Chicken, Lunch, DinnerIris GohnGreek, Lemon, Lemon Chicken, Tortillas, Quesadillas, Pickled Red OnionsComment

Greek Chicken Quesadillas

Chicken, Lunch, DinnerIris GohnGreek, Lemon, Lemon Chicken, Tortillas, Quesadillas, Pickled Red OnionsComment
Greek Chicken Quesadillas
 
Greek Chicken Quesadillas

Rich, melty cheese, the garlicky,lemon punched chicken, and the tangy heat from pickled red onions make these Greek Chicken Quesadillas something extra special.

I cannot recall the moment I discovered my insane love for all things acidic and tangy.  Was it those neon green pickles that turned the tide for an illustrious affair of eventually drinking straight pickle juice from the jar?  Was it my Babcia’s Sauerkraut, deliciously fermented that caught my tastebuds?  Was it the sweetly lemony zing in a Vinaigrette that made me go back for more of those leafy greens?  Whatever the moment was, I staunchly can make a statement that acids and vinegars are most certainly among the top 2 flavors I could happily consume every meal, and in my opinion make almost any dish better for including them.

Lemon is probably my most favored acid to add into any savory or sweet dish.  It lends itself so beautifully to both sides, though if I am being completely translucent I prefer the flavor mostly in savory dishes, and adding it to balance out the sweetness in baked goods rather than inundate my tastebuds with a rich lemon curd.  While I adore pairing lemon with ginger, as in this chicken, I find myself drawn to the bold flavors of the Mediterranean, mixing lemon with punchy garlic and threaded with oregano.  To me, there is something incredibly tantalizing, homey, and just plain delicious about that classic combination.  One of my favorite incarnations of this flavor combo is in the marinade for these gyros, and those are spectacular because of the slightly unusual types of spices added.

Greek Chicken Quesadillas

As a simple lunch, you can top the Greek Chicken Quesadillas with a "Mediterranean Salsa" of cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, and some pickled red onions. 

When I want a classic Greek inspired Lemon Chicken Marinade, I turn to this buttermilk concoction I came up with.  While very straightforward with the seasonings used - the lemon, the garlic, the oregano, etc - the slight bit of underlying heat from the red pepper flakes enhances the lemon pepper seasoning and the combination of both the lemon juice and buttermilk give the chicken incredible flavor and juiciness when you grill them.  I love marinades, if you have not been able to tell, as it typically takes about 3 to 10 minutes to put together (depending on what needs to be thrown in the marinade itself and if you need to break down chicken/trim off the fatty bits) and the rest time in the fridge does all he magic of infusing the meat with incredible flavor.

Greek Chicken Quesadillas

The buttermilk and the lemon juice tenderize the chicken during the marinating time, so you end up with unbelievably juicy, tender chunks of chicken that are SO flavorful!

These Greek Chicken Quesadillas came together because of my love for this lemon chicken and these Pickled Red Onions.  As it is the cooler months here in the Southwest (I hear all of you rolling your eyes at me in the North and Midwest) I have slightly veered away from salads for now as the winter produce is geared toward root vegetables and who wants to eat salad when it is 30 degrees outside?  (Okay, really, it was much warmer than that today, but still.). While this chicken and those onions would be AMAZING in a Greek Salad, I have been drawn to more melty cheese, warm little tortillas, and thought, bring on the quesadillas!

I use my Simple Flour Tortillas, and layer the deliciously fragrant Lemon Chicken in-between melty slices of White American Cheese, sharp Feta Crumbles, thinly sliced sweet little tomatoes, and my zingy Pickled Red Onions.  The crisp tortillas crackle between your teeth even as the goo of the cheese starts to coat them.  A burst of drippy tomato and juicy, garlicky lemon chicken is next.  The richness of the cheeses are tempered by the acid in the lemon but the zing of the red onions is what really makes this quesadilla so very special. 

Greek Chicken Quesadillas

A squirt of fresh Lemon Juice is a delicious, light way to complement these Greek Chicken Quesadillas if you do not have hummus or Tzatziki sauce around.

