Aloha! Or maybe this time of the year, I should say, “Mele Kalikimaka!” No, I am not in Hawaii (sad face), but I did make quesadillas with crushed pineapple, so that is the next best thing, right? (wide-eyed face) To give a more accurate picture, I am currently sitting in my basement, listening to the “Mele Kalikimaka!” song as I create this post to get myself in the spirit. Do you want to get in the spirit too? You can listen to the song as you make these quesadillas, if you like! The “Mele Kalikimaka!”song is on YouTube here. (You’re welcome)
Have you ever had pineapple with shredded chicken and pinto beans? It’s good stuff! Add a little cheddar cheese, and oh my, yum! If you have never tried this combination before, you can with today’s recipe.
How to make shredded chicken.
I decided to use shredded chicken for these Aloha quesadillas. I mention this in the recipe, but I thought I would mention it here too. I have made shredded chicken three different ways over the years. Depending on how much time you have and what equipment you have in your kitchen, you can decided which cooking method works for you, the stove-top, slow cooker, or Instant Pot/pressure cooker. You can have similar results with all three methods, so there really is no right or wrong way to cook the chicken when it comes to this recipe.
Also, I mention shredding the chicken with two forks, but you could also use a food processor if that is easier or less time consuming for you.
What I did.
I cooked my chicken on the stove in a stockpot for this recipe and shredded the chicken with two forks. I measured and prepared the other ingredients while the chicken was cooking so I could multi-task and save time that way. Hope that helps someone.
How much cheese is enough cheese?
That is the question I asked myself with this recipe. I found that two tablespoons on each quesadilla was enough for me but you may decided you need more or less. As with most recipes on here, there is room for customizing the recipe to fit your tastes. Add more or less, as you see fit.
Speaking of customizing your recipe, how about some BBQ?
I debated making this “Aloha Barbecue Quesadillas” but opted not to so I could keep the points down. I still think it could have been great though. The idea was to skip the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, applesauce, Dijon mustard, and chili powder and replace all of those ingredients with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce. If you try it, please let us know how it turned out in the comments.
Alrighty, let’s get to this recipe…
Here is what you need:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (see recipe for instructions)
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple in 100% juice
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
8 Olé Xtreme Wellness High Fiber Low Carb 8 inch Wraps, or other 1 MyWW SP tortillas
1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
Cooking spray
Here is what you do:
Step one is to cook the chicken. There are three simple ways to cook chicken so it is tender enough that it can be shredded easily with 2 forks. You can use a stockpot, a slow cooker, or a pressure cooker.
1. On the stovetop. If using the stove, place chicken in a large stockpot and pour in approximately 1 inch of water; bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for 8 to 16 minutes, or until fully cooked and tender enough to shred with two forks.
2. In a slow cooker. If using a slow cooker, cook chicken 4 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on low in about 1-2 cups water.
3. In a pressure cooker/Instant Pot. If using an Instant Pot/pressure cooker, cook chicken with 1-2 cups water on HIGH pressure for 8 minutes, and then quick release the pressure after it is done cooking.
Heat oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeño to skillet and cook 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook 30-60 more seconds. (Aren’t green and purple together just the best, though? I love jalapeño and red onion together.)
Mix in shredded chicken, pinto beans, crushed pineapple, applesauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and chili powder with the vegetables. Cook until warm, about 3-4 minutes.
Scoop 1/2 cup of the mixture onto one half of each tortilla. Top with 2 tablespoons cheese.
Fold tortilla over the mixture, making a quesadilla. Carefully wipe the skillet with a wet paper towel (or just use a new skillet) and spray the skillet with cooking spray.
Set skillet back over medium heat and place 1 quesadilla in the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes on both sides, or until it is lightly browned and cheese is melted.
Repeat with remaining quesadillas.
Makes 8 quesadillas.
One quesadilla is 6 green, 4 blue, or 4 purple points.
Aloha Shredded Chicken Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (see recipe for instructions)
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
- 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple in 100% juice
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 8 Olé Xtreme Wellness High Fiber Low Carb 8 inch Wraps, or other 1 MyWW SP tortillas
- 1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Step one is to cook the chicken. There are three simple ways to cook chicken so it is tender enough that it can be shredded easily with 2 forks. You can use a stockpot, a slow cooker, or a pressure cooker. 1. On the stove-top. If using the stove, place chicken in a large stockpot and pour in approximately 1 inch of water; bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for 8 to 16 minutes, or until fully cooked and tender enough to shred with two forks. 2. In a slow cooker. If using a slow cooker, cook chicken 4 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on low in about 1-2 cups water. 3. In a pressure cooker/Instant Pot. If using an Instant Pot/pressure cooker, cook chicken with 1-2 cups water on HIGH pressure for 8 minutes, and then quick release the pressure after it is done cooking.
- Heat oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeño to skillet and cook 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook 30-60 more seconds.
- Mix in shredded chicken, pinto beans, crushed pineapple, applesauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and chili powder with the vegetables. Cook until warm, about 3-4 minutes.
- Scoop 1/2 cup of the mixture onto one half of each tortilla. Top with 2 tablespoons cheese. Fold tortilla over the mixture, making a quesadilla. Carefully wipe the skillet with a wet paper towel (or just use a new skillet) and spray the skillet with cooking spray. Set skillet back over medium heat and place 1 quesadilla in the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes on both sides, or until it is lightly browned and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.
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