Tandoori Chicken Quesadilla Fusion (Print Version)

Juicy tandoori-spiced chicken paired with melted cheese, creamy yogurt sauce, and crisp tortillas.

# What You'll Need:

→ Tandoori Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
02 - 120 ml plain Greek yogurt
03 - 15 ml lemon juice
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2.5 cm piece fresh ginger, grated
06 - 1.5 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1.5 tsp ground coriander
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1 tsp garam masala
10 - 0.5 tsp turmeric
11 - 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
12 - 0.5 tsp salt
13 - 15 ml vegetable oil

→ Yogurt Sauce

14 - 120 ml plain Greek yogurt
15 - 15 ml chopped fresh cilantro
16 - 15 ml lemon juice
17 - 0.5 tsp ground cumin
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Quesadilla

19 - 4 large flour tortillas
20 - 170 g shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
21 - 60 g red onion, thinly sliced
22 - 1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced
23 - Butter or oil for greasing the pan

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and salt in a bowl. Add chicken strips and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 15 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked and lightly charred. Remove from heat.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, cilantro, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
04 - Place one tortilla on a flat surface. Sprinkle one-quarter of the cheese over half the tortilla. Layer with one-quarter of the cooked chicken, red onion, and green bell pepper. Drizzle lightly with yogurt sauce, then fold the tortilla in half. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
05 - Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter or oil. Cook each quesadilla for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cheese is melted.
06 - Slice each quesadilla into wedges and serve immediately with additional yogurt sauce.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It breaks every rule about authenticity and somehow tastes more exciting because of it.
  • The yogurt marinade keeps chicken impossibly juicy while those charred edges add this incredible depth.
  • You can prep the chicken ahead, then have dinner on the table in 15 minutes flat.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinade time—those 15 minutes make the difference between tough chicken and something incredibly tender.
  • Cook the chicken in a hot skillet briefly rather than low and slow; the char is what gives you that authentic tandoori moment.
  • Medium heat for pan-frying the quesadillas is essential because too high and your tortilla burns before the cheese melts, too low and it gets soggy.
03 -
  • Toast your spices in a dry skillet for 30 seconds before combining them with the yogurt—it wakes them up and makes the tandoori flavor sing even louder.
  • Slice your vegetables paper-thin with a mandoline or very sharp knife so they soften in the pan and disappear into the filling rather than crunching awkwardly.
  • If you want to serve these to a crowd, cook the chicken and make the yogurt sauce the morning of, then assemble and cook the quesadillas just before eating.
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