For a girl that loves acids and vinegars so much, these Greek Chicken Quesadillas are perfect.  For a winter meal, you can serve them with some Tzatziki Sauce and Lemon Rice, or for a summer meal, you could serve them with a little mini Greek Salad.  As the Southwest is literally in limbo of where it wants to be, weather wise, one day I served them with salads, and the next, with rice.  They are also amazing with a bit of hummus schmehred on in addition to the Tzatziki Sauce.  Essentially, it is a win-win situation you’ve got going on with these little babies!

Greek Chicken Quesadillas

Crispy tortillas encase heart-stompingly delicious chicken, cheese, and some crazy delicious pickled red onions.

Greek Chicken Quesadillas

Author:  Iris Anna Gohn

Servings: 6 Quesadillas

These Greek Chicken Quesadillas are very straightforward to put together.  I highly, highly recommend taking the time to make your own flour tortillas as there is nothing quite like a fresh tortilla, however if you are crunched for time I recommend getting the store bought ones that are made with lard.  Same thing with the Pickled Red Onions - if you have the time I highly recommend you making them at home.  They store fantastically and you can use them in EVERYTHING, not just these quesadillas.  Once everything is ready to go, the cook time on the actual quesadilla is about 10 minutes, give or take, depending on how hot you have your pan and how toasty you like the quesadilla.

The Chicken can be used in any other Greek inspired dishes you desire.  As long as you use 1 1/2 pounds of chicken, you can sub chicken thigh meat, bone in chicken, etc.  If you use a different cut of chicken, please note the grill times I have listed are for the tenderloins only, and will not be accurate for a thicker cut of meat.  The internal temperature should be 165 for chicken.

Ingredients

For the Lemon Chicken Marinade:

  • 1 1/2 Pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Tenderloins
  • 1/2 Cup Buttermilk
  • 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic (2 large garlic cloves)
  • 1 1/2 Tsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning
  • 1 Tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt
  • 1/4 Tsp Fresh Cracked Pepper
  • 1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon

For the Quesadillas:

  • 12 Flour Tortillas (I used my Simple Flour Tortillas but store bought will do in a pinch)
  • Grilled Greek Chicken, sliced 
  • 1 pound Sliced White American Cheese
  • Feta Cheese Crumbles
  • Sliced Vine-Ripened Tomatoes
  • Pickled Red Onions

Directions

For the Lemon Chicken Marinade:

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, garlic, lemon pepper seasoning, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and the zest and juice of one lemon.  Take care not to get the seeds in the mixture.  Taste, and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
  2. Add the chicken tenderloins and use your hands to thoroughly coat each tender with the marinade.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours, up to 24.

To Grill the Lemon Chicken:

  1. Lightly grease a grill pan with cooking spray and heat over high heat until the oil is smoking.  If you flick a drop of water on the pan it will sizzle and evaporate immediately.  
  2. With Tongs, gently shake off any excess marinade from a chicken tenderloin and lay on the grill pan.  My grill pan comfortably fit 4 tenderloins - you do not want to overcrowd the pan as it will drop the pan temperature too much.
  3. Grill the tenderloins on high for 2 to 3 minutes, until the chicken easily comes up from the grill pan and has nice char marks on it.  While it is grilling do not move the chicken around, you want to develop a nice crust to seal all the juices in.  Flip the chicken, lower the neat to medium high, and grill for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through the center.  Internal temperature should be 165.
  4. Move grilled chicken to a plate and cover with aluminum foil while you finish the rest of the chicken.  Once all the chicken has been grilled, let sit for 10 minutes to let the meat rest and the juices redistribute throughout the meat before you slice it.
  5. After the chicken has rested, slice the tenders into 1 inch pieces.

For the Quesadillas:

  1. In a large Sauté pan, heat a tsp of olive oil or butter (if desired) over medium heat and place a tortilla in the pan.  Lay 2 slices of American cheese, then a sprinkle of Feta Cheese, a layer of the sliced Lemon Chicken.  Top with the tomatoes, a bit more Feta Cheese, and two more slices of American Cheese.  Top with another tortilla.
  2. Let the quesadilla cook on one side for about 3 to 5 minutes, allowing the bottom to get nice and browned and crisped.  Carefully flip the quesadilla over and cook the other side until browned.  Cheese will be beautifully melty.  Repeat and make as many quesadillas as you have ingredients for - we ended up with 6 quesadillas total.
  3. Slice the quesadillas with a pizza cutter and serve immediately.