Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas.
Growing up, one of my favorite go-to meals was a flour tortilla with melted cheddar inside.
Once I got older, it because easier to throw down 3 or 4 of these cheese quesadillas in one sitting, so I knew I needed to add some bulk.
Chicken quesadillas have become one of our staple meals now. Well, one of my staple meals for the time being, while my husband is still participating in the ‘stache off.
The best part about these chicken quesadillas? They are protein-packed and healthy!
I use my favorite tortillas, La Tortilla Factory brand, which are loaded with fiber and protein. Combine that with chicken breast, low-fat cheese, beans, and we have one protein and fiberlicious meal.
I used refried beans in this case, but sometimes I use black beans. The black beans do tend to fall out of the quesadilla mid-cook, however. The refried beans stay nice and mushy inside. Not to mention, fabulous tasting.
Check out that mouth-watering, crispy tortilla, jam-packed with goodies.
This was such a tasty dinner. Since I am still on my cooking embargo, Mr. How Sweet watched with dripping drool as I ate, while he ate some freezer-to-skillet burgers that smelled like bad meat and a baby’s diaper.
I also spritzed my quesadilla and rice with a little lime. Lime is one of my most favorite citrus fruits. Mr. How Sweet likes lime, too.
Though his preferred use for it is in a large tumbler of vodka. Which he may start drinking a lot of soon if he doesn’t get a home-cooked meal. Or, I may have to start drinking a lot of it soon, so I can stomach the ‘stache.
Hey, to each their own.
Cheesey Chicken Quesadilla’s
Serves 2
4 high fiber, whole wheat tortillas
10 oz of chicken, shredded
1 teaspoon cumin
4 oz low-fat cheddar jack cheese
1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free refried beans, or black beans
1/4 cup salsa
Season chicken with cumin and toss to coat.
Heat skillet on medium heat. Lay one tortilla flat and sprinkle with 1 ounce cheese. Top with 5 oz chicken, 1/2 of the chopped bell pepper and onion mix, 1/4 cup beans and an 1/8 cup salsa. Top with 1 more once of cheese, and cover with a tortilla. One bottom tortilla is brown and lower layer of cheese has melted, gently flip quesadilla to brown other side and melt the rest of the cheese.
Repeat with remaining tortillas and ingredients.
Serve with salsa, plain greek yogurt, and rice. Spritz with lime.
While these quesadillas are super simple to make, they still are a bit difficult for Mr. How Sweet to make for his own dinner. He doesn’t have time to chop veggies or shred chicken or grate cheese.
Know what I don’t have time for? Crumbs and gooey food getting stuck in one’s crustache. That is just nasty.
63 Comments on “Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas.”
adding the lime is genius!
these look AH-mazing…quesadillas are definitely a favorite of mine, but i’ve never thought to use refried beans! now it’s a must-try :)
p.s. made the brownies today and oh.my.gosh. the pan’s half gone (at work) and it’s only 40 minutes into the day!
I would puke if my husband grew a mustache!! I feel your pain!!
I LOVE quesadillas! I ate them growing up too! What’s funny is that when my hubby and I were getting married, one of his Irish aunts got me a quesadilla maker. I told my husband “Does she know I’m Mexican?” Its been an inside joke for years now!
Oh yum! I would smother these with plain Greek yogurt and attack them like a dog!
Cheese and chicken is all I need in a quesadilla too. I love making them at home, where you know what’s going into them and all yummy ingredients.
I absolutely love quesadillas, too, but OD’d on them back in my restaurant days. Which is funny because I also OD’d on ice cream and chocolate cake there and I still seem to eat a lot of that…
The offer still stands for our Southern restaurant if ‘stache finally gets to you. We can even hang a sign outside, “No Crustaches allowed.”
Mmm…we make something similar at the KD house and they’re always divine. I agree that limes are phenomenal. I think they’re so pretty when you cut into them…such a pretty green. I LOVE that about them!
Geez woman, you are making me drool! I used to make quesadillas allll the time in college, but they never looked as good as these do!
Looooove any form of quesadilla! I like black beans better but hate when they roll out on the pan (mostly because I usually burn my hand trying to save/eat them). I’ve started to make a black bean mash with diced onions, and I spread that on as a thick layer before cooking. Works wooonderfully.
This just keeps getting better. The saga of the crustache. It’s like the blog version of a soap opera.
This looks absolutely amazing!! I love the refried beans. Such an easy and delicious way to add nutrition to a meal. I also love the lime. Mmm, it just seems to wake up the flavors of anything it touches!!
this looks AWEESOME girl!! mexican fiesta!! WHOO!
I can’t believe he didn’t shave off his stache for this meal. Looks so freakin’ good! If I could, I would grow a stache just so I could shave it off to have a bite of that quesadilla!
Oh, I need to add lime next time I make quesadillas for hubby, thanks!
