So I think I may have been a bit overzealous with my new “feel your fears” mentality. I was feeling all amped to step out of my comfort zone and try new things that I didn’t account for the fact that sometimes a little research can actually be beneficial. You see, these Sweet Potato and Pesto Chicken Quesadillas were actually supposed to be pulled pork enchiladas….I’ll explain.
I have an irrational fear of pork. I love the taste of pulled pork, but truth be told I didn’t try it until a few years ago. My best guess would be that growing up in a home where we didn’t eat pork or ham and only turkey bacon caused me to develop negative associations with these meats. And then I grew up and ditched my house rules and discovered that when done well, pork tastes great. So I decided to dream big and throw some pork in the slow-cooker for my first attempt at pulled pork.
When I woke up the next morning to check on my loins, I was displeased to discovered they were burnt to a crisp. So I had to wing it for dinner and these came out so great that I did the fastest photo-shoot of all time (can you tell?) before running out the door to a Kewaza demo. I looked fear in the face and failed, but clearly I failed for a reason otherwise I may never have made these beauties!
Sweet Potato Pesto Chicken Quesadillas
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Keywords: cook entree gluten-free sweet potatoes chicken
Ingredients (Serves: 3)
- 6 gluten-free tortillas (I used Udi’s)
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup pesto (I used store-bought)
- 1 sweet potato, chopped and diced
- 1 1/2 cups grated cheese (about 3-4 oz pre-grated)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Add diced sweet potato to a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet and spray with coconut or olive oil.
3. Bake for 25 mins.
4. While sweet potato is baking, add chicken breasts to a large pot and fill with water until chicken is covered with 1 inch of water.
5. Bring water to a boil and once boiling, lower heat to a simmer and partially cover with lid. Let simmer for 10 mins.
6. Remove chicken from water and shred with two forks.
7. Place chicken in a large bowl and add pesto. Stir until all chicken is coated.
8. Once sweet potato is ready, take a 1/3 of it and place on one tortilla. Using the back of a fork mash sweet potato to make a thin layer.
9. Add 1/2 cup of chicken and top with 1/2 cup of grated cheese. Cover with another tortilla.
10. Repeat to make 2 other quesadillas.
11. Place 1 tortilla at a time in a large pan and cook over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes or until cheese has begun to melt. Flip and cook for another 2 mins.
12. Repeat for two other quesadillas.
13. Serve warm or store in refrigerator for several days.
Do you have a recent failure turned success? Any irrational food fears?
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52 Comments
Amanda
February 23, 2014 at 9:50 amI don’t like cooking meat PERIOD. I’m a vegetarian and I don’t mind when other people EAT meat… I just can’t stand cooking it – BLECH!
Kim @ Hungry Healthy Girl
February 23, 2014 at 9:26 amLooks like the fastest photo shoot went great and now I want these quesadillas for lunch! They sound terrific!
Kelly @ Kelly Runs for Food
February 23, 2014 at 9:17 amYum, these look awesome! I’ll try just about anything at least once so I can’t think of any food fears!
Amy @ Long Drive Journey
February 23, 2014 at 9:13 amThese look delicious!! And I love that I don’t have to make the tortilla and pesto from scratch! This looks like a really simple and easy meal that I think I’ll be making next week for lunch 🙂
Morganne @ Nut Butter Runner
February 23, 2014 at 9:00 amDo you realize how much I love sweet potatoes…annnd pesto?? Such a great combo!
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
February 26, 2014 at 9:59 pmI definitely knew you liked sweet potato 😉
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles
February 23, 2014 at 8:27 amwell, failure worked out pretty well for you in this case 😉 I say you need to try pulled pork again though…because that stuff is too amazing not to have around.
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
February 26, 2014 at 9:59 pmI definitely need to try again!!
Amanda @ .running with spoons.
February 23, 2014 at 8:05 amYeast… always and forever yeast. I want to make bread, pizza dough, and cinnamon buns, but yeast intimidates me. I successfully made cinnamon buns -once- but it was completely stressful and I’m not quite sure I’m ready to subject myself to that again 😆
Tina Muir
February 23, 2014 at 7:42 amThose look AHHHHmazing!!!! I love all of the ingredients in there, you have blown my mind with the combination! I am so glad you ended up with this! I want it right now! Perfect recovery fuel too! Thanks!
Kim @ BusyBod
February 23, 2014 at 7:33 amI still think the pictures are gorgeous, thrown together or otherwise. 🙂
meredith @ The Cookie ChRUNicles
February 23, 2014 at 7:20 amI grew up without ham and pork chops as well and to this day, have never had either one!
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
February 26, 2014 at 9:58 pmStill haven’t tried ham! Don’t really have the desire..
Jan @ Sprouts n Squats
February 23, 2014 at 5:23 amNom to this recipe! Your recipe failures still look amazing to me 🙂
I don’t think it is a food fear more of a food opinion about choc and mint always staying their separate ways but you knew that one already 😉
Arman @ thebigmansworld
February 23, 2014 at 5:19 amLOL…dude we’re twinning, I grew up with the ‘no pork rule’ with mum being Muslim but I still ate it out and bought bacon once I moved out too 😉
This quesadilla is stuffed with all my favourites…except the sweet potatoes. But for you, I’d face that…rational food fear. 😉
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
February 26, 2014 at 9:57 pmew bacon.