Korean Chicken and Kimchi Quesadillas with Creamy Gochujang Dip

The picky eater in my house loves these kimchi quesadillas, and that’s because the kimchi is caramelized and blended right into a Korean BBQ sauce. That sauce teams up with lean ground chicken breast and gets sandwiched between a crispy golden brown tortilla and melted mozzarella. Hidden veggies, protein, and fiber—these Korean chicken quesadillas have it all!

Ingredients

At the center of this recipe, and the quesadillas, is the Korean ground chicken and caramelized kimchi combo. You obviously need kimchi and ground chicken. For the sauce, you need toasted sesame oil, maple syrup (or brown sugar, honey, etc.), soy sauce or coconut aminos, rice vinegar, gochujang, and garlic.

If you have a go-to Korean BBQ sauce like the Kevin’s I used in my rotisserie chicken bowls recipe, you can use that as a shortcut. You can also use other flavor combinations like the gochujang-free sauce in these Korean chicken tacos, which was my inspiration for this recipe.

Aside from the chicken and kimchi, you need flour tortillas and mozzarella cheese. I typically use Mission Carb Balance tortillas to make all my high fiber quesadillas (like my steak and chicken bacon ranch), but any flour tortilla works. The Counter protein tortillas I used to make chicken snack wraps would be another macro friendly tortilla option.

Since Korean fire chicken or buldak is made with mozzarella, I stuck to tradition. But if you’re a fan of gooey, extra melty cheese quesadillas, you might swap mozzarella for something like monterey jack.

Now, let’s take a look at how to make these kimchi quesadillas.

Step One: Making Caramelized Kimchi

Kimchi has complex flavors as-is, but tossing it in a pan to create some caramelization takes things up another level. Even without blending the kimchi, this method softens the kimchi and mellows out the flavor a bit. I also just love the flavor of slightly charred bits on just about any food.

I used a nonstick skillet to make easy work of it, but you can deglaze the pan with a bit of water if you’re cooking in stainless steel or cast iron.

Step Two (Optional): Blend the Kimchi and Sauce Ingredients Together

Blending the caramelized kimchi with the other sauce ingredients is optional. I tested another version of these quesadillas where I used kitchen shears to roughly cut the kimchi into bite size pieces before going in the pan. Then I just stirred it into the sauce instead of blending. Still great, but it didn’t fully pass the picky eater test (my wife).

I used an immersion blender, as you can see in the photos, but a food processor or blender would be even better. Though I’m not sure you need an ultra smooth sauce since it’s just going inside a quesadilla.

Depending on the type of kimchi and how much caramelization you accomplish, you may need to add water. If your sauce is looking a little too thick, don’t be afraid to thin it out with a couple tablespoons of water. The sauce will reduce in the pan with the chicken.

Step Three: Cook the Ground Chicken and Add the Kimchi Sauce

Always, always, always give your ground chicken (or any proteins) time to brown in the pan. I like to break the ground chicken up into four or five smaller pieces to allow steam to escape as it cooks. This helps the Maillard reaction create a golden brown crust that’s as tasty as it looks.

Another vital tip for proper browning is to leave the chicken alone once it hits the pan. Don’t flip it or break it apart until the golden brown crust forms on one side. One side is enough. Feel free to break it apart and fully cook after that.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, add the kimchi sauce and cook for just a couple minutes. Once you start to smell the garlic and gochujang, and the sauce is evenly coating the chicken, you’re ready to make quesadillas.

How about something closer to Korean fried chicken? My Korean BBQ chicken tacos use frozen lightly breaded chicken breast bites that would work for these quesadillas if you baked and chopped it.

Step Four: Add Tortillas to a Pan, Top with Shredded Cheese, and Add the Chicken Kimchi Mixture

In the photo below, you can see a nonstick griddle, which I always like making quesadillas on. It’s large enough to have two quesadillas going at once.

If you’d prefer to just use one pan, transfer the kimchi and ground chicken from the pan to a separate bowl and start the tortillas in the same pan. Just be sure to swirl the tortilla (or a paper towel) around the pan to pick up any residual sauce so it doesn’t burn as you make all the quesadillas.

For exact measurements and macros, I weighed the entire batch of chicken and kimchi to determine how much goes inside each quesadilla (75 grams). If you make any recipe adjustments and need precision, you will want to do the same.

While I’ve made healthy quesadillas with less cheese in the past, I think two ounces is about the minimum I want to use these days. It’s worth every calorie!

Creamy Gochujang Dip and What to Serve with Kimchi Quesadillas

I recently stumbled across a gochujang sauce from Pinch of Yum that looked really great and have adapted it with a blend of nonfat Greek yogurt and light mayo, lime juice, and no soy sauce. With the soy sauce and other ingredients in the kimchi sauce, I think there’s enough salt and umami.

To make my version, just mix together 1/3 cup of fat free Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup of light mayo, two tablespoons of gochujang, a clove of garlic or a bit of garlic powder, and the juice of a lime. Salt and pepper to taste and serve alongside the quesadillas.

As far as sides or banchan, quick pickles or cucumber salad are no-brainers. To make the cucumbers pictured here, I sliced mini seedless cucumbers and tossed them with gochugaru (Korean chile flakes), rice vinegar, and a tiny bit of toasted sesame oil. You can spruce things up further with sliced radish, chile crisp, tahini or peanut butter, toasted sesame seeds, and fresh herbs like cilantro or scallions.

For more banchan ideas like pickled carrots or an alternative creamy kimchi sauce, check out my slow cooker Korean chicken recipe. It includes a ton of options that would work great with these chicken quesadillas. You might also like the gochugaru roasted sweet potatoes from my Korean sweet potatoes and ground beef for building out a full meal.

Final Thoughts

Making quesadillas always takes a bit more time than I think, especially in the back half of the process. Since these quesadillas are surprisingly great reheated (especially if you air fry them at 400º for 6-8 minutes), you might consider making an even bigger batch to freeze for later.

If you have any questions about modifications or ingredient substitutions, bulk prep, reheating, or anything else, drop them in the comments section at the bottom of this post. Feel free to save or print the recipe card below. I hope you enjoy the Korean chicken quesadillas. If you do, recipe reviews and your feedback are always a joy to read.