Quickly transform leftover chicken into cheesy chicken quesadillas served with fresh homemade salsa. Our baked version is much easier to manage because the chicken quesadilla cooks on both sides at the same time — no flipping needed.

Active Time: 10 min | Total Time: 20 min

Baked Chicken Quesadilla

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 medium (120g) tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup (40g) chopped onion
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1 cup (140g) cooked chicken breast, shredded
• 1/2 cup (55g) shredded pepper jack cheese
• 2 (8-inch/20cm) whole-wheat, high-fiber tortillas

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

In a small bowl combine tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, cumin and salt; set aside.

Lightly coat one side of each tortilla with cooking spray. Place one tortilla, sprayed side down, on a baking sheet. Top with the chicken and cheese, then top with the remaining tortilla, sprayed side up.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Cut into quarters and serve with the salsa.

Serves: 2 |  Serving Size: 1/2 quesadilla & 1/2 cup salsa

Per serving: Calories: 320; Total Fat: 14g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 90mg; Sodium: 602mg; Carbohydrate: 23g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 23; Protein: 30g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 452mg; Iron: 9%; Vitamin C: 21%; Calcium: 27% 

Originally published May 2016 Updated May 2026

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Low-carb, whole-wheat tortillas create a crisp, thin-crust base for these flavorful chicken pizzas. This recipe makes two pizzas—just enough to fit on a standard sheet pan—but can easily be doubled if you’re feeding a crowd or want leftovers.

Active time: 5 minutes | Total time: 15 minutes

Crispy Chicken Tortilla Pizzas

Ingredients

• 2 8-inch (20cm) whole-wheat, high-fiber tortillas
• 1/2 cup (128g) low-sodium marinara sauce
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 cup (140g) cooked chicken breast, shredded (rotisserie chicken works great here)
• 2 cups (50g) fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
• 2/3 cup (75g) part-skim mozzarella, grated

Directions

 Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange the tortillas on a sheet pan and bake until lightly browned, 2–4 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.

Carefully flip the tortillas. Spread 1/4 cup marinara over each tortilla and sprinkle each with crushed red pepper. Top each with ½ cup shredded chicken. Arrange 1 cup spinach on each tortilla and sprinkle 1/3 cup mozzarella over each.

Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5–7 minutes.

Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 1 pizza

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 347; Total Fat: 19g; Saturated Fat: 8g; Monounsaturated Fat: 16g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 212mg; Sodium: 768mg; Carbohydrate: 21g; Dietary Fiber: 12g; Sugar: 5g; Protein 33g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 657mg; Iron: 11%; Vitamin A: 203%; Vitamin C: 17%; Calcium: 41%

Originally published June 2020; Updated May 2026

The post Crispy Chicken Tortilla Pizzas appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.

If you love fried rice but not the extra sodium and fat in takeout versions, this recipe is for you. Packed with vegetables and lean protein, it’s a great way to use leftover brown rice. Baking everything on a preheated sheet pan in a hot oven creates crispy bits of rice while streamlining the process. Feel free to switch up the vegetables or use other quick-cooking proteins, like diced chicken breast or tofu, in place of shrimp. A generous amount of fresh ginger adds bold flavor and provides antioxidants that may support overall health (1).

 Active time: 10 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Sheet Pan Shrimp Fried Rice

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp (30g) safflower oil
• 2 tbsp black bean garlic sauce
• 3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 cups (585g) cold cooked brown rice
• 3 cups (170g) shiitake mushrooms, caps sliced, stems discarded
• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, finely diced
• 1 lb (454g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3/4 cup (115g) frozen peas
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 large egg, beaten

Directions

Place a large, rimmed baking sheet in the center of the oven and preheat to 450°F (246°C).

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, black bean garlic sauce, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Crumble the rice into the bowl. Add the mushrooms, celery, and carrots, and toss to combine. Carefully spread the mixture onto the preheated baking sheet in an even layer. Bake until the rice begins to brown in the corners of the pan, about 10 minutes.

Add the shrimp and peas to the rice mixture and stir with a spatula to loosen any stuck-on bits. Spread the mixture back into an even layer and continue baking until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes more (the shrimp should reach an internal temperature of 145°F/63°C).

Meanwhile, scramble the egg in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat until just set. Remove from heat. Stir the cooked egg into the rice mixture along with the green onions before serving.

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 444; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 6g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 229mg; Sodium: 698mg; Carbohydrate: 55g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 32g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 916mg; Iron: 12%; Vitamin A: 312%; Vitamin C: 23%; Calcium: 7%

Originally published October 2020; Updated April 2026

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