Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas with Smashed White Beans, Corn Salsa, Tomato Watermelon Salsa and Watermelon Mint Drink
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 4
- Total: 1 hr 25 min
- Prep: 35 min
- Inactive: 15 min
- Cook: 35 min
Ingredients
Chipotle Chicken:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons adobo sauce
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, ground
2 chipotle peppers in canned adobo sauce, chopped
3 cups shredded chicken (left over from a roasted chicken)
5 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with string
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Smashed White Beans:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 onion, diced
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh sage
One 12-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Corn Salsa:
3 cobs of corn, husked
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 small red pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 English cucumber, seeded and diced
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, stems finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped
1/4 medium red onion, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tomato Watermelon Salsa:
1 cup diced watermelon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro stems and leaves
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 green onions, finely sliced
Zest and juice of 1 lime
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Watermelon Mint Drink:
1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons to rim the glass
1/2 bunch fresh mint
8 cups chopped watermelon
2 limes, 1 cut in half, 1 into quarters for garnish
8 ice cubes
Quesadillas:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 package soft tortilla shells
One 8 to 10-ounce wheel of Brie, cut into long pieces
2 cups shredded aged white Cheddar
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
Directions
- For the chipotle chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Add the cider vinegar, adobo sauce, molasses, coriander and chipotle peppers and stir until incorporated. Stir in the chicken and thyme, season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat and set aside.
- For the smashed white beans: Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the sage, stir to incorporate and add the white beans. Cook together until the beans are warmed. Remove from the heat and smash with a potato masher or fork. Season with chipotle chili powder, salt and pepper and set aside.
- For the corn salsa: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Place the corn on the grill and cook until the corn is tender and charred, 8 to10 minutes. Cut the kernels off the cobs and place in a bowl. Add the olive oil, jalapeno, red peppers, cucumber, cilantro and red onion. Season with salt and pepper, toss and set aside.
- For the tomato watermelon salsa: Place the watermelon, cilantro, tomatoes, green onions, lime zest and lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, toss and set aside.
- For the watermelon mint drink: Place 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar in a small pot, bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Add the mint to the pot, allow to sit and infuse syrup for about 15 minutes. Allow the syrup to cool. Strain and discard the mint. Place the mint syrup in the fridge until cold.
- Place half the watermelon in a blender with the lime juice and simple syrup. Puree and pour over a fine strainer into a large pitcher. Repeat with the remaining chopped watermelon and place in the fridge until chilled.
- Place the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar on a plate. Rim the tops of glasses with a lime wedge and press into the sugar to garnish. Place the ice cubes and watermelon mint drink in the glasses, garnish with lime quarters and enjoy!
- To assemble the chipotle chicken quesadillas: Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron pan or large saute pan over medium heat. Place desired combinations of smashed white beans, chipotle chicken and cheeses on half of a tortilla. Fold the tortilla over and place in the heated pan. Cook until crispy and golden, about 5 minutes, then flip and repeat on the other side. Remove from the pan and enjoy with tomato watermelon salsa, corn salsa and watermelon mint drink.