Recipe #2 - Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas with Dipping Sauce

Michael and I are both fans of all types of quesadillas, but especially my twist on the Chipotle Chicken variety. I will forewarn you though....these are pretty spicy! The kicked up ingredients can easily be substituted though if you are not as big of a hot head....

Ingredients
-1 lb. of boneless skinless chicken tenderloins or breasts
-1 package of burrito size flour tortillas
-1 package of finely shredded Mexican cheese blend (usually Monterrey jack and cheddar mix)
-1 small can of chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (found where the other southwest ingredients are in the grocery store)
-1 sweet onion
-1 small container of reduced fat sour cream
-lemon juice
-1/4 cup of mayonnaise (I only use Hellman's...Nana would disapprove otherwise)
-1/2 of a block of Queso Blanco (white crumbling Mexican cheese)
-1 poblano pepper

Directions
A few hours prior to dinner, clean the chicken to remove any leftover fat or tendons (GROSS). Set aside one of the chipotle chilis to use later for the dipping sauce. Marinate the chicken in the remaining chilis and adobo sauce. If you don't have time for this step or don't like spicy food, forget about the marinating altogether. When you are almost ready to eat, slice the onion into thin ribbon-like strips. You can use as much or as little onion as you like. This is NOT a science. :) Saute the onions along with the chicken until the onions are soft and the chicken is entirely cooked through. If you own a grill, you can also try grilling the chicken. I've done it both ways before and it turns out great. When the chicken is cooked through, cut it up into very small pieces. Set aside the chicken/onion mixture.

Now it is time to roast the poblano. You can do this a couple of different ways. Grill it. Broil it. Or Roast it over your electric stove top burner and pray that you don't start a fire. The other night I was feeling a little crazy so I opted for the 3rd option. Basically, you just want to char the outside skin of the pepper. It will look like you are burning it, but don't worry. When the outside is a bit "blackened," put the pepper in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Covering the bowl will create a nice steamy environment which will help loosen the skin from the flesh of the pepper. Just let it sit for a few minutes before you peel off the skin with a paring knife or your fingers. Slice the flesh of the pepper into thin strips. Set aside.

Now it's time to assemble the quesadillas! My favorite part! Lay down the first tortilla. Sprinkle about a handful of the shredded cheese while layering evenly. Next crumble a thin layer of the queso blanco on top. Add a thin layer of the chicken/onion mixture and the poblano strips. If you don't like it spicy you can leave out the poblano pepper entirely and it will still taste great! Then, sprinkle with a bit more shredded cheese and queso blanco and then cover with the second tortilla. It's ready for the pan now. I use a large non-stick skillet or Michael's quesadilla maker. Lightly spray some regular cooking spray on the pan. Cook the quesadilla for a few minutes on each side until the tortillas are lightly brown, a little crunchy, and the cheese inside is gooey. I like to press down on the quesadilla while cooking it in a pan so that it gets as thin/flat as possible.

Trick for flipping your massive quesadilla....if you are making it in a regular pan, place a large plate face-down on top of the quesadilla in the pan. Hold the plate firmly with one hand and flip over the entire pan with the other hand. The quesadilla will land cooked side up on the plate. Then you can just slide the quesadilla back in the pan to cook the other side. :)

Dipping Sauce
Very finely mince the 1 chipotle pepper you set aside earlier. You can even blend it if you own a food processor (I don't have one yet, but am crossing my fingers that we get one for a wedding gift). In a small bowl, add the chipotle pepper, 1/4 mayonnaise, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 2 Tbsp. of lime juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat. If you don't like spicy, you can always just use some mild salsa, guacamole, or plain sour cream as a dipping sauce instead.

ENJOY! I promise I can cook more than just Southwest/Mexican style food.... :)