Quesadilla Fritas (Fried Quesadillas) With Pickled Jalapeños, Cilantro, and Chipotle Crema Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Mar. 21, 2019
20110504-cinco-de-mayo-recipes-primary-2.jpg

Rather than griddling or frying in a small amount of oil, these flour-tortilla quesadillas get shallow-fried in enough hot oil that their surfaces blister and bubble into a crisp, crackly, and altogether more flavorful golden-brown crunch. The filling can be as simple or as radical as you'd like, but at the very least, I like to add a couple of chopped up pickled jalapeños and some fresh cilantro to balance out the richness of the cheese.

Note: for a heartier quesadilla, add 1 to 2 ounces of shredded chicken, cooked mushrooms, cooked beans, or any other desired filling to the cheese mixture before stuffing them.

Recipe Details

Quesadilla Fritas (Fried Quesadillas) With Pickled Jalapeños, Cilantro, and Chipotle Crema Recipe

Active 15 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 chipotle pepper canned in adobo, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce

  • 1/2 cup Mexican Crema, or 3 tablespoons sour cream mixed with 1 tablespoon milk

  • Two 8-inch flour tortillas

  • 4 ounces (1/4 pound) grated Jack, Cheddar, or Oaxacan string cheese

  • 2 to 3 pickled jalapeños, finely minced

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • Kosher salt

Directions

  1. Spread half of cheese over one half of one tortilla, leaving a small border around the edge. Fold tortilla firmly in half to enclose the cheese. Repeat with remaining tortilla.

  2. Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully add both folded tortillas to skillet and cook, shaking pan gently until first side is golden brown and puffed, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully fip tortillas with a flexible slotted spatula, sprinkle with salt, and cook on second side until golden brown and puffed, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and allow to rest 1 minutes. Cut each into four pieces, drizzle with chipotle crema, garnish with cilantro, and serve, passing extra crema tableside.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
365 Calories
29g Fat
17g Carbs
10g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 365
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 37%
Saturated Fat 12g 58%
Cholesterol 51mg 17%
Sodium 584mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 3mg 17%
Calcium 257mg 20%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 145mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)