I’ve had a taste for Mexican-inspired food lately, so when this popped up in my Google Reader, I knew it was going to be dinner sometime soon.  Corrie and I both liked this one, but I do have a few changes to make for the next time I make it.  First, Elly made it as two whole tortillas and then flipped them over, well…I lost a chunk of filling and made a big mess on my stove when I did this, so next time I think I’m going to use one tortilla and fold it over on itself and that way I’ll have one side that’s closed instead of all “sides” of the circle being open and subject to losing its filling too many ways for me to control.  Have I mentioned I like to have control over situations? Yeah…well…I’m working that.

Black Bean, Corn, & Chicken Quesadillas

Adapted from: elly says opa.

  • 2 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 1/3 c.  onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeno – seeds and ribs removed, diced
  • 1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded (I cooked ours with fajita seasoning and cubed it, but next time I think I’m going to shred it so the cheese can glue things together better.)
  • 1/4 cup water or broth
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano
  • 1 c. black beans
  • 2 ears corn, cooked or roasted and removed from the cob
  • 2 Tbsp. cream cheese
  • 1 c. sharp cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, shredded (originally only a 1/2 cup is called for – HA!  I don’t think so! I probably would have put more but that’s all I had…)
  • Flour tortillas

Heat 1 Tbsp. of the canola oil in a large skillet; then add the onion and saute until translucent.  Add the garlic and jalapeno, and once you smell the garlic, add chicken, water, oregano, chili powder, black beans, and cumin.  Then bring the mixture to a light boil, and once it reaches one; reduce the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Take the skillet off the heat, and add in the corn and cream cheese.

In a separate pan or on a griddle, add a 1/2 Tbsp. of oil and heat over medium-high.  Put a quarter of the black bean/corn mixture and a quarter of the cheese on 1/2 of the tortilla.  Fold the empty half of the tortilla on top of the mixture.  Place a tortilla in the pan once the oil is hot, and cook until browned on the bottom.  Then, flip and cook until browned on the second side, and repeat until you’ve used up your mixture.