Loaded Chicken Quesadilla

 Get ready for one delicious and messy meal! This loaded chicken quesadilla recipe is healthy, so easy to make and will certainly fill your belly. Just be careful when you pick it up because there are a lot of ingredients packed into it.

Chicken quesadillas were always a staple in my family. They are easy to whip up and are always pleasing to kids. Quesadilla night was a fun night filled with fond memories for me. In a way this recipe is nostalgic for me and I am so excited to share it with you.

Note: this recipe makes enough for two people!

Ingredients

• ·         Large whole wheat tortilla wraps
• ·         2 bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
• ·         1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• ·         2 chicken breasts
• ·         1 head of romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
• ·         1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ·         2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• ·         1 can of refried beans
• ·         2 cups mayonnaise
• ·         1 cup salsa
• ·         3 tbsp. chili powder, separated
• ·         1 tbsp. cumin, separated
• ·         1 tbsp. paprika
• ·         ½ tbsp. onion powder
• ·         ½ tbsp. garlic powder
• ·         1 tsp salt
• ·         ½ tbsp. ground black pepper
• ·         1 tbsp. dried oregano
• ·         4 tbsp. olive oil, separated

Preparation

First, in a medium bowl mix together your chicken breasts, 2 tbsp. of the olive oil and all of the spices. But make sure to save one tbsp. of the chili powder for the peppers. Once the spices and oil are evenly coated onto the chicken, you can either cook the breasts in an instant pot (like me) or in the oven. If you use an instant pot I pressure cooked the chicken for 30 minutes. If you use the oven, bake the breasts at 375 degrees for approximately 35 to 40 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 175.

Next, in a medium pan, throw in your onions, peppers and the separated seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn the stove top onto a medium heat and cook peppers and onions until softened. I like them to still have a soft crunch to them for that texture appeal.

Now, mix together in a medium bowl the mayonnaise, salsa and chili powder. Again, you can add salt and pepper to taste.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, set aside to rest for at least 15 minutes. Then it will be ready to shred into bite-size pieces. This chicken is nice and juicy as well as being packed full of flavour from the spice mixture. You want to make sure not to dry out the chicken. Dry chicken equals a not-so enjoyable quesadilla.

Okay, when all the cooking has been completed and the lettuce and tomatoes have been chopped, you will be ready to assemble the monstrous quesadilla!

                                            Assembly

Step one, spread a thin layer of refried beans onto one quesadilla.

Step two, sprinkle on a generous layer of cheese.

Step three, scoop on the onions and peppers, as well as fitting in some tomatoes.

Step four, lay out an even layer of lettuce (make sure you eat some green vegetables).

Step five, place enough shredded chicken to cover the lettuce.

Step six, pour on as much sauce as you like (the sauce is one of my favourite parts).

Step seven, top with another tortilla and now it is ready to devour!

Final step, in a frying pan cook on both sides until golden brown.

Taste Test

Remember! I said be careful when eating this! The quesadilla will be extremely loaded, packed to the brim with all the scrumptious ingredients, creating a difficult challenge for trying to hold it in your hands. As long as you don’t mind getting a little messy then you are good to go. You could also eat this with a fork and knife, but what fun is that?!

When you bite into this meal, it should feel like there are fireworks going off in your mouth! You will detect smokiness from the chili powder, sweetness from the onions and peppers, crunchiness from all vegetables, juiciness from the mouth-watering chicken, creaminess from the mayo combination as well as richness from the savoury beans.

As you can see, this meal is loaded with incredible flavours. Flavours that the whole family will love! I hope you have fun creating this recipe and that it too can be a fond memory in your household.

Enjoy!