Use leftover turkey (or chicken) to make these Green Chile Turkey Quesadillas. Filled with gooey cheese, zesty green chilies and toasted in a crispy tortilla!
I have another way to use up some of your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers- these green chile turkey quesadillas. My kids and husband really love these and they are super quick and easy to make!! These are also great because you can bury and hide all sorts of things in there and they will never know!! Gooey cheese fixes all.
So, Thanksgiving is in 2 days!! Who’s ready??? Who still doesn’t have their menu planned??? I have my menu planned out but that’s it. I haven’t cleaned or started making any food preparations, you know cuz I have pretty much been doing everything last minute for like the last 4 months!!!
What I am prepared for though is to eat all the food!! I have been pre-stretching my fat pants over a rubber exercise ball so they will be ready to go. See I am prepared!
We are having somewhat of a traditional menu for Thanksgiving this year. Turkey for starters (always on the menu, duh), slow cooker mashed potatoes (frees up some cooking space), homemade herb stuffing (one of my husband’s favorites), and of course homemade gravy (it really is easy!). We are having a few non traditional items like broccoli and cheese, hominy casserole and just a simple green bean side dish. Oh, and I can’t forget dessert- traditional pumpkin pie is always on the menu along with something chocolate for those that don’t want pumpkin pie (like me).
So, tell me what’s on your Thanksgiving menu this year!
Green Chile Turkey Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 4 burrito sized flour tortillas
- 2 cups chopped cooked turkey or use rotisserie chicken
- 1 4 oz can chopped green chilies
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 cups shredded co-jack cheese or whatever blend of cheese you prefer
- Toppings of choice- avocado tomatoes, chopped cilantro, salsa, sour cream
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the turkey, green chilies, onion, garlic powder and cheese. Spread a heaping 1 cup of filling over half of the tortilla then fold in half and gently press down. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Heat a large skillet over medium low heat and toast each side of the quesadilla until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes per side).
- Top each with desired toppings and serve immediately.
this looks and sounds yummy. I was wondering what side dish can I make with this?
Hi there! Here are some ideas for what to serve with your quesadillas.
All the toppings!! Lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, avocado…you name it.
Homemade Pico de gallo
Guacamole
Quick and Easy Refried Beans
Spanish Rice
Thanks for asking!! 🙂
I make a Southwest style corn and black bean dish with rice. Basically, it starts off like Spanish rice, but I add in corn, black beans, some red bell pepper, some poblano pepper or other mildly zippy green chile pepper (not as spicy as a jalapeno… you just want a little zip, not a lot of heat. I also add some sauteed onion, and my spices like cumin, garlic powder, green chile powder (if you can find it– our favorite grocery store has an incredible spice section with nearly every seasoning or spice imaginable… even Berbere, which I use in Ethiopian cooking. And they have a green Hatch chili powder that I particularly love in this recipe). I also shake in some regular chile powder and a few other kinds of peppers, as the mood hits. I then simmer the corn, beans and spices together, and make the Spanish rice. For this, you can absolutely use a prepared mix and just follow the package directions, but if I want to be extra fancy, I make my own Spanish rice. Then when everything is ready, I combine the corn and bean mix with the rice, stir in some sour cream to my preference which may be more creamy or less creamy… and then a shot of lime juice to brighten it all up. It’s pretty much my go-to for anything Tex-Mex or Southwest. This is also a nice light meat-free lunch when wrapped up in a tortilla.
Texas Caviar is another option. This is a black eyed pea “salad” with black eyed peas, diced fresh tomato, onion, green bell pepper, a little fresh jalapeno to taste, some cilantro, some corn, salt and pepper… then marinate it all in a zesty Italian dressing. This is just a basic mix and you can add whatever other vegetables you like. You can use other kinds of beans in addition to or in place of the black eyed peas if you aren’t crazy about those or if you just don’t have any on hand. You can even use several kinds of beans such as pinto beans as well. I don’t recommend kidney beans… just because I don’t think they’d play well in there, but various white beans could work. There are so many recipes online for this because it is very popular in Texas for BBQ, and tailgate parties and the like. It’s an excellent side for smoked brisket or any grilled food, or as a party snack with tortilla chips. I made a batch when I went to Indiana for a family reunion. My folks had never tasted this before, but they went absolutely crazy for it! You can even make it super easy by using canned tomatoes and green chile– like Ro-Tel Original or Mild, depending on how bold you like your food. Or, you can just dice up all your tomato, pepper and onion if you wish to go the fresh route. It’s tasty either way, and it’s a healthy snack to get an extra serving of vegetables in your diet. Again, you could just wrap this up in a tortilla with a few slices of avocado and a drizzle of your favorite salsa, and have a nice lunch or light meal. And it’s great with these types of dishes as a side..