Chicken Quesadilla

Method

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1. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high and cook the onion and pepper 6 minutes until softened and lightly charred at the edges.

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2. Add the cumin, paprika, oregano and salt and stir 30 seconds, then fold in the chicken and lime juice and take off the heat. Stir through the coriander.

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3. Wipe the pan clean and set it over medium heat, dry.

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4. Lay a tortilla in the pan, scatter a quarter of the cheese over the whole surface, then spread a quarter of the filling over one half only.

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5. Fold the bare half over and press flat with a spatula.

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6. Cook 2 to 3 minutes a side, pressing occasionally, until both sides are blistered and brown and the cheese has run to the edges.

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7. Slide onto a board and rest 1 minute before cutting into wedges — cut it straight away and the filling slides out.

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8. Repeat with the rest, and serve with soured cream, salsa and guacamole.

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Chef’s Tips

• Grate your own cheese. The anti-caking starch on pre-grated cheese stops it flowing properly.
• Cheese first, against the tortilla, always. This is the entire structural principle.
• A dry pan, not an oiled one. Oil makes it greasy without making it crisper.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Guacamole and pico de gallo
• A cold Mexican lager
• Charred corn salad

Storage & Reheating

Best immediately. Refrigerated for 2 days; reheat in a dry pan for 3 minutes a side rather than the microwave.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.