Easy Chicken Fajita Black Bean Quesadillas

Fiesta Fiesta! I wish I'd shared this recipe with you last weekend before Cinco de Mayo, but the truth is,   I'd eat Mexican-inspired food any day of the week.

This recipe is super easy and super adaptable, and a great way to use up leftovers. Flour tortillas and  shredded cheese can become a vehicle for leftover bits of vegetables, meat, or a can of beans.

My favorite cheese for quesadillas, however is pepper jack. It has a little kick and melts really well.  If you can, shred your own cheese. The pre-shredded stuff doesn't melt nearly as well.

These are fajita quesadillas because of the addition of sautéed onions and peppers. It takes a little extra time to sauté the veggies, but to me, it's worth it for the sweetness and brightness they add. 

Once the onions and peppers have softened a little, you add zee chicken.

And then zee beans.

Then, you can pour the fajita mixture onto a separate plate and use the same pan to make the quesadillas. Add a little butter or olive oil and then a tortilla. I like to add the cheese first, followed by the fajita mixture. Fold over the other half of the tortilla and cook for a minute or so on each side until browned.  You're done!

Any leftover quesadillas won't be quite as crispy the next day when reheated in the microwave, but they're still tasty. You can also keep the fajita mixture separate and make more quesadillas the following day.  Now I'm actually envisioning a breakfast version with scrambled eggs instead of chicken.  Endless possibilities!

Now that you know how to make quesadillas, here are some links for your Sunday reading: 

• My friend Erin, who guest-posted her crock pot cranberry sauce here a couple months ago, recently wrote an inspiring post on Treble in the Kitchen about how she found a healthier balance with exercise and nutrition after suffering a serious leg injury.
• Best.news.ever. Cheese as the secret to a longer life and faster metabolism.
• A deeper look at why we're happy on Fridays and depressed on Mondays.
• I can't wait to make these waffles.
• Overwhelmed by the produce section at the grocery store? Check out this May produce guide.
• So many takeaways from this article.   Freshmen year of college is hard.  Instagram is not real life! Don't compare your daily life to other people's filtered images on social media.  We need more awareness and acceptance around mental illness. Never be afraid to reach out for help. 
• I thought I couldn't love Stephen Colbert any more, but then he did this.
• Beautiful illustrations of what love looks like. The last image is my favorite. 

Have a lovely weekend and make some quesadillas! Oh, and give your mom a hug!

Easy Chicken Fajita Black Bean Quesadillas

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin'
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 red peper, diced
1/2 yellow pepper, diced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 cup shredded monterrey jack cheese
5-6 whole wheat flour tortillas

Directions:
Add the chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to a large ziploc bag or plastic container. Set aside to marinate in the fridge for anywhere from 10 minutes to 12 hours.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add diced onions. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until soft and slightly translucent. Add red and yellow pepper and cook for two minutes more.

Meanwhile, remove chicken breasts from marinade and chop into bite-sized pieces.  Push onions and peppers to the outer rim of the saucepan.  Add chicken to the pan, and a little more olive oil, if needed. Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes or until no longer pink.

Add beans and cumin to the pan.  Cook for another couple minutes, or until beans are heated through.  Pour chicken/vegetable/bean mixture onto a separate plate.  If there are lots of bit and pieces stuck to the pan, carefully wipe it out with a paper bowl or rag. Otherwise, add another tablespoon of butter or olive oil and bring heat to medium high.

Begin by placing a flour tortilla in the pan.  Sprinkle a handful of cheese on on half of the tortilla. Then add a spoonful of the chicken/vegetable/bean mixture. Gently fold over the other half of the tortilla. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until tortilla is flecked with brown spots and the cheese is nice and melted.

If not serving immediately, keep finished quesadillas warm in a 200 degree oven.


Suggested Toppings:

• salsa
• guacamole
• cilantro
• sour cream