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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?
For the record – that cross section photo of that quesadilla with its filling shown should be given an NC-17 rating – so scrumptious! I am using pesto in my next quesadilla ofr sure!
hahahaha Please don’t report me…
These look AMAZING D!
Um, no I cannot tell this was the fastest photo shoot of all time because these quesadillas still look good! Bummer about the pulled pork btw >:O
I’ll have to give it another shot!
Haha!! Never do my recipe failures ever turn to success. These look perfect and I always love your photography!
What? Why aren’t these in my life yet. Seriously. As for irrational food fears Im going to go with full fat cheese. Seriously I know it tastes so much better but I can’t seem to stop buying the part skim. Oh well I will get past it.
Oh Lyric full fat cheese really is so much better! When I eat cheese I go for the good stuff 😉
Brilliant idea! I love pesto and sweet potatoes and while I have eaten pesto on sweet potatoes before have never thought of combining it in a quesadilla. I am making this next time I make pesto!
I never thought to pair sweet potato and pesto. What a great idea!
Thank you!!!
My failures never turn into successes… they just end up with the food in the garbage and me making a tuna sandwich for dinner hahaha. These look fantastic though! I love pesto and I love sweet potatoes, but I’ve never thought to combine the two.
I CAN’T WAIT to try these. All of my favorites, sweet potatoes, pesto and cheese… rolled into one?! Um, I’m sold. Great blog by the way!
Thanks Kaitlyn!!! So sweet of you to say 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
I’d say the risk yielded a delicious-looking reward! I am really digging the sweet potato + pesto combo.