Jalapeno Popper Quesadillas

I’m the weirdo that goes to a cookout and brings some strange, obscure dish.

You have to make an impression, you know? I don’t want to be known as the Hot Dog Girl or the Condiment Girl. I’d rather be known as the Spanish Pasta Salad Girl!

One thing that I can’t get enough of at cookouts, when they’re available, are jalapeno poppers. If left to my own devices, I would probably never stop eating those delicate morsels. In case you’ve been living under a rock—a jalapeno popper is a jalapeno stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon, then grilled to crispy deliciousness.

I’ve tried making different spins on my cookout favorite for years. I’ve made a Jalapeno Popper Pasta Casserole, and I’ve swapped out the jalapeno in these delectable Asparagus Poppers.

But this? This could be the ultimate culmination of all my efforts. I present to you…the Jalapeno Popper QUESADILLA! It’s creamy, it’s cheesy, it’s incredibly tasty. With only five simple ingredients, you can have a handheld, snack-friendly version of the jalapeno popper.

Jalapeno Popper Quesadillas

• Servings: 4
• Time: 30 mins
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Cheesy quesadillas stuffed with jalapenos and bacon.

Ingredients

• 4 large flour tortillas
• 8 oz. package of onion & chive cream cheese, softened
• 6 strips bacon
• 3 jalapenos, deseeded and chopped
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
• Sour cream, guacamole, and salsa for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then place strips of bacon on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crispy. Drain off fat.
2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, chopped jalapenos, and shredded cheese. Crumble bacon into bowl and stir until well combined.
3. Spoon a heaping spoonful or two of cream cheese mixture on one half of a tortilla. Sprinkle a little more cheese on top of the filling. Fold other half on top.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add stuffed tortilla and cook until browned and crispy on one side, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until crispy and browned on the other side and cheese is melty, about another 3-4 minutes. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Cut each quesadilla into 4-6 sections and serve with guacamole, sour cream and salsa.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then place strips of bacon on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crispy. Drain off fat.

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, chopped jalapenos, and shredded cheese. Crumble bacon into bowl and stir until well combined.

Spoon a heaping spoonful or two of cream cheese mixture on one half of a tortilla. Sprinkle a little more cheese on top of the filling. Fold other half on top.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add stuffed tortilla and cook until browned and crispy on one side, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until crispy and browned on the other side and cheese is melty, about another 3-4 minutes. Repeat with remaining tortillas.