CHICKEN, CHEESE, & SALSA QUESADILLAS

CHICKEN, CHEESE, & SALSA QUESADILLAS

Table of Contents: CHICKEN/ POULTRY

The quesadillas need to be cooked very slowly in order to allow the cheese to melt while browning and crisping the tortillas.

This is a really quick recipe to make with leftover cooked chicken, and the meat does not have to be breast meat.  Just chop the meat into bite-size pieces.   It is still a pretty quick recipe to make, even when starting from scratch!

1 lb. chicken breast meat, partially frozen & cut into strips

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

4 flour tortillas, 10”-size

Butter, olive oil, or margarine (later referred to as “butter” only)

Thin slices of sharp Cheddar cheese

Thin slices of Monterey Jack cheese

Shaved slices of mild onion

Bottled chunky salsa; hot, medium, or mild

In a non-stick skillet, quickly brown the chicken on all sides in 1 tsp. of extra virgin olive; then cover, and reduce the heat to simmer.   Cook until just done and tender.   Salt to taste; then cut into bite-sized chunks.

Using a 10” or larger iron skillet or another heavy skillet, melt a small pat of butter on medium heat.  When butter is melted, place a tortilla in the skillet.  On one side of the tortilla, place ¼ of the chunked, cooked chicken; then top with Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack

cheese, onion, and a heaping tsp. of salsa.  Gently spread the salsa over the other toppings.

Allow the flat tortilla to slowly begin to cook as the tortilla softens from the butter and the heat and becomes pliable.  Then, fold the unfilled side of the tortilla on top of the filled side of the tortilla, and lightly press down with a spatula.

Allow the quesadillas to very slowly cook, melting the cheeses, and browning the tortillas on one side; then carefully flip to the other side to cook and brown.  More butter may be needed from time to time, but do not use a lot of butter at one time.   The quesadillas will

absorb more butter than needed or desired!

Repeat with each tortilla until the skillet is full.  Several different cookings of the quesadillas may be required.