Chicken Quesadillas

Every once in awhile, the nights when the primary goal of dinner is to use up as much of the pantry ingredients as possible in one dish end up being the nights with the best meals. Enter my chicken quesadillas. I have no fancy name for them. They are quesadillas, plain and simple. But they are tasty, and they will speak for themselves once you take a bite of one!

We have definitely been trying to be more aware of what we are putting into our bodies, and hopefully, rather than this being a yearly attempt at what eventually becomes a failure, the changes we make will be lifestyle rather than temporary and we will be able to come up with some better resolutions next year! I think my head is finally in the right place to make this type of commitment a permanent change, especially when I consider the children we are growing at our house. With that in mind, these quesadillas are full of good ingredients that will fill you up quickly and leave you feeling satisfied.

I apologize in advance- no picture for these. Next time I make them (which will probably be soon because they were so delicious), I will definitely take a picture to share with you all.

Chicken Quesadillas

-          6 whole wheat tortillas (10" size)

-          1 lb. cooked chicken breast, shredded or cut into small pieces

-          1 red or orange bell pepper, seeded and diced

-          1 cup corn, drained and rinsed

-          1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

-          1 cup Rotel tomatoes

-          1 tsp. each cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder

-          1/2 tsp. each seasoned salt, pepper, and paprika

-          1 cup of your favorite Mexican cheese blend

-          1 tbsp. olive oil for skillet

1.       Heat olive oil in skillet over low-medium heat. Add chicken, bell pepper, corn, black beans, and tomatoes. Add seasonings and mix well to combine. Heat until mixture is warmed through.

2.       In a separate skillet large enough to place your tortillas in, heat to medium. Place one tortilla in the bottom of the skillet (no oil is needed). Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of cheese over one-half of the tortilla, then top with 1/4-1/3 cup of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle again with a little cheese, just enough to help bind the tortilla. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filled side and press down firmly with a spatula to flatten and shape the quesadilla. After about 15 seconds, flip the quesadilla over to other side and hold for an additional 15 seconds.

3.       Remove to a plate to cool slightly, then cut into four pieces. Serve with a mixture of light sour cream and fresh salsa and enjoy!

Note: You can save the remaining corn, black beans, and tomatoes from the cans used in the fridge in an airtight container and toss with fresh Romaine, tortilla chips, and fresh salsa for a quick weeknight salad!