Recipes

Prep day:
Prep time: 15 minutes
Active cooking time: 6 minutes

To finish the meal:
Walk-away time: 3–10 minutes

I know, I know, you can order quesadillas at many restaurants. But why wait? Quesadillas are easy to make (it's basically an "assembly" meal) and you decide what goes inside! Vegan? No big deal. Substitute sliced portobello mushrooms for the chicken and use soy cheese instead of milk-based varieties. The guacamole on the side is a slam dunk, too. An interesting alternative to the usual avocado-based kind, it uses sweet peas mashed with white beans, garlic, and cilantro. Make a big batch; you'll want some for chip-dunking later in the week! The dip is so easy to make, you can wait until mealtime and prepare it while the quesadillas bake.

Chicken-Cheddar Quesadillas:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
One 4-ounce can diced green chiles
1 teaspoon liquid smoke seasoning
Eight 8-inch flour tortillas
1 1/3 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

White Bean–Green Pea Guacamole:
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 cup canned white beans, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the chiles and liquid smoke and cook 1 minute to heat through.

Arrange four tortillas on a flat surface. Top each one with an equal amount of the chicken mixture to within ¼ inch of the edges. Top the chicken with cheese (1/3 cup of cheese per tortilla). Top with a second tortilla and wrap each quesadilla in aluminum foil.

To make the guacamole, in a medium bowl or blender, combine the peas, beans, garlic, lime juice, and cumin. Mash with a fork or puree until larger lumps disappear (leave it as lumpy as you desire!). Fold in the cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper.

IF YOU'RE STOPPING HERE:
Refrigerate the quesadillas up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator or microwave for 2 to 3 minutes on LOW before baking. Place the guacamole in a tightly covered container and refrigerate up to 3 days.

WHEN YOU'RE READY TO EAT:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the foil-wrapped quesadillas on a baking sheet and bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Slice each quesadilla into 4 wedges and serve with the guacamole on the side.

More from Quick Fix Meals:

Curried Lamb Chops with Cucumber Relish

Plum Pizza with Ricotta, Apricot Preserves, and Pine Nuts

Photo credit: Mark Ferri.
Excerpted from Quick Fix Meals
Copyright © 2007 by Robin Miller. All rights reserved.