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A Healthy Twist on a Restaurant Classic: Chicken Quesadillas

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I love finding recipes that replicate restaurant favorites, and then making a healthier version of them. Chicken quesadillas always catch my eye on a menu, but I often shy away from them because they are so heavy.  And I don’t count calories but I can only imagine that they are pretty off the charts. So when we found this recipe for Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Quesadillas in Cooking Light Magazine, we were excited to try it.

I was pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy this dish was, and the beauty is you can put whatever vegetables you want into it. We also used whole-wheat tortillas, reduced fat sour cream, and we cut up a couple of avocados to serve on top for our “healthy” fat. Prep time is only about 30 minutes and it’s a great recipe for a big group of people. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  • 1 small orange bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
  • Cooking spray
  • 3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup)
  • 4 (6-inch) whole-what flour tortillas
  • 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Directions:

  • Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
  • Combine paprika, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub paprika mixture evenly over chicken; let stand 10 minutes.
  • Arrange chicken, onion, and bell pepper on grill rack/pan coated with cooking spray. Cook vegetables 4 minutes on each side or until tender. Cook chicken 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken and vegetables from grill; coarsely chop vegetables. Let chicken stand 5 minutes; thinly slice chicken.
  • Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons cheese over half of each tortilla; divide vegetables and chicken evenly over cheese. Fold each tortilla in half over filling; lightly coat tortillas with cooking spray.
  • Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 quesadillas in pan; cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until cheese melts and tortillas are lightly browned. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 quesadillas.
  • Cut each quesadilla into 2 wedges; serve with sour cream and avocados!

Makes 4 servings.

 

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