Blooming Quesadilla Ring Is The Appetizer We'll Be Making All Summer

Calling all quesadilla lovers—your favorite Tex-Mex recipe just got all dressed up for party season. This ingenious blooming quesadilla ring is made by cutting tortillas in half, filling them, then rolling them into cone shapes and baking them together with some extra cheese to hold things together. The resulting appetizer will send your party guests into a frenzy—you might even want to plan on making an extra one.

Southern Living Blooming Quesadilla Ring on a platter to serve with dipping sauce
Photo:

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell

Active Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
1 hr
Servings:
10 to 12

Ingredients

  • 3 cups shredded, cooked chicken (from 1 rotisserie chicken)

  • 1/2 cup store-bought jalapeño pimiento cheese (4 oz.)

  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

  • 1 Tbsp. hot sauce (such as Cholula)

  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt

  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper

  • 8 oz. pepper Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

  • 6 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)

  • 16 (6-inch) flour tortillas

  • Avocado Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions

  1. Prepare oven and baking sheet:

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a 4-inch-wide ovenproof ramekin in center of prepared baking sheet; set aside.

  2. Mix quesadilla filling:

    Stir together chicken, pimiento cheese, cilantro, hot sauce, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl; set aside. Stir together pepper Jack and Cheddar cheeses in a medium bowl; reserve 1 cup cheese blend in a small bowl.

  3. Stuff and roll tortillas:

    Cut tortillas in half. Working with one at a time, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the remaining cheese blend in an even layer over a tortilla half; top with 1 tablespoon of the chicken mixture.

    Southern Living Blooming Quesadilla placing the filling on half of a tortilla

    Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell

    Fold in one corner of tortilla to cover half the filling.

    Southern Living Blooming Quesadilla Ring folding one corner of the tortilla over

    Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell

    Fold over again to enclose the filling and form a cone shape; place seam side down.

    Southern Living Blooming Quesadilla Ring folding the tortilla shut

    Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell

    Repeat the process with remaining tortilla halves, cheese blend, and chicken mixture.

  4. Arrange rolled tortillas:

    Arrange half of tortilla cones, seam side down, in an even layer around ramekin on prepared baking sheet, with pointed ends against ramekin. Sprinkle half of the reserved cheese blend over cones. Repeat with remaining tortilla cones and cheese blend, arranging cones, seam side down, on top of first layer. Spray with cooking spray.

  5. Bake quesadillas:

    Bake in preheated oven until cheeses are melted and edges are crispy and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve with Avocado Dipping Sauce; garnish with cilantro.

Avocado Dipping Sauce

Process 2 pitted and peeled large avocados, 1 stemmed medium jalapeño chile, 3/4 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup water, 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, and 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt in a food processor until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

ACTIVE 5 MIN. - TOTAL 5 MIN. - MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

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