Cheesy Hidden Veggie Chicken Quesadillas

• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup finely chopped bell peppers (red, yellow, or green)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped spinach or kale
• 1/4 cup finely minced onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 medium flour tortillas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter for cooking
• Optional: sour cream and mild salsa for serving

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, chopped bell peppers, chopped spinach (or kale), minced onion, and garlic.
2. Add chili powder, ground cumin, and salt to the chicken-vegetable mixture. Stir well to evenly distribute the spices.
3. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and add a teaspoon of olive oil or butter.
4. Place one tortilla in the skillet and spread about 1/4 of the chicken and veggie mixture evenly over half of the tortilla.
5. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling and gently press down with a spatula.
6. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Add more oil or butter if needed when flipping quesadillas.
7. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling, adjusting heat as needed to avoid burning.
8. Once cooked, let quesadillas cool slightly before cutting into wedges. Serve warm with optional sour cream and mild salsa.

Chef tips

• To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the flour tortillas with gluten-free or corn tortillas, though corn tortillas might be a bit more delicate to work with.
• If your kids dislike certain veggies, finely chop or puree them so the texture blends into the cheese and chicken filling.
• Use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken to save time.
• For extra melty quesadillas, cover the skillet with a lid briefly while cooking to trap the heat and help the cheese melt evenly.