Light & Easy Chicken Quesadillas

Light & Easy Chicken Quesadillas

Made with marinated chicken, refried beans, onions and peppers, these quesadillas are hearty and filling.
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Multigrain tortillas give this dish a fiber boost, while the chicken breast adds lean protein. You can make these chicken quesadillas ahead of time and freeze or refrigerate—just reheat them in the oven for about 20 minutes until the cheese melts.
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  • Total Time : 31 minutes
  • Prep Time : 15 minutes
  • Cook Time : 16 minutes
  • Servings : 4

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound precooked chicken breast, sautéed or roasted, cut into thin strips
  • 1 Tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/4 cup fat-free Italian vinaigrette
  • 1 Tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped, or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
  • 1 Tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 small red onion, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • 4 eight-inch multigrain tortillas
  • 1 heaping cup fat-free refried beans
  • 1 cup grated reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

variations

  • Substitute lean cooked pork or beef, or strips of sautéed portobello mushrooms, for the chicken.
 

Directions

step 1 Mix the chicken, lime juice, vinaigrette and cilantro together in a medium bowl or a 1-gallon Ziploc® Brand Slider Storage Bag with the Smart Zip™ Seal and set aside.
step 2 Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and pepper slices to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Once ready, set the onion and pepper slices aside in a plate or a bowl. Remove the skillet from the heat and wipe clean with a paper towel. To avoid burns, hold the paper towel with an oven mitt or a pair of tongs.
step 3 Spread a thin layer of refried beans over half of each open tortilla, following with the chicken, onion and pepper slices, and cheese. Fold each quesadilla in half so you have four half circles ready to be cooked.
step 4 Lightly spray the skillet with cooking spray and return the skillet to medium heat. Cook each quesadilla about 2 minutes per side, until the quesadilla is warmed through, the cheese is melted and the tortilla is lightly crisped. Keep warm in a low oven (about 200 degrees F) until all four quesadillas are cooked.

chef's notes

To dress up the quesadillas, serve with fat-free sour cream, guacamole and salsa.
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comments (33)
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recent comments
9/1/2010 , 
Sue  W.
Swap rinsed black beans for the refried beans for lower sodium.
8/14/2010 , 
marc  t.
I fixed this but instead of substituting with mushrooms i just added them. Nice
1/12/2010 , 
Ray  A.
I am a big fan of this dish and frequently enjoy the beef variation - it is amazing.

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 quesadilla
Serving Amount 4
Calories 400
Calories From Fat 130
Total Fat 14g
Saturated Fat 4.5g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 50mg
Sodium 1100mg
Total Carbohydrates 37g
Dietary Fiber 6g
Sugars 4g
Protein 28g
Nutritional information provided by
Compu-Food Analysis, Inc.
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