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Air fryer Buffalo chicken quesadillas are made with shredded chicken smothered in tangy, spicy, buffalo sauce and cool creamy ranch dressing stuffed in a tortilla along with cheddar and blue cheese. They’re folded and air fried until crispy golden brown on the outside and melty, saucy, and delicious on the inside!
Buffalo Quesadillas in Air Fryer
You can probably tell by the way I’ve created over 10 recipes using buffalo sauce in various ways, that I love me some buffalo flavor!
I’ve got everything from dips to wraps, and pizza, to buffalo macaroni and cheese!
So, when the idea of turning traditional quesadillas into easy buffalo chicken quesadillas came up, I knew they’d be a hit, not only as a weeknight dinner idea, but for game day, party appetizers, and snacks, too!
Using just a few simple ingredients including leftover rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken for convenience, these delicious quesadillas come together in just under 20 minutes.
You can even make the filling ahead of time and stuff and bake it just before serving!
If buffalo deliciousness isn’t your flavor, try these Taco Bell copycat air fryer chicken quesadillas instead.
Why you’ll love Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas
Easy weeknight dinner – Using the air fryer doesn’t take up space in the oven or the stovetop, leaving room for other things like brownies 🙂
Super tasty – The spicy, tangy, and slightly acidic buffalo sauce is balanced by the cooling creamy ranch dressing and then all of that is topped with melty cheese and crumbles of pungent blue cheese. The combination is classic and out of this world!
A quick fix – When you need a last-minute dinner idea, an easy lunch, or a quick appetizer for last-minute guests, these never disappoint. My whole family doesn’t like spice so I leave out a portion of the chicken mixture without buffalo sauce for the girls.
Tools you’ll need
- Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Liners – for easy clean up
- Mixing Bowls
- Tongs
- Cheese Grater – You know I always recommend cheese shredded off the block as opposed to using pre-shredded bagged cheese.
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
- Cooked Shredded Chicken: For convenience, I will use a grocery store rotisserie chicken, but if I have a little extra time, I’ll make my Instant Pot shredded chicken the day before and portion it out and use some for these air fryer quesadillas. Any kind of leftover chicken will work as long as it’s not heavily seasoned.
- Buffalo Sauce: You can use your favorite tangy Buffalo sauce. I like Frank’s Wing Sauce, but you can also use Frank’s Red Hot sauce original and mix it with melted butter.
- Ranch Dressing: Adds a creamy element that helps dial down the spice. It’s also a popular pairing with buffalo sauce in general. You’ll need some for the filling and some extra for dipping.
- Flour Tortillas: You’ll need about eight 6-inch tortillas. Of course, you can double the air fryer buffalo chicken quesadillas recipe as needed, it just may take a little longer to make them all.
- Cheddar Cheese: Freshly grated cheddar cheese adds a sharpness and gooey textures once melted. Mozzarella cheese would also work well.
- Blue Cheese: Crumbles of blue cheese (bleu cheese?) add salty and briny flavors like feta cheese, but definitely more pungent and robust. Easily skipped if you hate it (people have strong opinions about it!).
- Cilantro: Chopped and added on top for garnish, if desired. Adds a nice pop of green for presentation.
How to make Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas in the Air Fryer
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Step One: In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken with Buffalo wing sauce and ranch dressing and mix until fully incorporated.
- Step Two: Lay a flour tortilla on a flat surface and add 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture onto half of each of the tortilla shells. Sprinkle each one evenly with cheddar cheese and blue cheese crumbles.
- Step Three: Fold the tortillas over to make half moons and add as many as can fit in a single layer into the air fryer basket.
- Step Four: Cook at 350 ° F for 8 minutes, flipping halfway. Cut each half into two quarters and serve immediately with a sprinkle of cilantro and ranch for dipping.
What to serve with Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas
If you’re serving them as a main meal, they go great with cilantro lime rice and a side salad.
