Smoky cheese, a spicy cream sauce and rotisserie chicken are the stars in this quick and easy recipe for Creamy Chicken Quesadillas.
When an email arrived in January announcing a cooking class at the after school program that my children attend, it was a no-brainer. I signed them up immediately. Though the kids have cooked with me since they were old enough to stand, in recent years their interest in the kitchen has waned. There are so many other things drawing their attention.
Since starting the class, they’ve stirred, mixed, wrapped and flipped their way to a new confidence in the kitchen. A few weeks ago, they came home talking about the pigs in a blanket they’d learned to make. Then they found the ingredients in the grocery store and made them for me too.
Of course, it’s not without its challenges. Will has a love-hate relationship with the class. He didn’t want to sign up, thinking they’d spend it talking about food and doing nothing. But he’s enjoyed learning to make things, and even recreating some at home. And ultimately, he’s learning some important skills there.
All this led me to change how we do dinner at home. Each week, I write a meal plan on a calendar in the kitchen. Our dinners are decided on, shopped for and ready to go. But until recently, I did all the preparation and cooking. Now that’s changing. Along with each day’s meal plan is a plan for who is making what. While I tackle the main dish, they’ve made salads, rice and vegetables. It’s working out well.
Someday soon, I might even ask them to make quesadillas, which was among the dishes they’ve tackled in cooking class. They adore them.
This isn’t the recipe they used in class though — it’s one I developed to create a cheesy, creamy, slightly spicy quesadilla perfect for lunch or dinner. A step up from your basic quesadilla, these babies are satisfying but still pretty darn easy.
And a bonus to the creamy concoction that you spread inside? It holds the cheese and chicken in place while your start cooking, so there’s no spillage when you flip ’em.
Serve these with your favorite salsa, guacamole and/or sour cream.
Creamy Chicken Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 4 burrito-size whole wheat tortillas
- Butter
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 1 1/2 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce
- 1 1/2 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese
- 1 1/4 cup diced rotisserie chicken
Instructions
- Heat a 10-inch nonstick saute pan over medium heat.
- Butter one side of each of the tortillas and then flip over. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and hot sauce. Spread evenly over the non-buttered side of the tortillas, dividing between the four. Sprinkle each with 1/4 of the smoked cheddar cheese and 1/4 of the chicken.
- Fold in half. One a time, cook the quesadillas until golden, flipping once.
- Let sit for 2-3 minutes before slicing into wedges.
Kate
Sunday 22nd of March 2015
What a great opportunity for kids.