Easy Chicken-Mushroom Quesadillas

I just tried this out tonight and my mom and I loved them! I didn't have any cumin, however, so I can imagine adding it would make it even better.

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 12
Cook Time: 16
Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)

8 ounces white button mushrooms (about 3 cups)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups cooked chopped skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 cups baby spinach leaves, sliced into ribbons

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

1 cup shredded Mexican or Cheddar cheese

Topping:

1/2 cup salsa

1/4 sour cream

Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushroom water is evaporated and they begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add chicken, cumin, chili powder and oregano and stir until all spices are incorporated. Add spinach, salt and pepper and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Lay 1 tortilla on a flat work surface and sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Spoon 1/4 chicken and vegetable mixture on top of cheese, then top with an additional 1/4 cup cheese. Top with another flour tortilla. Heat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Carefully place 1 quesadilla in a pan and cook a few minutes. Using a large spatula, flip the quesadilla and cook a few more minutes (just like grill cheese sandwiches :)

Homemade Salsa

This is a recipe I got from a dear friend here named Joy. It is our favorite Salsa recipe and so easy and cheap to make!

In food processor blend:
28 oz. can diced tomatoes into smaller pieces, but not puree. Pour into a bowl.
Add:
1/2 - 3/4 cup finely diced onion (I prefer sweet like Vidalia or Spanish, but I've also used yellow or white)
1/3 - 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro ( I buy a bunch at Wal-mart and use approx. 1/2 of the leaves for one can of tomatoes) Note: it is not necessary to pick all the leaves off the stems, just chop a good bunch off the top leaving the majority of the stems on the bottom.
3-4 finely diced jalapenos (If you don't want it hot, use 3 and remove all the seeds, if you want it hotter, use 4 and add as many of the seeds as you like)
Season liberally with salt and garlic powder, approx. 1+ tsp. each. Add about 1/4 tsp black pepper.
(I do all of this in the food processor so it is really easy!)
NOTE: When cutting the peppers, even to just to remove the seeds to put into the processor, wear rubber gloves . . . . otherwise everything you touch will be on fire!!

Hope you enjoy!

By the way, if you're making Guacamole on the same night that you are serving the salsa, it's super easy to just mash the avocados and mix in some of the salsa for a fast guacamole.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas
You can layer this instead of rolling it, similar to the burrito casserole below.
20 large gluten-free tortillas (I bake about 8 enchiladas and freeze the rest)
chicken mixture:
breast meat from one roasted chicken, or two large chicken breasts
1 large onion
4 c spinach, chopped
Yogurt mixture:
32 oz whole milk plain yogurt (or use sour cream)
2 c salsa (your heat preference)
dash pepper
dash salt
1 1/2 tsp chili powder (more or less, to taste)
20 + oz shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack
Tomato Sauce Topping:
8 oz tomato sauce
8 oz salsa
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
dash salt
Spread the chicken mixture (make sure you divide it up into about 20 portions) on the tortillas; spoon some yogurt sauce over the chicken; sprinkle on some cheese (or you can cut the cheese into 1 oz slices and lay it on top); roll up and put in baking dish; pour sauce over top and sprinkle on more cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes
You can also freeze these individually (without sauce on top) on a cookie sheet. Then wrap them individually and put in a freezer bag. Thaw, top and bake.