I used to love making packed quesadillas. Thanks for the reminder. And I agree – staches are nasty!
My kids love quesadillas and I feel good about serving them as a quick/on the go option – especially with whole wheat tortillas.
I love quesadillas…but I live in Texas so it kind of goes with the territory! YUM!
Aw my mom would make these all the time for us as kids. Mine were so boring because I hate beans haha.
Love these! I recently made a version with goat cheese. Yum!
I’ve never put refried beans in my quesdilla, but I need to try! I’m putting these ingredients on my grocery list, as we haven’t had them in a long, long time:)
How did you get the tortillas so perfectly brown and crispy? My mouth is watering from your photos! Mmm….
Just put them in a skillet with Pam cooking spray! I probably had it on medium to medium-high.
LOL i think i missed a blog entry… seems like some fun times at your house lately :)
Does anyone not love a quesadilla?! Yum, and with black beans…delicioso!
I had chicken quesadillas today too, how crazy!
Made my tortillas myself for the first time…easy (still need some practice), but pretty good;)
x Julia (Taste of Living)
there was a soy tortilla that I tried once and it was so good–chewy like.
yes, i agree quesadillas are one of the best foods for tasty and fassst. I love huge chunks of avocado in there.
oh these look so tasty…….
I love chicken quesadillas!! This looks way better than one from a restaurant, yum!! :)
Oh boy those bring me back to my childhood! Except more often my mom would make the new mexican version.. corn tortillas with cheese! :D
Yum. Question: are the high fiber, whole wheat tortillas considered healthy or do they just sound healthy? I need them to be healthy and low fat and low calorie and butt reducing or at least not butt enlarging.
Mmmmm! That looks so good! May have to try that one soon! Oh, and I love the “stache” war you have with your husband – too funny! But I completely agree with you – those things are gross.
i LOVE playing around with the high fiber tortillas! I have made sweet quesadillas before with cottage cheese, PB and SF jam…these sound SO good! I love the sliced limes on the plate!! :)
I LOOOOVEEEE ME some quesadillas! :) Mighty fine recipe dear.
I love quesadillas! especially for a quick and easy dinner. I also love you are sticking to your guns and not cooking for your husband. I feel for you, trust me!!
Yummy! Have you ever tried making your own refried beans using blackbeans? They would work awesome in your quesadillas… or you could do it the lazy way (like I usually do) and just mash the black beans and use that. I’m constantly trying to increase fiber and protein in my diet and always forget about the quesadilla.
vivian
Love a good quesadilla! I need mucho avocado or guac though:)
Trust me, I would love avocado in it too, but they are about $3-4 a piece here right now and when I get them, they are usually bad inside anyway.
Mmmm I can’t wait until lent is over for some tortillas, pizza crust and BREAD! Hahahahaha I love the ‘stache off. It reminds me of the french movie “La Moustache”… A man has a prized mustache and when he shaves it, his wife and friends try to convince him he never had one. It’s a really dark movie!!
i make microwave quesdillas for scott and skylar all the time. 45 seconds til glory :) its a lifesaver i tell u!
mmm i love quesadillas!
know what i don’t love? mustaches.
Oooh, I love quesadillas! I haven’t had one in awhile and I have some Greek yogurt (sour cream sub) to use up. Hmmm… *ponders* :)
Jenn
Oh my! I’ve died and gone to heaven. :) These look spectacularly good!!! I can’t wait to try them.. altho, I think I might try making my own whole wheat fiber packed tortillas. I love homemade tortillas but have never thought about trying whole wheat ones. This should be interesting. :) But….definitely not as interesting as the ‘stache-off that seems to be going on in your house!!! hehehehe!
The mustache saga is too much! is it for a bet?
I loved grilled tortillas. I also love them on the open flame on the stove. We knew a mexican woman who used to heat hers this way- waving them over the open flame (obvi can’t do this with a quesadilla) and the taste was/and still is- magical. Top with a little butter. Heaven.
Crustache!!!! LOL :-) Mustaches are the worst.
Oh my. I’m slightly hungover today because of a work party last night and your quesadillas made me drool!
It so funny to read about the mustache and no-dinners-until-they’re-gone-situation. I could picture myself doing the same and my bf would also be in trouble; he can only make lasagnette, heat a frozen pizza, make a simple sandwich and order junk food. I truly hope he’ll NEVER grow a mustache, but he looks GRRReat with a beard ;)
Num, num, num! I loves me some La Tortilla Factory tortillas! You are making my wheels spin, sweetheart!
Yum! this looks great, as always. I love adding beans to my quesadillas, and hey, it’s a vegetable!! Good for you :)
I’ve been craving quesadillas, but haven’t ever made them! What’s up with that?!
yep, these look great! There are few things that beat a good quesadilla!
Haha, you guys are too funny. ;-) Those quesadillas look amazing though!!
Quesadillas are one of my favorite go-to meals, as well. These look wonderful!