Shelly's Recipe

Smoked Chicken Quesadillas with Cilantro and Pepper Jack Cheese

Category: Sandwiches I

4 large (8 to 10 inches) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded smoked chicken
2 cups shredded cheese (I like a half-and-half mixture of pepper Jack cheese and sharp cheddar)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 scallions, both white and green parts, trimmed and finely chopped
2 fresh or pickled jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter (either salted or unsalted is OK), melted
Pico de Gallo (optional, recipe follows)

1. Place a tortilla on a work surface. Sprinkle one half of the tortilla with a quarter of the chicken, cheese, cilantro, scallions, and jalapeños. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the top to make a half-moon shaped quesadilla. Assemble the remaining quesadillas the same way. Lightly brush both sides of each quesadilla with the butter, turning them carefully. The quesadillas can be prepared to this stage up to 30 minutes ahead.

2. Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat it to medium-high.

3. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate well. Arrange the quesadillas on the hot grate and grill them until the bottoms are golden 16 brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the quesadillas and grill the second side until the cheese is melted, 1 to 3 minutes. Keep an eye on the quesadillas—they burn easily. Serve the quesadillas at once, with the pico de gallo on the side, if desired.

Pico de Gallo
makes about 1 1/2 cups
1 large or 2 medium-size luscious, red ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 medium-size Vidalia or other sweet onion, finely diced
1 to 3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced (for a hotter salsa, leave the seeds in)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or more to taste

Combine the tomato(es), onion, jalapeño(s), cilantro, and lime juice in a mixing bowl and gently stir to mix. Taste for seasoning, adding more lime juice as necessary. You can chop the ingredients ahead of time but the salsa tastes best mixed within 15 minutes of serving. The salsa will be quite moist.