Chicken Quesadillas with Homemade Pico de Gallo Salsa

Chicken Quesadillas with Homemade Pico de Gallo Salsa

A Mexican food in which savoury chicken with cheese is wrapped inside tortilla bread which is cooked on grill pan till cheese is melted and tortilla is golden brown and then its cut into wedges and served with sides / sauce of your choice. I served mine with its Mexican condiment Pico de Gallo Salsa.

Recipe:

Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken breast, cut in small bite sized pieces (you can use boiled & shredded chicken as well)
• 1 capsicum, chopped
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 1 tsp granulated onion
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
• 2 tortillas
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• A bit of vegetable oil / ghee to brush on the tortillas

Method:

• First prepare the chicken for filling.
• Marinate chicken pieces in all the above powdered spices and butter for 15 minutes.
• Heat oil in a skillet (we don’t heat olive oil too much) and add chicken pieces and toss well.
• Cook for 8-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• Add chopped capsicum and stir for 1 minute. We don’t want to lose the crispiness of capsicum.
• Set aside.

• Now assemble the quesadillas.
• Preheat a grill pan (you can use regular pan as well, but for beautiful grill patterns, you would need a grill pan).
• Coat the side of tortilla (which will face the pan) with vegetable oil / ghee.

• In a half moon shape (on one half of tortilla) spread a layer of grated cheese.

• Cover this layer of grated cheese with chicken & capsicum mixture.

• Add another layer of grated cheese over chicken.

• Fold the other half of tortilla over the filling.

• Place this assembled quesadilla on preheated grill pan.

• Press it with spatula to help the cheese melt and golden brown grill lines to be formed.

• Avoid moving the quesadilla and let it cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.

• Serve with homemade Pico de Gallo Salsa or any sauce of your choice.

Homemade Pico de Gallo Salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
• 1 jalapeno finely chopped
• 1 small shallot, chopped (I would have preferred scallions but I didn’t have one available)
• Handful of cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 lemon / lime (freshly squeezed juice)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

• Toss all the ingredient together in a bowl.

• Let sit for 15-20 minutes so that flavors are mixed in and enhanced.

• Toss again to coat to juices.
• Serve with your quesadillas.

~Enjoy!