I don’t make quesadillas very often, because between the tortillas and cheese and butter, I know they are not good for you, but once in a while, it’s ok to splurge. When I do, I like to make it worth my while. If I’m going to consume all of those extra calories, I want to make it count! I make an entire meal out of them, rather than serving them as an appetizer. My mom used to make them sometimes for lunches during the summertime. Back then, she just made them with cheese and they were fantastic, but I like to make mine with lots of chicken and bell peppers, onions and a mix of cheeses with different garnishes to make a hearty entree out of them.
I like to make mine with my Killer Ketchum Marinated Chicken Breast, which can be found in this post on the blog. It’s delicious on its own, but it’s also great in a salad, tacos, or in these quesadillas. It’s full of flavor and because I use lean chicken breast, it’s a guilt-free ingredient (unlike the cheese!)
It’s tender, it’s juicy, and it’s got TONS of great flavor.
I also like to add some peppers and onions that I lightly sauté in olive oil, S&P. A little bell pepper and some onions add some crunch and vitamins to this flavorful dish. This is definitely a decadent dish, but the lean chicken breast and fresh veggies make it a little less of a guilty pleasure.
My favorite flour tortillas are the La Favorita brand. They are made here in Colorado. I don’t know if they are available nationwide, but if you live in Colorado, I highly recommend them. They taste fresh and handmade and are a million times better than ordinary Mission tortillas. I’m not bashing Mission, but locally made are so much better!!! If you don’t have to buy mass produced, stick with local. You can taste the love in them. I always prefer to buy anything that is grown or produced locally versus major brands. Sometimes you don’t have a choice, but if you do, support your local businesses.
To prepare the quesadillas, I like to use a cast iron grill pan with a little butter. I simply butter the grill pan and place one tortilla down and top it with the peppers and onions, marinated chicken breast and cheese and cook until browned, then flip and brown the other side and cook until all the cheese is melted and both sides have browned completely. See how crispy the outside of the tortillas get? That is pure goodness.
Top the quesadillas with fresh guacamole, sour cream, green onions, olives, fresh tomatoes, or whatever topping suits your fancy. These make a great weeknight dinner or a fabulous party dish.
Enjoy! I hope you will give this recipe a try. If you do, come back and leave a comment and take a photo of your own creation and tag #ketchumkitchen on Instagram so I can see them.
Marinated Chicken Quesadillas w/ Peppers, Onions, Pepper Jack and Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 tbl olive oil
- Ketchum Killer Marinated Chicken Breast
- Pepper Jack cheese (approx 2 cups) - grated
- Sharp cheddar cheese (approx 2 cups) - grated
- 8 flour tortillas
- Unsalted butter
Instructions
- Prepare Ketchum Killer Marinated Chicken breast - cut up into bite sized pieces and set aside.
- In a skillet on medium-high heat, heat up the olive oil, add peppers and onions, S&P and sauté until all of the veggies are softened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Heat up a cast iron grill pan on medium-high heat and add butter to just coat the pan. Place two tortillas onto the grill pan and add 1/4 of the peppers and onions, 1/4 of the chicken breast, 1/2 cup grated pepper Jack cheese, and 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese to each tortilla and top each with one more tortilla, lightly buttered on the exposed side. Once they are golden brown and crisp, flip the quesadillas and brown them on the opposite side.
- Remove from the pan once the cheese is melted and the tortillas are browned on both sides and prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Garnish Ideas:
- Chopped green onions
- Chopped fresh tomatoes
- Chopped black olives
- Guacamole
- Sour Cream
- Salsa
- Fresh cilantro
Looks super good!
Thank you 🙂
I hope you’ll give the recipe a try and let me know how you like it.
Yummy! Looks delish!
These will be a big hit in my home! Will for sure be making these yummy quesadillas for the family! Thank you for sharing!!!
Let me know how you like them!
Quesadillas are my go-to lunch, so easy to make and filling! And you can throw in a bunch of different fillers and come up with great and unexpected pairings. This looks delish!
I hope you’ll give this recipe a try 🙂
Yum!! These look so delicious… I love quesadillas and they are often my “splurge”!
They are definitely a splurge, but oh so yummy!
YUM! quesadillas are my fallback meal if I need something quick—although I just use one tortilla and fold it, so I save some calories that way.
That’s a good way to cut calories 🙂
These look delicious!
These look absolutely divine! Cant wait to make them!
Sarah
http://www.bohochiccafe.com
These look so delicious!!
Thank you!
This looks delish!!!!
Thank you. They are 🙂
One of my favorite meals. These look so good!
Thank you! I hope you’ll give them a try.
Looks absolutely delicious! Can’t go wrong with those great, high quality ingredients.
I agree 🙂
Great recipe! I shared on Pinterest 🙂
Thank you 🙂
We love quesadillas at our house too! Super easy weeknight meal & sometimes I’ll make them for my kids lunches (they hear them in their schools microwave). Your recipe looks delicious!
Thank you so much. I appreciate the support 🙂