BBQ Chicken Quesadillas, Revisited

8/10/09: My little sister is turning out to be a mini me. We do look alike, but the real resemblance is our passion for food. She's recently taken to cooking and I'm thrilled to have another aspiring chef in the family! Katelyn came to stay last week and I knew that these quesadillas are one of her favorite finds on my blog, so I decided to revisit them. I had forgotten how dang good they are! Perhaps I should be crowned the quesadilla queen. They are a staple lunch or quick fix dinner in our house. I have so many more ideas...I'll keep them coming!

1/29/09: Our quesadilla maker falls into that category of random wedding gifts quickly forgotten about and shoved into the back corner of the pantry. I make quesadillas often, but I could never be bothered to actually use the thing. The stove (or even microwave I regret) usually did the job. But lately, being on this creative cooking kick, I decided to give it a try. And now I'm hooked! Honestly, a quesadilla maker is not necessary, so unless you have money to spare don't bother buying one. But if you're like me and have one lying around- take the time to get acquainted. The Santa Fe Quesadilla maker is great for two reasons: First, you don't have to flip your quesadilla mid-way through cooking, risking loosing half of the filling, and second, it makes a very pretty quesadilla. The beauty of it is what really converted me. It leaves those little indented grill lines, which are perfect for slicing along, creating six identical triangles! As for taste...well, this recipe is going to be tasty any way you make it!

Barbecue Chicken Quesadillas

INGREDIENTS

whole wheat flour tortillas

chicken, cooked and diced

bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

tomatoes, diced

red onion, diced

your favorite bbq sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat quesadilla maker or nonstick skillet to medium heat.

2. Coat your chicken with desired amount of barbecue sauce.

3. Top one tortilla first with cheese, then chicken, bacon, tomatoes, and onion, and more cheese. Place second tortilla on top.

4. Cook until browned and crispy, and the cheese is all melted. If you are using a skillet you will have to flip it halfway through.

5. Remove quesadilla from pan and place on a cutting board to slice. (Pizza cutters work well.)

Serve with your choice of guacamole, sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce, or more BBQ sauce for dipping.

(Adapted from Blog Chef)