Chicken and Chorizo Quesadillas
A deliciously smoky filling topped with oozy mozzarella cheese encased in crisp tortillas - yum!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil or sunflower oil plus extra for cooking the quesadillas
- 130g chorizo skinned and finely chopped
- 1 small onion approx. 60g, finely chopped
- 400g cooked chicken breast, thighs or a mixture of both, shredded (see Notes)
- 1 red pepper deseeded and diced
- 0.25 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large flour or corn tortillas
- 300g mozzarella cheese grated
Instructions
- Put your oven on at its lowest temperature.
- Heat the tbsp of oil in a large frying pan or skillet over a medium heat and fry the chorizo and onion gently for 3 minutes. Add the chicken and red pepper, and cook 3 minutes, then season with the salt and pepper. Set the mixture aside in a bowl.
- Using the same pan, brush it with a drizzle of oil over a medium heat and lay a tortilla in the pan. Arrange a quarter of the chicken and chorizo mixture over half the tortilla and top with a handful of mozzarella.
- Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling to make a semi-circle and cook for 1.5 minutes until the cheese is starting to melt and the tortilla is lightly browned. Carefully turn the quesadilla over using a fish slice or palette knife, and fry on the other side for 1.5 minutes until it's golden and the cheese is oozing.
- Transfer it to the oven to keep warm while you make the rest.
- Serve cut into wedges with some tomatoes, a salad, your favourite dips and some nachos…they’re delicious!!
Notes
- Cooked chicken – if you don’t already have leftover cooked chicken, I like to poach chicken breasts and/or chicken thighs in stock that I can then use in another recipe:
- season both sides of the chicken breasts/thighs with salt and pepper then put them in a medium saucepan on a high heat along with a chicken stock cube or pot. Pour in 500ml of cold water, and when the water begins to boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook the chicken for 14 minutes (turning once, halfway through cooking). Remove the chicken and set it aside to cool on a plate before shredding. Transfer the stock to a jug to use in another recipe where chicken stock is needed. The chicken can easily be poached the day before or earlier in the day and kept in the fridge in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it.
- Make ahead – the chicken and chorizo mixture (Step 2) can easily be cooked either the day before or earlier in the day. Once cooked, transfer to a microwavable bowl and leave to cool. Cover and refrigerate until needed at Step 3 – I’d recommend reheating slightly either in a pan on the hob or leave it in the bowl and heat in the microwave.
- This chicken and chorizo quesadilla recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.