Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

My love of all things buffalo chicken is probably apparent by now, right? I mean, there are the sloppy joes, the enchiladas, the nachos, the lasagna, and I’m sure there are more dishes that I’m just not thinking of right now. Oh! How could I forget my very favorite salad of all time in the history of ever? (Make that salad. Then come back and thank me for its existence in your life.)

I tried a recipe for buffalo chicken quesadillas couple of months ago and while they were good, they weren’t exactly what I was craving. So I decided I’d create my own version. The end result is a simple combination of spicy buffalo chicken strips, cool and creamy sliced avocado, and sharp cheddar cheese, and it is absolutely delicious.

You could skip the breading-and-frying aspect of these quesadillas if you wanted to, but since this is an every-once-in-a-while sort of dinner anyway, I figure why not just go all the way to give them more of that buffalo wing feel? The chicken strips themselves are soaked in buttermilk, so they’re incredibly tender and juicy. Most people pair buffalo chicken with carrots and celery, but I really love it with avocado. It seems like such a natural pairing: the avocado cool and creamy, the buffalo chicken crispy and spicy. With ranch dressing on the side for dipping, these quesadillas just could not be more perfect.

Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup Frank’s Red Hot or other hot sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Flour tortillas

1. Add the chicken tenders to a medium bowl; pour the buttermilk over and mix to ensure that the tenders are coated completely. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature.

2. Mix together the flour, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Add the chicken tenders and dredge completely.

3. Heat about an inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When heated, shake excess flour from chicken tenders and add to skillet. Fry until cooked through, golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the second side. Fry in batches, removing each previous batch to a paper towel to drain.

4. While the chicken is cooking, heat the hot sauce and butter in a small skillet. Toss with the chicken tenders.

5. Add some cheese to a tortilla. Top with two or three chicken strips, some sliced avocado, and another sprinkling of cheese. Top with a second tortilla. Cook each quesadilla in a skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp. Slice and serve.