Chicken Quesadillas with Lime Crema
Chicken and cheese quesadillas with tangy lime crema combine shredded chicken, Monterey Jack, lime, and cilantro in a crisp, skillet-toasted weeknight dinner ready in about 45 minutes.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime zest divided
- 2 ounces cream cheese softened
- Vegetable oil
- 1 red bell pepper cored, seeded, and diced
- 4 scallions trimmed and chopped
- 3 cups shredded, cooked chicken (see notes)
- 1 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen (see notes)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves loosely packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin or more to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 flour tortillas (8-inch diameter)
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 8 ounces)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°F and place a baking sheet inside to keep the finished quesadillas warm.
- Make the lime crema. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon of the lime zest. Stir well and set aside while you prepare the filling.
- In another small bowl, blend the cream cheese with the remaining teaspoon of lime zest until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the diced bell pepper and sauté until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add the scallions and cook for 30 seconds more. Transfer the vegetables to a mixing bowl.
- Add the shredded chicken, corn, and cilantro to the bowl with the vegetables. Season with the cumin, salt, and black pepper, then toss to combine.
- Lay the tortillas on a flat work surface and spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over one side of each tortilla, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Wipe out the skillet and lightly brush it with oil. Return it to medium heat.
- Place one tortilla in the skillet, cream cheese side up. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese over one half of the tortilla. Top with one-quarter of the chicken mixture, then add another 1/4 cup of cheese over the filling.
- Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filling and press gently with a spatula.
- Cook until the underside is lightly golden and the cheese begins to melt, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until the second side is lightly toasted and the filling is heated through, 2 minutes more.
- Transfer the cooked quesadilla to the warm baking sheet in the oven while you repeat the process with the remaining tortillas.
- Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve warm with the lime crema on the side.
Notes
Cooked chicken options: Rotisserie chicken, leftover roasted chicken, or quickly poached chicken tenderloins all work well.
Corn: Frozen corn should be thawed and patted dry to avoid excess moisture in the filling.
Nutrition
Calories: 668 | Total Fat: 41g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 1395mg | Carbohydrates: 29g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Protein: 47g