These whimsical weeknight quesadillas offer a great excuse to break out the long-forgotten waffle iron. The smoky, tangy pepper sauce is the perfect sidekick for this dish, but it’s also wonderful when tossed with pasta, stuffed into sandwiches, and slathered on burgers.
TIP: When assembling quesadillas, keep fillings centred 1/2 in (1.25 cm) from the edge of the tortilla so they don’t spill over.
TIP: Chipotle chiles are dried, smoked jalapenos. Adobo is a slightly sweet red sauce. Put them together in a can and they become a versatile pantry staple to add deep smoky heat to sauces, dips, marinades, and soups.
No waffle iron?
Then make these quesadillas using this skillet method. Place 1 tortilla in skillet, preferably cast iron, and cook over medium heat until dark spots appear and bottom is crispy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn over and cook until crispy and darkened on the other side. Remove tortilla from skillet and replace with another tortilla. Cook until darkened and crispy on one side, flip, and top with stuffing ingredients. Place crispy tortilla on top, press down gently, cover pan, and cook for 1 minute, or until cheese has melted.
Waffled Chicken Quesadillas with Chipotle Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) sour cream
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) roasted red pepper
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
- 8 - 7 in (18 cm) whole wheat or corn tortillas
- 1 lb (450 g) cooked and sliced chicken
- 1 cup (250 mL) shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 Roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1 cup (250 mL) sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) cilantro leaves
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Lime wedges
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories508
- protein39 g
- total fat25 g
- sat. fat10 g
- total carbohydrates36 g
- sugars4 g
- fibre8 g
- sodium462
Directions
01
In blender container, place sour cream, roasted red pepper, chipotle pepper, garlic, and salt, and blend until smooth.
02
Lightly grease waffle iron and preheat to high. Place 1 tortilla on waffle iron. Top with one-quarter of the chicken, cheese, tomato, onion, and cilantro. Place a second tortilla over filling, and close waffle iron. Cook until tortilla is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes, continuing to press down on waffle iron if needed during cooking to flatten further.
03
Remove quesadilla from waffle iron; repeat 3 times with remaining tortillas and stuffing ingredients. Cut into wedges and serve with pepper sauce and sliced avocado. Serve with lime wedges.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD
Matthew Kadey is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
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