Healthy Chicken Mushroom Quesadillas

In an effort to get back on track, I went in search of healthy recipes and found this one in the new cookbook I got for Christmas. It’s by Ellie Krieger, called So Easy. The pictures looked mouth watering, so I decided to try it. These were absolutely delicious! They had a nutty flavor and were hearty and so satisfying. I couldn’t believe they were good for me! She does call for spinach leaves, but I opted to leave these out as I didn’t have any on hand. They were still wonderful. These are definitely going into our regular rotation! After making these, I also spotted them on Chef Mommy’s blog, so check her’s out too. Another thing, I also made the chicken ahead of time to make this quicker, but you could also get one of the rotisserie chickens at the grocery and use that to save time too.

Healthy Chicken Mushroom Quesadillas
Source: So Easy by Ellie Krieger, recipe also on foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:
Cooking Spray
1 large onion, chopped
8 ounces white button or baby bella mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chopped skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups baby spinach leaves, sliced into ribbons (if desired)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4 (10-inch) whole-grain flour tortillas
1 cup shredded 2 % four cheese blend or sharp cheddar
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Directions:
Prepare chicken ahead of time. Spray chicken with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes, until cooked through. Cool & regfrigerate until ready to use.

For Quesadillas:
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray, place over a medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushroom water is evaporated and they begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add chicken, cumin, chili powder and oregano and stir until all spices are incorporated. Add spinach (if desired), salt and pepper and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Lay 1 tortilla on a flat work surface and on one half of the tortilla, sprinkle 2 tablespoons shredded cheese. Spoon 1/4 chicken mixture on top of cheese, then top with an additional 2 tablespoons cheese. Fold the tortillas over into half-moons, pressing down lightly to seal them closed.

Heat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Carefully place 2 quesadillas in pan, turning once, until lightly browned and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with two remaining quesadillas. Slice each quesadilla into quarters. Place 2 quarters on a plate with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 2 tablespoons salsa.