Spinning it Southern with these Mini Chicken & Pimento Cheese Quesadillas. They’re a zesty appetizer that are perfect for your next cocktail party!
Hey guys. Happy Monday. If you’re gearing up for the NBA Finals or the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I’ve got a total winner for your appetizer menu!
How was everyone’s weekend? Were you up to anything fun? The weather was a beaut in my neck of the woods, so hopefully y’all soaked in some sun and enjoyed some good weather too.
Casey is enjoying being back in the states. He was happy to finally catch up on some sports this past weekend. If you’re not in the sports loop, right now we’re in the midst of the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup Playoffs, both of which Casey is a huge fan. So you know, I had to bring it to the table with some yummy game night grub.
These Mini Chicken & Pimento Cheese Quesadillas were front and center on the menu. You know my love for my southern fave, pimento cheese. I could slather that stuff on just about anything, so I knew adding it to a quesadilla would be ah-mazing!
Just grab a 10-count package of soft tortillas, and using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 3 circles per tortilla to give you a total of 30. Then layer each with some pimento cheese, shredded chicken, sliced grape tomatoes, a sprinkle of bacon and then drizzle with some of your favorite hot sauce before you fold over. Then they’re lightly pan-fried in a bit of canola oil until golden brown and crispy on the outside and melted through on the inside. So incredibly easy and always a crowd pleaser. And they can be made ahead of time and kept warm in the oven until ready to serve. Grab ’em while they’re hot, cause they’re won’t be a leftover in da house! They’re a total slam dunk! Enjoy!
Mini Chicken & Pimento Cheese Quesadillas
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Pimento Cheese
- 1 cup coarsely grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 cup coarsely grated sharp yellow cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup pimentos drained and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp. celery salt
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Quesadillas
- 1 10-count 8-inch flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 1 cup grape tomatoes sliced
- 8-10 slices bacon diced and cooked until crisp, then finely crumbled
- your favorite hot sauce for drizzling
- canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Pimento Cheese: Mix all ingredients in large bowl until well combined. Set aside. This can be made 2 days in advance.
- Quesadillas: Using a 3-inch circular cookie cutter, cut 3 circle into each 8 inch tortilla. (30 circles total)
- Spread 1 Tbsp. of pimento cheese on top of each circle. Top one side of each circle with some shredded chicken, 2-3 tomato slices, a sprinkle of bacon and a drizzle of hot sauce. Fold over.
- Add a few tablespoons of canola oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add 5-6 mini quesadillas to pan and cook until golden brown and cheese is melty, about 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat until all quesadillas are cooked. Serve immediately or keep warm on a parchment lined baking sheet until ready to serve.
Glad to hear you had some nice weather, Mary Ann! Unfortunately, it was kinda cold here most of the weekend (Friday was nice, though). I love how you cut out the mini circles with the tortillas to make these bite sized quesadillas. They may be small, but they look like they are bursting with flavour – SO good! There’s no way of going wrong with cheese + bacon + chicken, is there? Pinning and putting on the menu soon! Cheers to a wonderful week, my friend!
They really are Dawn! They’re totally addictive! My son Casey loved them! Happy Monday and have a great week!
I love the idea of making mini quesidillas Mary Ann! That way I get to eat more of them!! They look absolutely delicious.
Lol! These are soooo yummy Alida. I’m always trying to figure out ways to add pimento cheese!
Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend with your family! The only sport I’m watching these days is baseball (go Jays!), but these look like absolutely perfect baseball watching food to me! Love that pimento cheese :)
Yes they are Jennifer! i LOVE that pimento cheese! Go Jays!
You’ve got my mouth watering again MaryAnn!! I didn’t grow up on pimento cheese but have grown to love it too!
I didn’t either Chris, but I’m making up for lost time! Hope you give these a try!
These are adorably cute in their little bite-sized goodness! I don’t think I ever had pimento cheese until I was solidly in my twenties (not a thing in NY!) but boy, do I love that stuff!
Me too Gina! And these little quesadillas are killer!
Well, these little mini tortillas look like bites of heaven to me – and because they are mini, we get to have all we want – right?? :) Hope you are enjoying every second of Casey-time – I know you are!
Oh, take it from me Kate, they are! And yes, you get all you want! We had a great weekend with Case! Now he’s off on his next adventure. He starts his internship in DC this morning. Happy Monday!
I’m glad Casey is enjoying his time back in the states! YAY! So, I don’t watch the NBA Finals or the Stanley Cup Playoffs, BUT, I don’t need an excuse to eat game day type of food. I guess you can call me a rebel. Lol. These ‘dillas look FABULOUS! I absolutely LOVE me some pimento cheese, so these bad boys are definitely calling my name! I’m thinking I need these for dinner tonight! Pinned! Cheers, friend!
You know me and my pimento cheese Chey! These are so delish. I hope you LOVE them! Have an awesome week!
Ahh, I am loving these mini quesadillas! My love for pimento cheese has seriously grown in the last couple of years since I moved south, so I think these would be a huge hit around here! Game day or not (who needs an excuse when you have quesadillas), I’m making these soon!
They’re so good Michelle! I just LOVE pimento cheese. On and in just about anything! Hope you LOVE them!
These sound perfect for all the gatherings centered around the TV for sports! The description, ‘droolworthy’, is right on, my friend! Pinned!
