What makes the perfect quesadilla? With a recipe that’s so simple, the secret is making sure each ingredient is the best it can possibly be. Pick out your favorite tortillas, the best shredded cheese, and the juiciest rotisserie chicken, and leave the rest up to the recipe. These delicious homemade refried beans make an ideal base of flavor and texture to let the other ingredients shine.
If you go the extra mile and garnish with a little salsa, sour cream and maybe a sprinkling of fresh cilantro, you’ll be shocked that this wasn’t takeout from the best place in town!
Southern Refried Beans Quesadilla
6
10 minutes
25 minutes
35 minutes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 16-ounce cans pinto beans, undrained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
6 flour tortillas
1 ½ cup rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 cup pepper jack cheese, grated
Salsa (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Pour the vegetable oil into a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. When it just begins to shimmer, add the onion and garlic; sweat until translucent, about 2 ½ minutes.
Add the pinto beans, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook 7-10 minutes, until the beans begin to soften. Use a potato masher to mash the beans slightly.
Cook the beans an additional 5-10 minutes, until they begin to thicken. Give them an additional mash if desired and reduce the heat to low.
Place a separate flat-bottomed, dry skillet with a fitted lid over medium heat. Add one of the flour tortillas and sprinkle with 1/3 of the shredded chicken. Add a generous dollop of the refried beans and a handful of grated cheese before topping with a second tortilla and covering with the fitted lid.
Cook the quesadilla 1-2 minutes on each side, or until the tortilla is crisp and the cheese is melted. Repeat with additional tortillas.
Serve immediately with salsa and sour cream.