For appetizers, I like to cut each quesadilla twice so you have 3 triangles per quesadilla for a total of 24 triangles. Then serve them with ranch or blue cheese dressing, sour cream, celery, and carrots.
They would also be a great complement to a bowl of soup! Crockpot chicken tortilla soup and slow cooker green chicken chili enchilada soup come to mind.
If you’re in the menu planning stages for your upcoming Cinco de Mayo party, you’re going to want to check out Mexican inspired recipe collection for even more go-to meals.
Tips & Suggestions
- Have any slow cooker Buffalo chicken dip leftover? Use that as a filling and call it a day!
- Use any type of cheese you prefer; cheddar cheese and Mexican cheese are our favorites You could do a combination or use something else like Monterey jack, pepper Jack or Colby jack.
- You can also swap the ranch dressing and use cream cheese instead.
- This recipe is not fussy with how you get your cooked chicken. Leftovers and rotisserie are great options, but if you just want to cook up a quick chicken breast or two, you can boil, bake, or air fry them first. Then continue with the recipe.
- If you don’t have ranch on hand, make your own! Use a homemade ranch seasoning mix with butter milk, milk, mayonnaise, and Greek yogurt.
- Don’t want to use the air fryer? You can easily make these in a large skillet as well.
- If you like the outer tortilla to be crisp, give it a spray of olive oil or avocado oil before it goes into the air fryer.
How to reheat and store Quesadillas
How to store leftovers
Keep stored in an airtight container once they have completely cooled. Any extra moisture will make them go soggy quickly.
How long will they last in the fridge?
Air fryer Buffalo chicken quesadillas will last for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Can I freeze them?
Yes, you can freeze the quesadillas before you bake them and even after you bake them.
Wrap each quesadilla in parchment paper. Then wrap them in aluminum foil and place them in a freezer-safe bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or reheat from frozen.
How to reheat leftover quesadillas
Pop them right back in the air fryer to get a crispy tortilla shell again. You can also use the microwave if you don’t mind a soft shell.
FAQs
Can I make these as sheet pan quesadillas?
Yes, they work great in the oven. It’s a great way to make more at once. Place the quesadillas on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake them at 350° F for 15 minutes or until crispy and golden.
What else can I put in the quesadillas?
Quesadillas are so fun because you can add anything inside. Here are a few ideas for inspiration; red and yellow bell peppers, pepperoncini, jalapenos, sauteed onions, diced red onions, green onions, black beans, and mushrooms.
You can also switch out the chicken with shrimp.
Can I make these quesadillas ahead of time?
You can make them ahead of time. I recommend waiting to assemble them just before baking, but go ahead and prepare the filling and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
Need more Buffalo flavored appetizer recipes? Try these:
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
Click here for my entire collection of Buffalo sauce recipes.
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded (rotisserie, etc.)
- ½ cup buffalo wing sauce I like Frank's Wing Sauce
- 3 tablespoons ranch dressing
- 8 6" flour tortillas
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup crumbled bleu cheese
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- ranch for dipping
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the shredded chicken, buffalo wing sauce, and ranch dressing. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Lay out a tortilla and scoop ¼ cup of the chicken mixture on half of the tortilla.
- Sprinkle each quesadilla evenly with ¼ cup of shredded cheddar cheese and 1 tablespoon of bleu cheese.
- Fold over and place the quesadillas in the air fryer basket. How many fit will depend on the size of your air fryer.
- Working in batches, cook the quesadillas for 4 minutes at 350 ° F. Flip the quesadillas over and cook for an additional 4 minutes or until golden and crispy.
- Cut each quesadilla in half and top with cilantro.
- Serve immediately with ranch dressing for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
I made these for dinner and they were a hit with my husband, especially! I used corn tortilla for mine and flour for his. I used primal kitchen Buffalo and Litehouse ranch, both of which I highly recommend! Super easy. Super yummy! I’m off to scroll the site to find my next dinner recipe for tonight!
I’ve used the PK buffalo sauce but I’ll look for the Litehouse ranch!