Hot Honey Chicken Quesadillas with Creamy Jalapeno Drizzle
By Miles Carr
Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
I make quesadillas for meal prep and have jalapeno sauce on hand to serve. I make chicken with an orange-red glaze. The tortillas will be browned and have areas where the cheese has melted (I like to serve cold sauce over warm tortillas).
I mince the chicken before adding the glaze. Mincing increases the surface area of the chicken that will be covered by the glaze and reduces the amount of uneaten chicken in the final product. I use less glaze and let it sit for 10 minutes or more before adding the tortilla to avoid having filling leak out when I press the tortilla. Leaking filling can leave the middle of the wrap soggy. Leaking filling is less of a problem when cooking in a pan with a tortilla.
Use whole milk sour cream to make a heavier sauce. I mash the herbs until they are a pale green, thinning them with water as necessary so that the sauce will come out of a squeeze bottle, but I sometimes eat the sauce with a spoon to avoid washing the bottle. Dry the cilantro and jalapeños before chopping them to keep the sauce from changing color.
I use cast iron and oil. I flip the tortilla when the cheese begins to melt and darken underneath. The cheese fold is when the folded-over edge of the tortilla begins to crisp. Direct cooking flares up your kitchen with smoke. Lower the heat to medium if the tortilla darkens before the cheese melts. Fresh jalapeños, cilantro, and chili powder can be added to hot quesadillas at serving time.
Why you'll love this recipe
- 1Thinly sliced chicken with other ingredients added can be portioned to make four quesadillas.
- 2The chicken filling and jalapeno sauce do not combine well, so you can cook the filling ahead of time.
- 3Each folded tortilla is one serving. You should not cut up a lunch to share, as you may have leftovers.
- 4Drizzle some sauce on the quesadillas you want to eat now. Set aside some sauce to drizzle on other quesadillas later.
- 5Cast iron can only cook a single quesadilla at a time, and the thin coating of oil prevents the tortilla from feeling greasy.
Ingredients
- •4 large flour tortillas (10-inch, fresh and pliable)
- •2 cups shredded chicken breast (pre-cooked, well-drained, and finely shredded)
- •2 cups Monterey Jack cheese (freshly shredded)
- •2 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or vegetable oil)
- •⅓ cup honey (clover or wildflower)
- •1 tbsp hot sauce (vinegar-based)
- •apple cider vinegar (a splash)
- •cayenne (a pinch)
- •½ cup sour cream (full-fat)
- •3 fresh jalapenos (1 deseeded for the sauce and 2 thinly sliced for garnish)
- •lime juice (a squeeze)
- •¼ cup fresh cilantro (finely chopped, with stems for the sauce)
- •1 tsp dried red chili flakes (for garnish, plus extra for more spice if wanted)
- •tsp water (add 1 teaspoon at a time only if the sauce is too thick)
- •1 tbsp Greek yogurt (only if the sauce becomes too thin)
Instructions
- 1
Whisk the honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, and cayenne in a medium bowl until combined.
- 2
Toss the finely shredded chicken in the glaze until coated, then set it aside for at least 10 minutes.
- 3
Blend the sour cream, 1 deseeded jalapeno, cilantro stems, and lime juice until the sauce is pale green and thick enough to hold its shape when drizzled.
- 4
Add water 1 teaspoon at a time if the sauce is too thick. Whisk in the Greek yogurt if the sauce becomes too thin.
- 5
Transfer the jalapeno sauce to a squeeze bottle or small bowl.
- 6
Heat the neutral oil in a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- 7
Place 1 flour tortilla in the skillet and scatter Monterey Jack over the full surface.
- 8
Spread glazed chicken over one half of the tortilla.
- 9
When the cheese bubbles and the tortilla has dark brown charred spots, fold it in half and press it with a spatula.
- 10
Move the quesadilla to a plate, drizzle with jalapeno cream sauce, and top with sliced jalapenos, chopped cilantro, and dried red chili flakes.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
540
Calories
Reviews
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