How Many Calories Are in a Chicken Quesadilla?

Quesadillas are a typical Mexican food, although they have become popular in other parts of the world as well. The name comes from the word “queso”, which means cheese in Spanish. Hence, why cheese is a staple ingredient of this stuffed tortilla dish.

Unfortunately, many people may worry that quesadillas are “unhealthy”, even though they’re usually full of nutrition.

Keep reading to learn the nutrition content of three types of quesadillas, their health benefits, and potential drawbacks.

The nutrition in quesadillas varies a lot based on what they’re filled with and how they’re prepared. When you’re making a quesadilla at home, you can easily customize what you put in it, so you can use the following nutrition info and your own taste preferences to decide a good combo for you.

Veggies and beans will add fiber, while cheese and meat will add protein. The tortilla is a source of carbs, so in general, quesadillas are very well-rounded nutritionally. They check off the four nutrition boxes we often talk about with our clients: carbs, protein, fat, and fiber.

Plus, if you have salsa or guacamole on the side, that will add even more vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

That being said, we’re including the nutrition facts of a chicken quesadilla, vegetable quesadilla, and cheese quesadilla below. Note: The nutrition facts come from the USDA’s FoodData Central, so we don’t have full information on the ingredients. ).

Health Benefits of Quesadillas

Quesadillas are an amazing food because of how simple they are to prepare and how full of nutrition they are. As you can see from the nutrition facts above, all three types of quesadillas are well-rounded in terms of carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

Of course, some quesadillas will take a while to prep, but they can also be prepared quickly using premade or pre-chopped ingredients.

We love this versatility, so you can adapt the same food for different time constraints. If you need a quick lunch, just slap some shredded cheese and veggies between a tortilla and you have a complete meal. Whereas if you have time, you can make tortillas from scratch and take your time marinating and cooking meat or beans.

Either way, you get a satisfying, complete meal.

You can get a lot of different food groups in quesadillas, like carbs, protein, fat, and fiber. They are also a great source of micronutrients.

If you add meat and cheese, then you’ll get a wide array of B-vitamins and iron.

Meanwhile, adding peppers and onions contributes vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber.

Furthermore, beans are a good plant source of iron and B-vitamins, making them a great option for those who don’t eat much meat or who simply love beans.

Plus, the vitamin C in the peppers helps your body better absorb the iron from beans, making this a great combo for people with iron-deficiency, especially vegetarians who don’t get animal sources of iron.

Loading up your quesadilla with beans also adds more plant-based protein and lots more fiber.

Good Source of Fiber

Speaking of fiber, quesadillas are often a good source of this health-promoting carb. Yes, you read that right; fiber is a carbohydrate. Because our bodies can’t break it down or absorb it, it helps our stools have more bulk and move through the GI tract, which keeps us regular.

Plus, fiber helps prevent blood sugar spikes and lower cholesterol levels, per a 2020 study in Nutrients.

Research shows that most Americans don’t eat enough fiber, so we love that quesadillas are an accessible way to add more fiber to your day. Simply adding beans, peppers, and onions to a quesadilla contributes a few grams of fiber.

For even more fiber, dip your quesadilla in guacamole. According to the USDA, just ¼ cup of guacamole has 3.6 grams of fiber—13% of the daily value (DV)!

Also, using a corn tortilla instead of a flour one could add a couple more grams of fiber to the quesadilla, per the USDA.

While quesadillas can be a fantastic source of nutrition, there are some potential drawbacks to be aware of.

For one, they can be high in sodium, depending on the ingredients you use. Cheese can be a surprising source of sodium in the diet, so if you add a lot of cheese it may also mean that the quesadilla is high in sodium.

We do need some sodium for fluid balance and nerve function, per the World Health Organization. However, most Americans eat more sodium than the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend.

Consuming too much sodium is linked with high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, per the CDC.

Furthermore, quesadillas may be high in saturated fat if you use fatty cuts of meat and full-fat cheese. Saturated fat is another nutrient that the Dietary Guidelines and the American Heart Association recommend limiting because it can increase cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of heart disease.

That being said, the recommendation isn’t to eliminate these nutrients entirely, but just to be mindful of your consumption of them.

So, if you have heart disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, you might want to watch how much cheese and fatty meat you put on your quesadilla.

I’m Eating Quesadillas For Weight Loss | The Golden Balance

FAQ

How many calories are in an average chicken quesadilla?

550	CALORIES (kcal)
35g	CARBOHYDRATES (g)
3g	DIETARY FIBER (g)
2g	SUGARS (mg)
29g	PROTEIN (g)

How many calories are in a full quesadilla?

445 calories, [object Object] grams of fat, 18 grams of protein, 35 grams of carbs.

Are chicken quesadillas good for a diet?

In addition to being very useful, quesadillas can also be very healthy. They are also very easy to make ahead of time as part of your chicken meal prep.

How many calories are in 1 chicken quesadilla from Taco Bell?

Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla (1 each) contains 37. 2g total carbs, 34. 6g net carbs, 27g fat, 25. 6g protein, and 497 calories.