Almost every restaurant I go to has quesadillas listed on the appetizer or kids menu and normally, the only option is cheese grilled between a folded flour tortilla.
I am on a mission to teach the world how quick and easy quesadillas can be made at home and turned into a well-balanced meal.
Quesadillas have a lot of benefits:
- They are faster and easier to make than grilled cheese
- They require less cooking time
- There are a million and one combinations you can come up with, especially when avocados are involved!
Shhhh…. they are also a great way to sneak in more nutritious fillings for the little ones. There is no rule that says we are limited to cheese!
Traditionally quesadillas are made on large tortillas with cheese and flipped on the grill but I’m here to tell you there is no “right” way to make one. You can use flour or corn tortillas, large or small, white or wheat. It all works!
CHICKEN AVOCADO QUESADILLA
This super quick quesadilla idea uses pre-cooked chicken and grated cheese to make a fast, well balanced meal. If you happen to have some lime juice and ground cumin on hand it’s the perfect way to dress up the avocado for more flavor but truth be told, you could make this quick dish with just the tortillas, avocado, cheese and chicken. Everything else is just a bonus!
Equipment
- Citrus zester
- Sharp knife
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 2 cup shredded cooked chicken
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced (stems removed)
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar (room temperature)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin (small, Cara Cara, or Valencia)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp water
- 4-10 inch flour tortillas
- 1 avocado peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 tsp lime juice
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup Daisy Sour Cream
Instructions
- step 1In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan, mix the chicken, onions, chili powder, sugar, paprika, cumin, garlic powder and cayenne pepper; stir in the water. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring once or twice.
- step 2For each quesadilla, spoon 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture on one half of a tortilla. Top with 1/4 of the avocado; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon lime juice. Top with 1/4 cup cheese and fold over. Press firmly.
- step 3Coat the bottom of a 12-inch nonstick skillet with 1/2 teaspoon of the oil: heat over medium-low heat.
- step 4Place one quesadilla in the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning once with broad spatula. Repeat for the remaining quesadillas.
- step 5Cut the quesadillas into wedges to serve. Garnish each wedge with a dollop of sour cream.
Notes
*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.