Spiced Chicken, Cheddar and Jack Quesadillas with Pickled Jalapeños
By Joe
Source: NYT Cooking and America's Test Kitchen.
Spiced chicken breasts are pan-cooked to 74 °C and shredded, mixed with two cheeses, jalapeños and spring onions, then folded into tortillas and cooked until crisp.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Cook the chicken. Rub the breasts with the oil, chilli powder and cumin. Cook in the pan over medium heat for 5-6 minutes per side until 74 °C in the thickest part. Rest 5 minutes, shred with two forks and wipe out the pan.
- 2
Mix the filling. Toss the chicken with both cheeses, the jalapeños and spring onions in the bowl.
- 3
Fill. Scatter a quarter of the filling over one half of each tortilla, leaving a 1 cm border, and fold over, pressing gently.
- 4
Heat up. Put the rack on its tray in a 100 °C (80 °C fan) oven. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the pan over medium heat.
- 5
Cook. Cook 2 quesadillas for 2-3 minutes until crisp and golden underneath, then flip and cook 2 minutes more until the cheese has melted and the filling is piping hot. Keep warm on the rack and repeat with the remaining oil.
- 6
Serve. Cut each into 3 wedges and serve with soured cream and lime wedges.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers within 1 hour and eat within 3 days. Reheat in a dry pan until piping hot (74 °C).
Why this label?
39.1 g protein for 609 kcal = 6.4 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 26% of the energy. High protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the condition in the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
EU nutrition claims
- Low sugars: 2 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 156 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
1.7 g per serving
3.4 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 6.8 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- large non-stick frying pan (at least 26 cm)
- instant-read thermometer
- two forks
- box grater
- large bowl
- wide fish slice (spatula)
- wire rack set on a baking tray
Nutrition per serving Calculated from USDA FoodData Central
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 609 kcal |
| Protein | 39.1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 32.8 g |
| of which sugars | 3.1 g |
| of which free sugars | 1.7 g |
| Fat | 35.5 g |
| of which saturates | 12.7 g |
| Fibre | 2.1 g |
| Salt | 1.94 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
6.4 g meets High protein (≥ 5 g per 100 kcal = 20% of energy, and ≥ 10 g per serving)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
