Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas (Gluten-Free)

These gluten-free buffalo chicken quesadillas are stuffed with spicy chicken, creamy ranch, lettuce, and your favorite cheese. They’re quick, easy, and MAJORLY delicious! (Gluten-Free, Paleo-Friendly)

I realized recently that I’ve sort of inadvertently started a little series recently with low-fuss dinners. It very much represents the phase of life I’m in right now! With some big behind-the-scenes work projects going on, the kids busy with school, and the holidays just around the corner, I’ve been depending on quick, easy dinners that feel reliable.

We do some form of quesadillas (I should say “quesadillas” since we’re dairy-free) several times a month. They’re inexpensive, quick, and easy to scale up (make 1-2 more if people are extra hungry) or scale down (I’ll make just what we need). These Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas were a sort of happy accident a few weeks ago when I had leftover rotisserie chicken and leftover Buffalo sauce from having these yummy burgers.

In just 15-20 minutes, I had some fully-loaded, mega-delicious Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas on the table. We devoured them. Then, I made them again a few nights later because we couldn’t stop talking about them, and they disappeared again. I knew we had a winner on our hands!

They’re a total delight–crunchy, creamy, spicy (as much or little as you like!), and SO INCREDIBLY EASY. Here’s all you need to get started…

Here’s What You Need For Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas:

• Tortillas. Buffalo chicken quesadillas start with a good foundation, and that means tortillas! We find Mission gluten-free tortillas are the most flexible, which makes them more resilient and easier to fold. For grain-free, we like Siete brand.
• Cooked & Shredded Chicken. Buffalo chicken quesadillas are a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken. I almost always use rotisserie chicken for this!
• Buffalo Sauce. For that yummy signature kick and flavor, you’ll need some Buffalo Sauce or hot sauce. Tessemae’s and Noble Made are two paleo/Whole30-approved buffalo sauce options, or you can use straight up Frank’s Red Hot (original recipe) or a homemade buffalo sauce or buffalo wing sauce (it’s easy to make!)
• Ranch. I think our 5-minute homemade ranch is the BEST out there. (It’s also paleo!) But you can use whatever brand or recipe your family loves best.
• Chives or Green Onions. For a little savory note, I love adding chives or sliced green onions. They’re not strictly necessary, so feel free to skip them if you’re not a fan!
• Lettuce (Or Spinach). Not strictly necessary, but I love adding some shredded Romaine lettuce to my buffalo chicken quesadillas. It *will* soften some as it cooks, but I don’t mind. You can also use spinach for more nutrition if you like!
• Cheese or Dairy-Free Cheese. Then, to hold it together, you’ll use some cheese (a good sharp cheddar or some Monterrey Jack or Pepper Jack will do!), or some dairy-free cheese like us. If you’re dairy-free, we’ve been using Daiya brand cheese shreds. They melt better than most DF cheeses.

More Goodies To Try In a Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla:

1. Chopped Tomato. I love adding tomatoes! They have a cooling effect that’s lovely with the spicy chicken.
2. Avocado. Similarly, avocado is creamy and cool–a great contrast to the warm, savory, Buffalo chicken filling.
3. Cilantro or Dill. Add some fresh flavor with a sprinkle of cilantro or dill along with the chives. It’s lovely!
4. Spinach. Swap out the lettuce for spinach! It wilts easily during the cook-time, and the flavor of the chicken masks the flavor. So good!
5. Blue Cheese. If you eat and tolerate dairy, you can always experiment with blue cheese crumbles. They’re a classic pairing with buffalo chicken.
6. Bell Peppers. Slice some bell peppers and add them along with the chicken. Mini bell peppers cut into thin slices work best for this!

FAQ + Tips & Tricks For The Best Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas:

Are Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas Spicy? They can be as spicy or as mild as you like, based on what kind of Buffalo sauce you use and how much you put on. Ours are usually in the medium range, though I make some on the mild side for my kids. Speaking of which…

The Best Gluten-Free Tortillas. In our experience, Mission gluten-free tortillas are the most flexible, which makes them more resilient and easier to fold. For grain-free, we like Siete brand. I find warming grain-free tortillas first before using helps them be more pliable.

Dairy-Free? Try This! If you’re dairy-free, you can simply skip the cheese (we do it all the time!), or you can swap in a dairy-free cheese, like Daiya brand shreds.

Paleo Notes. Similarly, if you’re eating paleo, use a grain-free tortilla, like Siete brand (warm it first so it’s more flexible!), and skip the cheese/dairy-free cheese. Our paleo ranch works like a charm, and there are several paleo-friendly Buffalo sauces on the market (Tessemae’s and Noble Made are two paleo/Whole30-approved buffalo sauces.)

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