Thank-you to everyone who commented so positively about the ~ Sweet Heat: Strawberry & Guajillo Chile Sauce ~ recipe, which can be found in Categories 6, 8, 13 or 22. In that recipe, I posted a picture of this sauce drizzled atop one of my favorite quesadillas (pictured here), which was the inspiration for the sauce recipe. When four of you e-mailed me this past weekend to ask where the recipe for the quesadilla chicken filling mixture could be found, then, one person contacted me with a detailed request for me to "please post the recipe for those scrumptious looking quesadillas", I figured I'd better "get on it", sit down and post the recipe. So, here it is:
Prepare the Strawberry and Guajillo Chile Sauce. These quesadillas go hand-in-hand with and are enhanced by this sauce. Prepare it as directed and set aside. The sauce can be prepared 1-3 days in advance of serving and stored in the refrigerator. Return to room temperature and gently reheat in the microwave prior to topping quesadillas. You'll have 2 1/2 cups!
For the dry spice blend:
2 tablespoons English mustard
2 tablespoons guajillo chile powder
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
4 tablespoons "Jane's Original Krazy Mixed-Up Salt", or sea salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
~ Step 1. In a 1-cup measuring container, combine all ingredients as listed. You will have 3/4 cup of spice blend.
Note: This amount of spice blend is about twice a much as you will need today (unless you are making a lot of quesadillas ). I like to put the spice rub in an ordinary, glass cheese shaker. It has large holes in the top, which makes it easy and mess-free to apply. I keep the container covered with plastic wrap and stored in my pantry to have on hand for more quesadillas!
For the quesadillas:
2 1/2 cups strawberry sauce (from above recipe), about 3-4 tablespoons per quesadilla
12-14 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, about 3-3 1/2 pounds, trimmed of any large pieces of fat
1/2 of spice blend, more or less (from above recipe), for seasoning thighs and onion saute
2 tablespoons corn oil, for sauteing onions
16 ounces peeled, halved and 1/4" sliced Vidalia onions
1 15-16-ounce can black beans, thoroughly rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups crumbled quesco fresco cheese (1 1/2 cups for mixing into meat mixture and 1 cup for topping quesadillas)
16, small, 6"-round flour tortillas
8 sliced and decoratively "fanned" fresh strawberries, for garnish (optional)
~ Step 1. Using a pair of kitchen shears, trim thighs of any large pieces of fat. Place them on a work surface that you don't want irreversibly stained. I place mine on the top of a clean kitchen can bag, which also makes cleanup really easy. Generously sprinkle the tops with spice blend. Set aside about 15-20 minutes.
~ Step 2. Place the chicken thighs on the grill grates over indirect heat. Close the lid and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes per side, turning only once. Do note overcook.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile:
~ Step 3. In a 12" skillet or a stir-fry type pan, place the corn oil. Prep the onions as directed, adding them to the skillet or pan as you work. Season the onions with 1 1/2-2 tablespoons of the spice blend. Over medium-high heat, saute until the onions are tender, but still slightly crunchy, about 5-6 minutes. Turn the heat off and stir in the black beans and queso fresco cheese. Set aside.
~ Step 4. Slice the chicken into 1/4"-1/2" strips. Add the chicken strips to the pan and stir them into the onion/bean/cheese mixture. Over medium-high heat, stir, just until mixture is steaming, about 1-3 minutes. Set aside.
~ Step 5. Gently reheat the sauce.
~ Step 6. Lightly grill the flour tortillas, just until grill marks appear, about 15-30 seconds per side.
To serve, on each of eight plates, portion, evenly distribute and sandwich the chicken mixture between two lightly grilled, warm, flour tortillas. Drizzle each quesadilla with warm strawberry sauce, top with a sprinkling of queso fresco cheese and garnish with a fresh strawberry:
Quesadillas: Grilled Guajillo Chile Chicken Thighs w/Vidalia Onions, Black Beans & Queso Fresco!!!: Recipe yields 8, 6" round quesadillas.
Special Equipment List: 1-cup measuring container; cutting board; chef's knife; 12" skillet or stir-fry type pan
Cook's Note: A bit about queso fresco cheese: This is a "real deal" cow's milk Mexican cheese which is common in authentic Tex/Mex dishes. It's a fresh cheese, similar to feta, with a shelf life of about 5 days. When placed on top of a dish, or stirred into it, it softens rather than melts, and, with enough heat becomes slightly creamy!
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2012)
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