Chicken Quesadillas

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, finely diced (can be substituted with chicken breast or chicken tenderloins – just check you don’t overcook them)

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp dried oregano

1 tsp sea salt flakes

½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1 red onion, finely diced

1 tsp freshly minced garlic

4 large flour tortillas

2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, tasty, mozzarella or a mix)

1/2 c pickled jalapeños, diced

Sour cream

Pico de Gallo

Guacamole

¼ bunch coriander (cilantro), leaves picked

Lime wedges

Directions

Marinate the chicken –

Add the diced chicken to a large bowl along with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then set aside.

Cook the onion and garlic –

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large deep frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until just softened.

Cook the chicken –

Add the chicken and cook, stirring, for 6–8 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Set aside on a plate.

Cook the quesadillas –

To the same pan, add the tortilla. On one half of the tortilla, sprinkle a generous layer of cheese. Top with the cooked chicken mixture and diced jalapeños, followed by another layer of cheese to help everything stick together. Fold the tortillas in half to form a half-moon shape. (See note 1 for oven and air-fryer methods.)

Reduce the heat to medium–low and cook for 2–3 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Flip carefully using a spatula, then set aside on a plate. Repeat with the remaining tortillas (see note 2 for batch cooking).

Rest –

Allow the quesadillas to rest for 1 minute before cutting into wedges.

Serve –

Serve immediately with sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, fresh coriander and lime wedges on the side.

Nutrition

• Calories: 696
• Total Fat: 41.9 g
• Saturated Fat: 16.1 g
• Trans Fat: 0.6 g
• Cholesterol: 183.9 mg
• Sodium: 1665.4 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 35 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.6 g
• Total Sugars: 2.8 g
• Protein: 45.4 g