afoona
Homemade Cheese and Chicken Quesadilla
Pastries

Homemade Cheese and Chicken Quesadilla with homemade pita bread

A crisp quesadilla with melted cheese, spiced chicken and peppers – a quick, filling meal kids love

⏱ 3 hr 3 min🍽 8 servings 🌍 Mediterranean👩‍🍳 Afoona

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade pita bread ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

  1. 1
    Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
    Bowl
  2. 2
    Add the lukewarm water and olive oil and Knead about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, pliable and doesn't stick to your hands.
    BowlStand mixer
    💡For yeast dough, use the windowpane test: a small piece stretches into a thin, translucent sheet without tearing, and that's the sign the kneading is done. Add flour only by the tablespoon, and only if the dough is still sticky after a few minutes: too much flour makes a tough dough.
  3. 3
    Cover and Let rise about an hour in a warm place, until the dough doubles in size.
    Plastic wraporKitchen towel
    💡Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot. The dough is ready when it has doubled, and a gentle finger press leaves a dent that fills back slowly; if it springs right back, wait longer.
  4. 4
    Preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F), with an upside-down baking sheet inside, for at least half an hour.
    Oven
    💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
  5. 5
    Divide the dough into 10 balls and roll each ball into a circle about ½ cm thick.
    Rolling pin
    💡Don't roll too thin: in a round half a centimeter thick or more, the steam in the dough puffs it into a pocket; a round that's too thin dries into a cracker.
    💡Dough that springs back needs rest: cover the balls for 10 minutes and the gluten relaxes.
  6. 6
    Cover the rounds with a towel and let rest 15 minutes.
    Kitchen towel
  7. 7
    Bake on the hot baking sheet, 3–4 pitas at a time, 3–5 minutes, until the pitas puff into a pocket and take on a little color.
    OvenBaking sheet
    💡Full heat and a scorching-hot baking sheet are what make the pocket: in an oven that isn't hot enough, the pita bakes flat.
    💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
  8. 8
    Wrap immediately in a towel, so the pitas stay soft.
    Kitchen towel

For the Hot Sandwich

  1. 9
    Season the chicken with the paprika, cumin, salt and black pepper.
  2. 10
    Arrange the yellow cheese, chicken, red pepper and scallions over half of each Pita and fold each Pita into a half-moon and press lightly.
  3. 11
    Heat a large pan over medium heat and heat a little of the olive oil in it.
    StoveFrying pan
  4. 12
    Grill the quesadillas one at a time, 3–4 minutes per side, pressing lightly, until each one is golden on both sides and the cheese melts.
    StoveFrying panSilicone spatula
    💡Medium heat, not high: the bread browns at the same pace the cheese melts, while over high heat it burns outside before the cheese inside melts.
  5. 13
    Cut into slices and serve with the sour cream.
    KnifeCutting board
289calories
18 gprotein
22 gcarbs
14 gfat
● protein 25%● carbs 31%● fat 44%

Per serving, servings (calculated for this version)

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⚖ About the ingredients

🔧 Tools needed (5) · 🍳 One cooking vessel

  • Stove · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Portable hot plate (one weaker burner) · Camping gas stove (One burner, outdoors) · Electric pressure cooker (multicooker) (One pot, no real shallow frying)
  • Frying pan · Also works: Wok (None) · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Pot (High sides, slow evaporation and weak browning)
  • Cutting board · Also works: Plate (Large plate, dulls the knife)
  • Knife · Also works: Food processor (Fast, less control over size) · Kitchen shears (For herbs/dough)
  • Silicone spatula · Also works: Wooden spoon (Scrapes less well) · Spoon / teaspoon (regular) (None)

By the steps, as the recipe is built now: another version or addition can change the list.

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