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These baked quesadillas taste amazingly cheesy while being totally dairy free! They’re veggie-packed, gluten-free, and easy to make AIP.  Add your favorite toppings for the perfect easy meal.

A stack of baked quesadilla pieces on a plate.

Who doesn’t love a quesadilla? Cheesy, easy to make, and so incredibly delicious! Traditionally, a quesadilla is made in a pan and with shredded cheese, and they’re perfect just the way they are! I’ve been wanting to make a dairy-free version, and I’ve been seeing the trend of oven-baked quesadillas for a while. It’s most definitely not traditional, but fun and allergen-friendly take on the classic!

These quesadillas are made with shredded chicken, a dairy-free cheese sauce, and grain-free tortillas, for an easy gluten-free and dairy-free meal.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s dairy and gluten free! For many with dietary restrictions, a cheesy quesadilla is not usually reality, but with this recipe you can enjoy all the cheesy flavor!!
  • This recipe has the ease of being oven-baked. I love how easy it is to make these in the oven instead of standing over the stove!

The Ingredients for Baked Chicken Quesadilla

  • Avocado Oil, Salt, and Pepper.
  • Water.
  • Chicken Breast.
  • Dried Oregano, Dried Cilantro, Onion Powder, and Garlic Powder.
  • Grain-Free Tortillas. I use almond flour tortillas or you can use homemade cassava tortillas for AIP.
  • Dairy-Free Cheese Sauce. I like to make extra for dipping!
  • Shredded Lettuce, Pickled Onions, Fresh Cilantro, Avocado, and Lime Wedges. These are all optional toppings that would be great on the quesadillas!

How to make Baked Chicken Quesadilla

  • Step One. Cook the chicken.
  • Step Two. Place each tortilla on a sheet pan and add shredded chicken to half of each of the tortillas. Top with a few spoonfuls of cheese sauce and fold the tortilla over.

Step by step photos of filling, folding and preparing the quesadillas to go into the oven.

  • Step Three. Add a baking sheet on top of the tortillas and bake in the oven.
  • Step Four. Remove from the oven and slice each quesadilla in half. Enjoy with toppings of your choice!

A platter of baked quesadillas topped with avocado and pickled onions.

Tips & Tricks

  • Don’t skip the sheet pan on top! This is crucial to keeping everything closed as this dairy-free cheese doesn’t stick like regular cheese would.
  • Keep an eye on the oven. Add a few more minutes if you like your tortilla to be a bit crispier.

What toppings can you add?

  • Pickled red onions
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Avocado
  • Black olives
  • Cilantro
  • etc!

How do you make this recipe AIP?

  • Use cassava tortillas or Siete burrito tortillas instead of almond flour tortillas.

Can you make it spicy?

Of course! I keep things mild as I’m nightshade-free and like to keep my recipes easy to adapt for AIP. However, you can add chili powder to the chicken, and pickled jalapenos as a topping.

A piece of baked quesadillas with pickled onions in a hand.

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Baked Chicken Quesadilla {Dairy & Gluten Free)

  • Author: Michelle
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 3 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • Salt and pepper (omit pepper for AIP)
  • 1 cup water
  • 3/4 lb chicken breast
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp dried cilantro
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 6 grain-free tortillas (I use almond flour tortillas, use homemade cassava tortillas for AIP)
  • 1 cup dairy-free cheese sauce (plus extra for dipping)

For serving

  • Shredded lettuce
  • Pickled onions
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Avocado, sliced
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Using a large pan with a lid, heat the avocado oil over medium heat. Season the chicken on both sides with the seasonings. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until the chicken starts to lightly crisp.
  2. Reduce the heat to low and add 1 cup of water. Place the lid on the pan and allow the chicken to cook through for about 10 minutes. Once cooked through to 165 F, remove the chicken from the pan and shred it with two forks, or in a stand mixer. Set aside.
  3. Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
  4. Add the tortillas to the parchment paper. Add shredded chicken to half of one of the tortillas. Top with a few spoonfuls of cheese sauce. Carefully fold over. Repeat with all of the tortillas. Brush with oil and add a baking sheet on top of the tortillas, to keep them folded.
  5. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes and carefully remove the baking sheet on top. Bake for another 3-5 minutes to crisp the top of the tortillas.
  6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing each quesadilla in half.
  7. Serve topped with toppings of your choice and extra cheese sauce on the side!

Notes

All nutritional information are estimations and will vary. Estimations do not include optional ingredients.

  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Category: Main Dishes
  • Method: Baked

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 553
  • Fat: 23g
  • Carbohydrates: 40.9g
  • Fiber: 8.5g
  • Protein: 44.1g