are cooking from scratch, poach a chicken breast and shred it while warm.
- Cheese blend matters. Monterey Jack melts silky; cheddar brings sharpness. All Jack is fine; all cheddar can get greasy.
Cook's Notes
- **BBQ sauce:** Sweet Kansas City style is the sweet spot. Vinegar heavy Carolina styles fight the pineapple.
- **Pineapple prep:** Fresh gets the best char. Canned rings work in a pinch, but pat them very dry first or they will steam instead of caramelize.
- **Make ahead:** The chicken mixture keeps 2 days in the fridge. Great for meal prep, and even better cold on a slice of bread the next day.
- **Kid version:** Skip the red onion and jalapeños. Add a little extra cheese. Nobody complains.