How to Make Chicken Quesadillas

Chicken quesadillas are among the easiest and most delicious Mexican dishes. They make a quick lunch, a flavorful light dinner or tasty snack to munch on during a football game or other social activity. Cooking a quesadilla properly means taking a little extra time, but the delicious results will be worth it.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• 8 flour tortillas, large
• Paper towels
• 4 chicken breasts, boneless, cooked and shredded
• 4 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 8 cilantro sprigs with the stems removed
• Large skillet
• Spatula
• Cookie sheet
• Aluminum foil
• Cutting knife
• Guacamole
• Sour cream
• Salsa

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Wrap tortillas in paper towels and place them in the microwave. Warm them for 1 to 2 minutes at 50 percent power.
3. Remove the tortillas from the microwave, one at a time.
4. Spread the chicken breast across each tortilla, until the chicken is evenly distributed and entirely used up. Keep the chicken on one side of each tortilla only (you will be folding the other half of the tortilla on top of the mixture when complete).
5. Add 1/2 cup of Jack cheese per tortilla, and spread the cheese over the side of the tortilla with the chicken breast.
6. Sprinkle cilantro over the cheese, 1 sprig per tortilla.
7. Fold the plain half of each tortilla over the chicken and cheese mixture.
8. Heat the large skillet until it is hot. Check by sprinkling a few drops of water onto the skillet. When they steam and dance, the skillet is hot.
9. Place the first folded tortilla onto the skillet and leave it there until the tortilla is brown and the cheese begins to melt. (This usually takes about 2 minutes.)
10. Flip the tortilla with the spatula and continue to heat for another 2 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted. The tortillas should be warm and brown on both sides.
11. Remove the chicken quesadilla from the skillet and place it on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil.
12. Place the wrapped chicken quesadilla in the oven to keep it warm.
13. Repeat this process with the remaining folded tortillas, placing them in the cookie sheet when they are cooked.
14. Remove the completed quesadillas from the oven when all of them are grilled. Cut each into 3 or 4 wedges and arrange on a plate.
15. Top each wedge with a spoonful of fresh guacamole, sour cream or salsa. You will make enough for 8 servings.

Tips & Warnings

• You can substitute the skillet for a griddle, or any other similar heating device, when you make chicken quesadillas.
• The Jack cheese can be swapped out with another type of cheese or blended with different cheeses to suit your individual taste.