Taco Bell continues to break my heart; when will they be satisfied? Their lust for heartbreak and disruption clearly can’t be quelled, because they got rid of another cheap classic in November, and we all severely miss it. The Shredded Chicken Mini Quesadilla took up the support role that the soft taco used to be for me, a cheap side item to throw onto any meal when I had the hunger. Since I can no longer order this glorious creation at Taco Bell itself, I've figured out a way to make it at home anytime. These are best eaten as a fourth meal, just as Taco Bell intended. Let's dive in:
Ingredients for shredded chicken
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thigh
2 chipotles in adobo
1 tsp chicken bullion powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder (fresh garlic and onions if you have them, 2 cloves, ¼ a red onion)
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp pepper flakes (optional)
Water to reach halfway up the chicken
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
Ingredients for chipotle sauce
¼ cup Mayo
¼ cup Sour Cream
A splash of whole milk
1 jalapeño
1 chipotle
1 tbsp Adobo
1 clove Garlic
Handful of Parsley
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper
3-4 cups shredded cheese (Monterrey Jack/ Cheddar blend)
4-6 fresh flour tortillas
Start by seasoning both sides of your chicken thigh with a generous sprinkle of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the pan is up to temperature, add a tablespoon of olive oil and the seasoned chicken thigh. Let the thighs brown on one side, roughly 3-5 minutes. Flip the chicken and let it brown on the other side, remove from the pan.
Add your 2 chipotles to the fat left in the pan and crush them with a wooden spoon. Add your chicken bullion, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Mix to combine and add a half cup of water to get everything combined. Add your chicken back to the mix with all of its resting juices. Add enough water to cover halfway up the chicken. Bring this up to a simmer, cover, and braise for roughly an hour. We are looking for the chicken to be shreddable.
While the chicken is braising, you can shred your cheese and prep the chipotle sauce. For the sauce, you simply need to throw all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
When your chicken is done cooking (it should shred really easily), place it in a bowl to cool. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized chunks. Pick out any large chunks of fat left in the mix.
Now we can move onto assembling the quesadillas. Place a flour tortilla down and lay on a small layer of shredded cheese. From there add your chicken, sauce, and one last layer of cheese. The ratios are really up to you but I would advise against overfilling the tortilla. Roll the quesadilla into a taco sized burrito if you want to match the Taco Bell version. If you want, you can do a normal half-moon fold as well. Either way, we will crisp this in a cast iron pan over medium heat. Apply a thin layer of oil to the pan and brown on both sides, cooking until the cheese has fully melted.
Serve these up with the perfect partner, a big ramekin of the chipotle sauce for extra dip-age. These are basically the perfect snack food.
Cheers!
