Chicken Quesadillas With Chipotle Crema Pico De Gallo Recipes

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the chipotle peppers and tomatoes. Cook until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated and the mixture is thickened, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir in the scallions, honey, chicken, salt and cilantro. Keep warm.
• Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Lay a tortilla in the pan and heat until hot to the touch but not crisp (air pockets may form). Flip the tortilla over, then sprinkle ⅔ cup of the cheese evenly overtop, being careful to keep it off the pan. Spread a generous ½ cup of the chicken mixture over half of the tortilla. When the cheese is mostly melted, fold the tortilla over to cover the filling and form a half-moon shape. Cook until the tortilla is crisp and golden and the cheese is melted, adjusting the heat as necessary, a few minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Let the quesadillas rest a few minutes to allow the filling to set, then cut into wedges. Serve with sour cream and lime wedges, if desired.
• Note: If you have a large griddle, use that to make the quesadillas so you can make a few at a time. Also, be sure to serve your quesadillas hot of the pan (or off the griddle), otherwise, they'll get soggy and the cheese will harden. If this does happen, you can pop them in a 350 F degree oven to heat them up, but they won't be as crisp and gooey as they are fresh. The chicken mixture can be made up to 2 days ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated.
• Note: The nutritional information does not include the optional ingredients.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked quesadillas can be frozen for up to 3 months. After defrosting in the refrigerator, reheat them, wrapped in foil, in a 325°F oven until hot, 20 - 30 minutes.

GRILLED CHIPOTLE-CHICKEN QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay chicken on a grill over medium heat (you can hold you hand 1 or 2 inches above grill level only 4 to 5 seconds) or put chicken in a grill pan over medium heat. Cook chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through (cut to check). Slice cooked chicken breasts into 1/4 in.-thick slices. Keep grill or grill pan hot.
• In a small bowl, whisk together chipotle chile, sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, and cilantro.
• Spread 1 tablespoon chipotle-lime sauce on each of the tortillas. Top 4 of the tortillas each with 1/2 cup cheese and a quarter of the chicken slices, then cover with the remaining tortillas (sauce side down). Put each quesadilla on a dinner plate.
• Slide quesadillas off the plates onto the grill over medium heat, or slide into a grill pan over medium heat (you may need to grill the tortillas in batches). Grill uncovered turning once, until cheese is melted and both sides are golden, about 2 minutes each side (use a large spatula and tongs to flip the quesadillas). If grilling in batches, keep finished quesadillas warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.
• Slice each quesadilla into wedges and serve with salsa on the side.

PICO DE GALLO CHICKEN QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the tomato, chopped onion, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, salt and pepper.
• Set the pico de gallo aside.
• 2 In a large skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
• Add the chicken breast meat, and saute until cooked through and juices run clear.
• Remove chicken from skillet, and set aside.
• 3 Put the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in the hot skillet and saute the sliced onion and green pepper until tender.
• Stir in the minced garlic, and saute until the aroma is strong.
• Finally, mix in half of the pico de gallo and the previously sauteed chicken breast meat.
• Set this mixture aside; keep warm.
• 4 In a heavy skillet, heat one flour tortilla.
• Spread 1/2 of the shredded cheese on the tortilla, and top with the chicken mixture.
• Sprinkle remaining cheese over the chicken, and top with the remaining tortilla.
• Flip, and cook on the opposite side.
• Remove quesadilla from skillet, and cut into quarters.
• Serve with sour cream and remaining pico de gallo.