Cilantro – The Cozy Cook https://thecozycook.com Easy Recipes for Busy Home Cooks Mon, 11 Sep 2023 18:07:39 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 Taco Spaghetti https://thecozycook.com/taco-spaghetti/ https://thecozycook.com/taco-spaghetti/#comments Sun, 13 Aug 2023 17:00:23 +0000 https://thecozycook.com/?p=51643 This Taco Spaghetti Recipe has the best of both worlds: Classic flavors of tacos combined with savory homestyle spaghetti. The ingredients in this recipe blend together perfectly for the best combination of flavors. Your family will want this meal every week!

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Corn Salad https://thecozycook.com/corn-salad/ https://thecozycook.com/corn-salad/#comments Wed, 28 Jun 2023 23:38:51 +0000 https://thecozycook.com/?p=51411 This EASY Corn Salad recipe has fresh Mexican flavors and is tossed with the most flavorful dressing! It makes a perfect side dish for a Potluck.

Bonus: Make it with fresh, canned, or frozen corn!

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Salsa Chicken https://thecozycook.com/salsa-chicken/ https://thecozycook.com/salsa-chicken/#comments Tue, 03 May 2022 13:31:38 +0000 https://thecozycook.com/?p=32340 This Salsa Chicken has layers of cream cheese, refried beans, salsa, and seasoned chicken topped with melted cheese. It’s baked casserole-style and is easy to make ahead of time and customize with your favorite toppings!

Try this with my homemade salsa and guacamole. (more…)

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Taco Salad Recipe https://thecozycook.com/taco-salad-recipe/ https://thecozycook.com/taco-salad-recipe/#comments Wed, 05 Jan 2022 09:00:58 +0000 https://thecozycook.com/?p=42667 This Taco Salad recipe has fresh lettuce topped with seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, corn, black beans, avocado, onions, jalapeno peppers, cheese, sour cream, and more! It also includes an easy taco salad dressing recipe that you will love! (more…)

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Homemade Salsa https://thecozycook.com/homemade-salsa/ https://thecozycook.com/homemade-salsa/#comments Tue, 29 Jun 2021 22:58:00 +0000 https://thecozycook.com/?p=39134 This homemade salsa recipe is easy to make with canned or fresh tomatoes! Simple ingredients blend together for an authentic Mexican salsa recipe that can be served mild or spicy.

Serve this with some homemade guacamole, nacho cheese sauce or easy white queso!

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Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup https://thecozycook.com/creamy-chicken-tortilla-soup/ https://thecozycook.com/creamy-chicken-tortilla-soup/#comments Sun, 23 May 2021 21:00:51 +0000 https://thecozycook.com/?p=26382  This Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe is easy to make on the stove top or the Crock Pot. Make it with fresh, leftover, or rotisserie chicken. Cheddar and Cream Cheese add a hint of creamy indulgence! (more…)

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White Queso Dip (15 minute recipe!) https://thecozycook.com/white-queso-dip/ https://thecozycook.com/white-queso-dip/#comments Tue, 04 May 2021 08:00:54 +0000 https://thecozycook.com/?p=37890 Learn how to make White Queso Dip in just 15 minutes for an easy appetizer idea with just a few simple ingredients!

Serve this with alongside some guacamole and homemade salsa and check out my recipe for Nacho Cheese Sauce next!

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Cowboy Caviar https://thecozycook.com/cowboy-caviar/ https://thecozycook.com/cowboy-caviar/#comments Thu, 18 Jun 2020 22:17:51 +0000 https://thecozycook.com/?p=32392 This Cowboy Caviar recipe is the ultimate summer side dish that comes with an easy homemade dressing. Use Greek or Italian Dressing for quick shortcut and make it a day ahead of time!

This pairs perfectly with my Homemade Salsa and Velveeta Queso!

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Velveeta Queso – (Cowboy Queso!) https://thecozycook.com/cowboy-queso/ https://thecozycook.com/cowboy-queso/#comments Sun, 29 Mar 2020 15:00:22 +0000 http://thecozycook.com/?p=21503 This Velveeta Queso is loaded with smooth Velveeta and everything a Cowboy dreams of, including Beef, Beer, Black Beans, and more.

Pair this with my homemade salsa and guacamole, and try my easy White Queso recipe next!

