Name: Chicken and Cheese Quesadilla
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 500 g skinless chicken thigh fillets; 2.5 tbsp olive oil (divided: 1 tbsp for the chicken, 1 tbsp for the vegetables, 1/2 tbsp for frying); 1 small onion, cut into thin wedges; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 small red pepper, diced; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp salt; 2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp paprika; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper (optional); 6 wheat tortillas, about 20 cm; 100 g Cheddar, grated; 100 g Monterey Jack, grated; 150 g sweetcorn (drained from a can, or thawed frozen corn); 20 g fresh coriander, roughly chopped; 4 tbsp mayonnaise; 2 tsp pickled jalapeños from a jar, finely chopped; 2 tsp pickling liquid from the jalapeño jar; 0.75 tsp sugar; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp paprika; 1 pinch cayenne pepper; 1 pinch garlic powder; 1 pinch salt

Preparation

For the sauce, stir the mayonnaise, jalapeños with their liquid, sugar, cumin, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder and salt until smooth.
Combine the spices for the spice mix. Coat the chicken with a tablespoon of oil and rub the mixture all over it.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan over high heat, fry the onion and garlic for 2 minutes, add the pepper and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the remaining half tablespoon of oil to the pan and fry the chicken over medium heat for about 3 minutes until deep golden brown, turn and cook for a further 3 minutes until done. Rest for 2 minutes, dice and mix into the vegetables.
Mix the two cheeses. Top one half of a tortilla with cheese, some of the chicken filling, sweetcorn and coriander, and finish with more cheese; spread a spoonful of sauce on the empty half and fold the tortilla over.
Preheat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat without any fat. Place the quesadilla in, press down lightly, and cook with a lid on for about 3 minutes until golden and crisp, then turn and cook for another 3 minutes without the lid. Cook all the quesadillas this way, one after another.
Cut each quesadilla into pieces and serve immediately, with the remaining sauce on the side.

Drink with it

Pale lager · excellent match
Mexican lager, ice cold
The light, sparkling lager is Mexico's everyday companion: carbonation clears the melted cheese off the palate, and little bitterness lets the cumin and coriander shine.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?
IPA · excellent match
American IPA, well chilled
Citrus hops meet coriander and jalapeño, the bitterness cuts through Cheddar and mayonnaise, and the cheese in turn softens the bitterness.
What Is an IPA? Hop Aroma with Many Faces
Tequila blanco · good match
Blanco tequila as a highball with lime and soda, over ice
Peppery, green agave and lime suit coriander and cumin, while ice and soda keep each sip light next to the rich cheese.
Tequila Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo: what aging changes

Preparation

For the sauce, stir the mayonnaise, jalapeños with their liquid, sugar, cumin, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder and salt until smooth.
Combine the spices for the spice mix. Coat the chicken with a tablespoon of oil and rub the mixture all over it.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan over high heat, fry the onion and garlic for 2 minutes, add the pepper and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the remaining half tablespoon of oil to the pan and fry the chicken over medium heat for about 3 minutes until deep golden brown, turn and cook for a further 3 minutes until done. Rest for 2 minutes, dice and mix into the vegetables.
Mix the two cheeses. Top one half of a tortilla with cheese, some of the chicken filling, sweetcorn and coriander, and finish with more cheese; spread a spoonful of sauce on the empty half and fold the tortilla over.
Preheat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat without any fat. Place the quesadilla in, press down lightly, and cook with a lid on for about 3 minutes until golden and crisp, then turn and cook for another 3 minutes without the lid. Cook all the quesadillas this way, one after another.
Cut each quesadilla into pieces and serve immediately, with the remaining sauce on the side.

Drink with it

Pale lager · excellent match
Mexican lager, ice cold
The light, sparkling lager is Mexico's everyday companion: carbonation clears the melted cheese off the palate, and little bitterness lets the cumin and coriander shine.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?
IPA · excellent match
American IPA, well chilled
Citrus hops meet coriander and jalapeño, the bitterness cuts through Cheddar and mayonnaise, and the cheese in turn softens the bitterness.
What Is an IPA? Hop Aroma with Many Faces
Tequila blanco · good match
Blanco tequila as a highball with lime and soda, over ice
Peppery, green agave and lime suit coriander and cumin, while ice and soda keep each sip light next to the rich cheese.
Tequila Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo: what aging changes

Chicken and Cheese Quesadilla

Preparation

Drink with it

Mexican lager, ice cold

American IPA, well chilled

Blanco tequila as a highball with lime and soda, over ice

This pairs well too.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Alsatian Flammkuchen (tarte flambée)

Beer Can Chicken (Barbecued Chicken on a Beer Can)

Buffalo Chicken Wings

Chicken and Cheese Quesadilla

Preparation

Drink with it

Mexican lager, ice cold

American IPA, well chilled

Blanco tequila as a highball with lime and soda, over ice

This pairs well too.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Alsatian Flammkuchen (tarte flambée)

Beer Can Chicken (Barbecued Chicken on a Beer Can)

Buffalo Chicken Wings