Spinach & Chicken Quesadillas

two food posts in a row?

i must really be ambitious this week...

you guys are going to think i'm crazy when i say that this chicken was the same chicken i made in those holyfreakingawesome kebabs from last week.

new chicken, same marinade (does that even make sense?).

ANWAYS

i can't stop eating it. that marinade is seriously mind blowing.

and it adds so much pizazz to these quesadillas.

am i the only one here who loves quesadillas?

yes, they are easy college food, but they can be dressed up to look fancy and are perfect for weeknights when you're tired or busy.

plus, this marinade can be made 24 hours ahead of time, so this meal is really a no-brainer.

layers of gooey cheese, tangy and powerful chicken, and perfect barely-wilted spinach for a little kick and extra healthiness. yeahhhh baby.

besides the marinade, this is really my own recipe (ha! sort of, i mean how much can you claim a "quesadilla" as a recipe?), so the measurements might be a little weird. the nice thing about quesadillas is that they're very open to interpretation. :)

Spinach & Chicken Quesadillas

Serves 2

For the Marinade:

3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

4 tsp. chili powder (trusssttt me)

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. fresh black pepper

Combine all ingredients besides the chicken breasts in a small bowl. whisk until well incorporated. Put chicken breasts in a large ziploc storage bag. 

Pour marinade into the bag, zip the bag shut, and make sure marinade has covered all the chicken (there are several different methods for this... i usually just mush the marinade around with my hands from the outside of the bag). let marinade in fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Once chicken is marinated, cook the chicken on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through. dice the cooked chicken into small pieces.

For the Quesadillas:

3/4 lb. marinated, cooked chicken, cut into small pieces

4 whole-wheat tortillas

1 bag pre-washed baby spinach

any shredded cheese (we used mozzarella because it's health(ier).)

Heat a grill pan or skillet on medium heat, spraying the pan with a light coating of cooking spray. 

Take a tortilla, layer one half of the tortilla with a small handful of spinach leaves, 2-3 spoonfuls of chicken, and sprinkle (or smother heavily) with your favorite shredded cheese.

Fold the tortilla in half, cook on each side until the tortilla gets crisp and browns slightly and the cheese is melted.

repeat with each tortilla until all have been made.

serve with diced avocado, salsa, and sour cream.

enjoy! :)

look at those grill marks yeah yeah yeah!