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Chicken Quesadillas https://thecozycook.com/chicken-quesadillas/ https://thecozycook.com/chicken-quesadillas/#comments Thu, 01 Aug 2019 10:00:32 +0000 https://thecozycook.com/?p=28119 Learn the trick to getting super crispy tortillas when you make this cheesy chicken quesadilla recipe. Fill them up with your favorite Mexican ingredients like black beans, peppers, onions, seasoning, and more!

Serve these quesadillas with homemade salsa, guacamole, and my cowboy queso!

Crispy chicken quesadillas filled with black beans and melted cheese on a white surface.

I am psyched to have nailed down the secrets to success when it comes down to making super crispy, restaurant-style chicken quesadillas.

No more soggy tortillas, I am promising you right now that you will hear a serious crunch when you follow these steps!

Ingredients

  • Chicken
  • Cajun Seasoning
  • Flour Tortillas
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Black Beans
  • Cilantro
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Bell Peppers
  • Olive Oil

The filling choices for these quesadillas are totally flexible. Aside from what’s in this recipe, you can also use corn, mushrooms, tomatoes, Jalapeños, and a variety of cheeses!

Overhead view of ingredients needed for chicken quesadillas.

How to Make Crispy Chicken Quesadillas

Use flour tortillas

Flour tortillas will hold the cheese and fillings together much better than corn tortillas.

Let the cooked ingredients cool

This will give you extra crispy results and prevent the tortilla from getting soggy.

Don’t use any oil in the pan

This will prevent the tortilla from crisping. At most, use a small amount of butter just to achieve a nice browned color.

Don’t stack two tortillas on top of each other

Instead, spread the filling over half of one quesadilla. Let the entire surface area crisp on the stove top and then fold the tortilla in half once the cheese is melted, there’s no need to flip and the entire quesadilla will be crispy!

  • ½ of a cup of filling per quesadilla is a good rule of thumb.

See below for an easy visual!

2 pans showing process of cooking chicken quesadillas.

2 pans side by side showing process of finishing cooking quesadillas.

Freezing Them

Believe it or not, quesadillas make a wonderful freezer food.

  • Let the cooked quesadillas cool completely.
  • Wrap each in foil and freeze in a labeled freezer bag.
  • To reheat, place the frozen/wrapped tortilla in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven until heated through, about 15 minutes.
  • Wooden cutting board with crispy chicken quesadillas with sour cream and salsa. A hand is reaching for a quesadilla.

What to Serve with Quesadillas

Try These Next!

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A stack of chicken quesadillas filled with melted cheese, black beans, and peppers.
Print

Chicken Quesadillas

This cheesy chicken quesadilla recipe is restaurant quality with a super crispy outside with a warm cheesy filling. Add black beans, peppers, onions, Cajun seasoning, and more!
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 304kcal
Author Stephanie

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ onion finely diced
  • ¼ bell pepper diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/3 cup black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
  • 1 cup Tyson Grilled & Ready Chicken Breast Strips
  • ½ cup Monterey jack cheese shredded
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • 4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
  • 1 Tablespoon butter optional
  • Cilantro to garnish or you may add to the filling.

Instructions

  • Shred the cheese and set aside, allow it to come to room temperature if possible.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
  • Add the onions, diced peppers, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Use a silicone spatula to stir in the black beans. Heat for 1 minute.
  • Remove from the heat and let them cool.
  • Add the cooked chicken strips to the pan. Sprinkle on the Cajun seasoning and toss to coat.
  • Cook until heated through, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let them cool, then dice into smaller pieces.
  • Clean the pan and add ¼ of the tablespoon of butter over low heat. You want just a small amount for extra crispy results.
  • Add no more than ½ cup of filling per quesadilla, and only add the filling to the top half.
  • Begin with 1/8 cup of cheese, followed by the vegetables, beans, and chicken, and top with another 1/8 cup of cheese.
  • Cover the pan and allow the cheese to melt, about 3 minutes.
  • Use a spatula to fold the bottom half of the tortilla over the fillings. Press down gently. Remove from heat.
  • Repeat for all quesadillas.
  • Cut each folded tortilla into 2 slices to make 2 quesadillas.
  • Serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1432IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 253mg | Iron: 2mg
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