Real Healthy - Real Easy - Real Cheap - Chicken Quesadillas

Obviously, my versions of this TexMex classic are going to be delicious because I'm so cool. In fact, I have several delicious versions. This one, created this very evening for dinner, is healthy and cheap also. I'm not a big poster girl for healthy recipes because I refuse to post any recipe that is not delicious also. I'm going to give ingredients and instructions exactly how I made these tonight and you can play around with whatever ingredients you have.



1 pkg Kirkland Signature (Costco) or Foster Farms or Tysons cooked and grilled chicken strips cut up into tiny pieces. (This invention is more expensive but makes cooking with a little bit of lean protein very very very easy. Bake or boil or grill your chicken breasts if you want)
1/2 onion diced
2 stalks celery diced
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 can drained corn niblets
1 can drained and rinsed black beans
1/2 diced red bell pepper (if you love green use green, if you love orange use orange)
1 can black olives chopped up or a can of sliced olives or you can cut this out if you really want to make these super low fat. You get maybe an olive per quesadilla so just chill and use them.
Cooked brown or white rice (cooked in fat free chicken broth) 2 cups
Monterrey Jack/Cheddar Cheese lowfat blend shredded
olive oil
couple of shakes of Tabasco (i used 2 tiny shakes and it was fine for my kids)
cumin (about 2 tsp)
gray salt (use whatever you have)
garlic powder
Whole Wheat Tortillas



In a tiny bit of olive oil, saute onion, pepper and celery in a big skillet. Add can of corn and continue to cook until onion/celery is soft and corn starts to roast. Add tomatoes with juice, olives, beans, cumin, Tabasco, and garlic powder. Get it simmering and add cooked rice and the chicken. Now taste it. Now salt it, add some more cumin, garlic, Tabasco until you like the filling.



Now heat a grill pan or another skillet. Brush a tiny bit of olive oil on a tortilla. Place oil side down in skillet. Now, add the tiniest bit of shredded cheese, a couple of big spoons of filling and fold over to make a quesadilla. Grill on both sides until it is toasted and cheese is melted. Cut with kitchen scissors into strips. The kids loved these with strawberries and some carrot sticks on the side. They even asked for more. Mike said that they were awesome, not spicy but not bland either. The corn and black beans make it. Adding the rice binds it so you don't have to add too much cheese and gives extra whole grains. This is a low fat, high fiber, high protein meal with colorful veggies and good fats like olive oil. Don't give in and reach for the sour cream. There are enough textures and flavors you won't miss it. Serve with strawberries or a medley of berries topped with yogurt and you can even skip dessert.