High Protein Chicken Ranch Quesadilla (Printable Version)

Flavorful quesadilla loaded with seasoned chicken, melted cheese, and tangy ranch. Ready in 30 minutes with 34g protein per serving.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
02 - 1 teaspoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
06 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Quesadilla Base

07 - 3 large whole wheat tortillas (10-inch)
08 - 1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 1/2 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Ranch Mixture

10 - 1/3 cup Greek yogurt (plain, nonfat)
11 - 2 tablespoons light ranch dressing
12 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (optional)

→ Vegetables

13 - 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
14 - 1/2 cup baby spinach, chopped
15 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

# Directions:

01 - Toss cooked chicken with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
02 - Combine Greek yogurt, ranch dressing, and chives in a separate bowl, mixing until smooth and well incorporated.
03 - Lay tortillas flat and spread ranch mixture over one half of each. Distribute seasoned chicken, red bell pepper, spinach, red onion, cheddar, and mozzarella evenly among the three tortillas.
04 - Fold each tortilla in half to enclose the filling completely.
05 - Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat with light cooking spray. Cook each quesadilla 2-3 minutes per side, pressing gently, until golden brown and cheese is melted.
06 - Let quesadillas rest 1-2 minutes before slicing into wedges. Serve warm.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • Protein-packed without that heavy post-meal slump that usually hits after cheese-heavy meals
  • The Greek yogurt ranch tricks everyone into thinking its the indulgent stuff
  • These reheat surprisingly well for next-day lunches at your desk
02 -
  • Pressing down gently with your spatula while cooking helps the cheese melt evenly and bind everything together
  • Medium heat might feel slow but going too hot burns the tortilla before the cheese melts
  • That brief rest period is nonnegotiable or you'll lose half your filling when you slice
03 -
  • A pinch of cayenne in the chicken seasoning adds this background warmth that sneaks up on you
  • Use a box grater for your cheese instead of pre-shredded bags for better melting

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