They really are Annie! I had a hard time sharing!
Such a fun twist on a quesadilla!
So good Jennifer! I hope you try them!
These are the cutest (and most delicious-sounding) quesadillas I’ve ever seen! I’m glad Casey is enjoying being home. Catching up on my favorite teams would be at the top of my list too :). Have a great week Mary Ann!
They were fun to make Kelsie! And honestly, so incredibly easy and delish! He’s loving being home and being able to catch up on his sports! You have an awesome week too!
You must be so happy to have your son home!!! The best pimento cheese I’ve had was when I was in Charleston. . it was so delicious! I love it! LOVE these Mini Chicken & Pimento Cheese Quesadillas!!!
That’s where I had my first taste of pimento cheese Alice. Our son Sean lives there! I love to go to visit!
Yay for having Casey home! You must be soaking up every minute! DId you know I was raised on pimento cheese? Yup. At least once a week. Now, ours was never homemade, but I do know that silky texture! These look delicious with so much flavor and texture.
Oh, it’s so delicious isn’t it Traci?! I could find a way to add it to just about anything! Sandwiches, omelettes…the list goes on. So happy to have Casey back in the same country! He’s in DC now, but hopefully back at the Jersey Shore a few weekends over the summer. Happy Monday!
What a great idea for a quesadilla recipe!
Thanks Jennifer! These are a crowd favorite.
These little bites would disappear so quickly here, especially with that cheese!
I really think they would too Matt!
Everything we love is in these fun little quesadilla bites, love them!
Yay! I think these would be a total winner at your house Naomi!
These are the cutest things ever! I am a huge fan of pimento cheese and I’m sure adding bacon and tomato makes it even better.
Thanks Karen! You’d LOVE them!
Wow, your photos always wow me!! My husband is big into the NBA playoffs, so we’ll definitely need a few of these babies around, thanks for another great recipe Mary Ann!
Thanks so much Sue! I hope you give these a go. They’re so easy and so good!
These look so yummy! I love all things mini, especially when I’m feeding my wee ones. I’m glad you had good weather, we soaked up the sun too!! Happy Monday to you!
So glad you enjoyed some lovely weather too Katherine!
This looks so good MaryAnn, making mini quesadillas, how cute. I never made pimento cheese before, thanks for the recipe.
You’re quite welcome Gerlinde! Hope you try them! Have an awesome week!
Great to hear you enjoyed good weather! I love this idea, these could be great for any occasion, even a mini quesadilla bar! have a great Monday Mary Ann!
A mini quesadilla bar would be so fun! Hope you have a wonderful week Gaila! Thanks so much for following the blog! Your comments are always appreciated!
I love these Southern-inspired quesadillas – what perfect bites for summer!
We’ll be making these quite often this summer Laura! Happy Monday!
Oh my Mary Ann!!! These look and sound amazing!! I make pimento cheese all the time for my Virginia raised boyfriend and am now obsessed with putting it in quesadillas!! Honestly, I’m making these for dinner now ;-)
You’ll love these Lindsay! I’m a HUGE pimento cheese fan too! Enjoy!
I’m not a huge sports fan but I love these, Mary Ann. What a great idea of using a cookie cutter to make mini tortillas. Mini food is just fun and so cute! Have a great week.
Mini finger foods are the best Geraldine! It means we can eat more! Yay!
Well. . .my weekend was spent in the whole physical fitness space. The hubby is training for not one. . .but two Spartan races. So we went for a 7 mile trail run (lots of brutal hills) on Saturday, then went to Barry’s Bootcamp on Sunday for a full body workout with way too many hill sprints. It hadn’t even been 24 hours between each sweat sesh so I really struggled my way through Sunday’s class. But I don’t want to think about exercise (because I’m still trying to deny the bootcamp class I will have to drag my body to tonight). . .I’d much rather talk about these beauties. My jaw dropped and I had to reach for an entire roll of paper towels when I spied them on Instagram. Your family is so lucky to have food like this always on the ready for them. I’m not sure why Casey would have ever wanted to leave. ????
Oh my Lord, that sounds like an insane amount of exercise Lynn! You absolutely need a batch or two of these to keep your strength up! Go for it!
Glad to hear that you’ve had good weather and that Casey is home! These quesadillas look like the perfect welcome home dish to enjoy with some good old American sports. Love the pimento cheese!
He’s loved all the American food Rach! And he’s loving watching his sports again!
I was drooling over your Instagram photo of these and had to come here immediately for the recipe! Not only do the flavors sound incredible, I love the fact that these are miniature. What a great idea to use a 3-inch cookie cutter on standard-size tortillas.
So happy for you to have Casey home!
Thanks Marissa! I’m so excited he’s back from Shanghai! It’s nice to be in the same time zone. These mini quesadillas are definitely drool-worthy. I hope you give them a try!
So clever with the mayo, cheese, and spice – then add in that great fold-over touch! What a great way to dress up a classic.
These are a total winner Cindy. I’m always looking for ways to incorporate my favorite Southern specialty!
I made these tonight and they were so good! Pimento cheese is a southern favorite here in Texas! It has such a great tangy flavor and is a great balance with the bacon. Love love love it! Added to the hit list!
Yay!! So glad you guys liked these! That pimento cheese is always a hit!