Hoisin Chicken Quesadillas with Veggies

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Hoisin Chicken Quesadillas received more “yum”s and other happy sounds from my family than anything else I’ve made this month! 248 calories and 5 Weight Watchers SP
Chicken quesadillas, cut into wedges, on a dark gray plate.

Quesadilla ingredients are rarely traditional in our house, and these Hoisin Chicken Quesadillas are no exception. Some favorites are breakfast quesadillas and vegetable quesadillas with goat cheese. But nothing beats this Asian-inspired version!

Chicken breasts are kicked up with five-spice powder, then sauteed zucchini and bell peppers are piled onto tortillas that are laden with salty-sweet hoisin sauce. And of course there’s cheese – that’s about the only traditional quesadilla ingredient in the list of fillings!

It all adds up to a recipe that became a favorite of my husband’s and two boys years ago when I first made it, and remains one of their favorite dinner recipes. That’s fine by me because this is such an easy recipe to pull off on any night of the week!

Trust me on this: Make it. Now, this week, next week…just soon. It must not be missed.

Sauteed zucchini half-circles and red bell pepper slices in a nonstick skillet.

WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS HOISIN CHICKEN QUESADILLAS:

These are the main components need for this recipe (affiliate links included)…

  • Chicken: Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized strips before seasoning and cooking. Chicken thighs could also be used if you don’t have chicken breasts on hand.
  • Five spice powder: Five spice powder can be found in the spice section of most supermarkets or online. It has a wonderful fragrance and distinctive flavor, and is made from a combination of cinnamon, star anise, cloves, fennel and Szechwan peppercorns.
  • Hoisin sauce: Look for hoisin sauce in the international section of most supermarkets or at any Asian market.
  • Tortillas: I used burrito-sized whole wheat “carb balance” tortillas, but any burrito-sized tortillas could be substituted. Alternatively, use a larger number of fajita-sized tortillas, dividing the fillings evenly between the quesadillas.
  • Vegetables: I used zucchini and bell peppers, but mushrooms and sauteed onion would also be good options.
  • Cheese: These aren’t loaded with cheese – just enough to help the quesadillas stick together. Grated part-skim mozzarella or Pepper Jack are good options.

Cooked chicken, zucchini, bell peppers and cheese on a tortilla in a skillet.

Tips for making these Chicken Veggie Quesadillas:

Start by seasoning the chopped chicken with five-spice powder and salt. If you have a little extra time in your schedule, seasoning the chicken 30 minutes before cooking. This allows the salt and spices to seep into the chicken, adding more flavor.

Use a large nonstick skillet to cook the chicken and vegetables, wiping out the skillet in between. Then use the same skillet to cook each tortilla.

Because you’ll be folding the tortillas in half once the fillings are inside, it’s possible to cook two quesadillas at a time. However, it will make it a little bit harder to flip the quesadillas. Your choice!

Use the back of a spatula to push down on the quesadillas to encourage the melted cheese to “glue” everything together.
Let the tortillas rest for a few minutes before cutting to allow the cheese to “set”. If you cut them immediately after removing from the pan, the pieces may fall apart.

What does hoisin sauce taste like?

Hoisin sauce has been referred to as Chinese barbecue sauce because it has a sumptuous rich, sweet flavor similar to North American barbecue sauces. However, it is much sweeter than regular barbecue sauce, giving it a wonderful balance of flavors.

Overhead view of quesadilla wedges on a gray plate, light gray napkin and a water glass.

Other quesadilla recipes:

Spinach Avocado Breakfast Quesadillas {Cookin’ Canuck}
Kale, Mushroom & Goat Cheese Quesadillas {Cookin’ Canuck}
Shrimp, Sun-Dried Tomato & Feta Quesadilla {Cookin’ Canuck}
Tandoori Chicken Quesadillas {Closet Cooking}
Greek Quesadillas {A Couple Cooks}

Chicken quesadillas, cut into wedges, on a dark gray plate.

Hoisin Chicken Quesadillas with Veggies

Hoisin Chicken Quesadillas received more “yum”s and other happy sounds from my family than anything else I’ve made this month! 248 calories and 5 Weight Watchers SP
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Course: Appetizers, Entrees
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Chicken Quesadillas, Quesadillas
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 38 minutes
Total Time: 53 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 247.8kcal
Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized strips
  • 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Olive oil spray
  • 1 medium zucchini cut into half-circles
  • 1 medium red bell pepper cut into thin strips
  • 4 burrito-sizedwhole wheat tortillas (I used Mission Carb Balance tortillas)
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, toss chicken strips with 5-spice powder, salt and pepper.
  • Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray.
  • Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
  • Wipe the pan clean, coat with olive oil spray and place over medium heat. Add zucchini and red bell pepper, and cook until just tender.
  • Spread 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce on each tortilla.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Lay one tortilla (with hoisin sauce) in the skillet, and cover half of the tortilla with 2 tablespoons of mozzarella, then top with a quarter of the chicken, zucchini, bell peppers and another 2 tablespoons of mozzarella.
  • Fold the tortilla over the filling and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from pan and let the tortilla rest for a few minutes. Cut into 3 wedges.
  • Repeat with remaining tortillas and fillings. Serve.

Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 5 (Blue - Freestyle SmartPoints), 6 (Green), 5 (Purple)

Nutrition

Serving: 1Quesadilla | Calories: 247.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 30.5g | Fat: 9.5g | Saturated Fat: 3.7g | Cholesterol: 65.4mg | Sodium: 838.5mg | Fiber: 17.8g | Sugar: 4.2g
Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

This post was originally published on March 19, 2012 and was updated with new photos and text on May 13, 2020.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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Comments

  7. Deborah says

    That is too fun! I would have loved to see his face!! And I would love to be the one snacking on one of these quesadillas – these are right up my alley!

    Reply

  12. Noble Pig ~ Cathy says

    Love, love, love this….what a nice healthy meal! I love hoisin too…could just lick it off my plate. Love the leprechaun stories my boys now 10 & 11 are too big…but every St Pat’s morning I had the furniture flipped, toilet water green and Lucky Charms spread everywhere the good ole’ days.

    Reply

  14. Heidi says

    Those leprechauns are crafty little monsters, they made a mess of Smudge’s room too and then to her delight they also jacked up my last blog post! Seriously! Your quesadillas look delish, the colors are so inviting!

    Reply

  21. Julia {The Roasted Root} says

    I just adore your ideas. Hoisin sauce is wonderful and I would love to make it homemade – let me know if you try this at any point, because I’d gladly follow 😉 Nutritious as always, your quesadilla looks like a perfect meal. 🙂

    Reply

  31. Javelin Warrior says

    So these are the quesadillas I’ve been missing out on my whole life 😉 The colors are amazing and I love the flavors you used in this recipe… I am featuring this post in today’s Friday Food Fetish roundup (with a link-back and attribution), but please let me know if you have any objections. It’s a pleasure following your creations…

    Reply

  34. Briana says

    This sounds delicious, I can’t wait to get some Hoisin sauce and make it! I think you mean 1/4 cup cheese in your recipe, not 1/4 tbsp though… 🙂

    Reply

  35. JenE says

    Dinner tonight. Yummy – and I love adding a new dimension to my cooking (new spices and flavors) without a bunch of fat and calories. Thanks!
    xo
    Mama Jen

    Reply

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