Mini Quesadillas Recipe

Prep and marinate

Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and cut into 1/2-inch strips. In a bowl combine 1 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp minced chipotle in adobo, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tbs lime juice. Toss chicken strips in the marinade until evenly coated. Let sit 15 minutes at room temperature or up to 1 hour refrigerated.

Cook chicken

Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add a light drizzle of oil or nonstick spray. Cook chicken strips in a single layer, about 3-4 minutes per side, until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and edges are slightly charred. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes, then shred or chop into bite-sized pieces for filling.

In a small bowl whisk together 2 tbs mayonnaise, 2 tbs sour cream, 1 tsp minced chipotle in adobo, 1 tsp lime juice, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1/4 tsp salt until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more chipotle for heat or more honey for balance. Refrigerate until assembly.

Assemble quesadillas

Lay 3 of the small tortillas flat. Spread about 1/2 tbs of chipotle sauce on each tortilla (reserve extra for serving). Divide shredded cheddar-jack evenly among the 3, sprinkling about 2/3 cup cheese per tortilla. Top cheese with an even portion of the shredded spicy chicken (about 1/3 of the cooked chicken per quesadilla). Spread another 1/2 tbs chipotle sauce on the remaining 3 tortillas and press them on top to form 3 sandwich-style quesadillas.

Grill quesadillas

Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and add 1/2 tbs butter or oil. Working in batches if necessary, place a quesadilla in the skillet and cook 2-3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until tortillas are golden brown and cheese is melted. Reduce heat if tortillas brown too quickly. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 1 minute, then cut each into 3 wedges.

Cook fries

Cook 600 g frozen french fries according to package instructions (bake or fry) until crisp and golden. If using fresh-cut fries, toss in 1 tbs oil and 1/2 tsp salt and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 25-30 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp.

Make pico de gallo

In a bowl combine 2 diced tomatoes, 1/4 cup finely diced red onion, 2 tbs chopped cilantro, juice of 1 lime, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mix and taste, adjusting lime and salt as needed.

Plate and serve

Place three grilled mini quesadillas (cut into wedges) on each plate with a portion of fries. Serve with 2 tbs sour cream, a spoonful of pico de gallo and extra housemade chipotle sauce on the side. Garnish with a cilantro sprig and lime wedge if desired.