I love doing griddle meals in the summer when it is just way too hot or rainy to grill outside. That’s how I usually like to make quick and easy quesadillas on a busy weeknight. Then back when I made my breakfast quesadillas, I had the revelation that my waffle iron was the PERFECT size for soft taco shells. The way the waffle iron gave them such a fun texture was fantastic. So this time, I broke out the waffle iron again to make these delectable Italian chicken quesadillas. They were such a perfect combo of my favorite Italian flavors packaged up in one of my favorite weeknight meals! They were so quick and easy too.
The handy waffle iron marks made it easy to cut them into perfect quarters. Oh my goodness, these really hit the spot without feeling heavy. The filling was so flavorful all held together with that melty cheese. Hope you all enjoy this easy dinner fusing two favorites! xoxo
These Italian chicken quesadillas are such a simple, flavorful and wonderful dinner. Cooking them in a waffle iron gives them great texture, too!
- 1 jar julienned sun-dried tomatoes drained, reserving two tablespoons of the oil for cooking
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 whole onion diced small
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 cup baby spinach packed
- 12 whole soft taco shells
- 8 ounces asiago cheese shredded
- 4 ounces parmesan cheese shredded
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Get out a large skillet and heat the reserved sun-dried tomato oil in it over medium high heat. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and onions and let them get fragrant for a couple of minutes. Then add in the ground chicken and let it cook through thoroughly with the vegetables. While it cooks, season the mixture with generous pinches of salt and pepper, followed by the dried parsley and dried basil. When the chicken is done, take the pan off the heat and stir in the spinach so that it wilts in. Then get out a waffle iron and pre-heat it. While it heats up, assemble your first quesadilla.
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Take a soft taco shell and scoop a generous helping of the filling in the middle, spreading it out into an even layer. Add a big handful of the cheese on top and make sure it is evenly spread out too. Close it up with another taco shell and then grease the pre-heated waffle maker with cooking spray. Close the quesadilla in the waffle maker to cook for 5 minutes. It should get really golden on the outside and melty in the middle. While it is cooking, assemble the next one so that it is ready. When the first one is done, cut it into quarters and serve it immediately, with warmed up marinara if you wish! Repeat the process with the remaining 5 quesadillas. Enjoy!!
These look delicious! I love the idea of using a waffle iron to make the quesadillas. My filling always falls out when I’m trying to flip them, this is the perfect solution!
That was exactly my problem! The waffle iron really fixed it :-D. Thanks!!
Love, love, love this mash-up of cuisines! I love Italian flavors and I love quesadillas, so this sounds absolutely perfect.
Thanks so much, Jordan!!
Oh yes, these look great!! I need to make a quesadilla soon 🙂
Thanks very much!!
These look terrific. I love the flavors, but I no longer have a waffle maker – trying not to eat waffles and pancakes. Perhaps I can modify and make without the waffle maker.
You can definitely just make these on a buttered griddle instead!! Thanks!
I’m Italian but I’ve never seen anything like this before. Not sure if my husband would love to try this at breakfast ?
It’s definitely not traditional Italian! I bet your husband would like it though :-D.
These look so delicious and love the flavor combination! Definitely a quesadilla variation I’m going to try!
Thanks so much!!