Grilled Chipotle-Chicken Quesadillas

Grilling adds a mildly smoky note, the perfect complement to big flavors like lime, cilantro, and chile. Plus there's no dirty skillet to clean. Serve with store-bought pico de gallo or other salsa. Or, if you have a little more time, make our fresh Pico de Gallo. Prep and Cook Time: 35 minutes.

Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4  boned, skinned chicken breast halves
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1  canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
• 1/4  cup  sour cream
• 1/4  cup  mayonnaise
• 1  tablespoon  lime juice
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh cilantro
• 8  corn tortillas (6 in. each)
• 2  cups  grated Monterey jack cheese
• Pico de Gallo or other salsa

Preparation

1. Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay chicken on a grill over medium heat (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 in. above grill level only 4 to 5 seconds) or put chicken in a grill pan over medium heat. Cook chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through (cut to check). Slice cooked chicken breasts into 1/4-in.-thick slices. Keep grill or grill pan hot.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together chipotle chile, sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, and cilantro.

3. Spread 1 tbsp. chipotle-lime sauce on each of the tortillas. Top 4 of the tortillas each with 1/2 cup cheese and a quarter of the chicken slices, then cover with the remaining tortillas (sauce side down). Put each quesadilla on a dinner plate.

4. Slide quesadillas off the plates onto the grill over medium heat, or slide into a grill pan over medium heat (you may need to grill the quesadillas in batches). Grill uncovered, turning once, until cheese is melted and both sides are golden, about 2 minutes each side (use a large spatula and tongs to flip the quesadillas). If grilling in batches, keep finished quesadillas warm in a 200° oven until ready to serve.

5. Slice each quesadilla into wedges and serve with salsa on the side.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Dress it up: Turn this everyday recipe into fun party fare by setting up a quesadilla bar with assorted fillings for your guests to choose, then grill their customized quesadillas to order. Some of our favorite fillings:

Cheeses: Try shredded Monterey jack, cheddar, or goat cheese.

Meats and seafood: Set out platters of grilled chicken, steak slices, bacon, and cooked shrimp.

Vegetables: Round it out with canned black or pinto beans (rinsed and drained); grilled corn, peppers, summer squash, zucchini, and onions; and sliced fresh green onions.

Sauces: Serve with the chipotle-lime sauce, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

615 (54% from fat)

Protein:

45g

Fat:

37g (sat 14)

Carbohydrate:

26g

Fiber:

2.8g

Sodium:

615mg

Cholesterol:

143mg