Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas

Move over Franklins, I finally made a chicken quesadilla as good as theirs! lol. Heres a good way to use up some of the adobo sauce from the chipotles. Super easy too.

chicken breasts

adobo sauce (from the chipotle in adobo)

oregano

cumin

garlic powder

tortillas

cheese

salsa

sour cream

cilantro

I cut up some boneless chicken breasts in to 4-5 long strips, coat with adobo sauce, sprinkle with seasonings, broil in toaster oven for about 5 minutes per side, chop in small bite size pieces.

Lightly toast tortillas, put chicken on one half, top with cheese, fold in half, place in toaster oven to melt, add toppings and serve with the yummy pinto beans (or whatever).

Notes:

Trader Joe's Whole Grain with oatmeal and flaxseed tortillas really went well with the smoky flavored chicken.

Tortillas taste much better toasted. The trick is to get them toasted enough to taste good without drying them out too much and making them brittle. Be careful to allow for the extra cooking time when toasting them since they go back in the oven to melt the cheese.

I have been using Greek yogurt in place of sour cream as a healthier alternative.

I also made this with an uncut chicken breast, which was easier, though not quicker since it took longer to cook, and did not have as much of the adobo flavor. It was fine though and I didn't have to dirty a cutting board, knife , etc. Lazy version takes more like 10 minutes per side. This went with the leftover beans for a quick Monday night dinner.

Chipotle Pinto Beans

I finally made another attempt at Pinto beans. Last time I made them similar to other bean soup recipes and they were a bit bland and I couldn't seem to figure out how to liven them up. The answer: chipotles in adobo. Smoked sausage adds a nice smoky flavor which helps too.

1 lb pinto beans, soaked

1/2 lb smoked sausage (like kielbasa), sliced thinly

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

3-4 carrots, sliced thinly

1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce, minced

1 can zucchini in tomato sauce

1 can whole tomatoes, smushed

1 small can tomato sauce (no salt added)

2 cups low sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)

2 cups water

black pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1 bay leaf

Brown the sausage in large soup pot. When almost done add onions and some black pepper and allow them to carmelize a bit too. Add bell pepper, carrots and garlic and allow to cook about 5 minutes or so (stir a few times) before adding liquid. Add remaining ingredients and allow to simmer about 2-3 hours or more (stirring occasionally) until the beans are softened.

I served these with chipotle chicken quesadillas (recipe will be in next post).

Notes:

I used 3 chipotles and it was a bit too hot. I will try 2 next time.

The zucchini in tomato sauce was just what I had on hand, but I liked it and will use it again.

The form of tomatoes you use can vary greatly. I prefer Hunts tomato products. the soups never taste right to me when I use other brands. (The zucchini was Del Monte). I am sure it just depends on what you are used to, as long as it is good quality.