Chicken Quesadillas with Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

This recipe calls for my favorite preservation method ever—that’s slow-roasting cherry tomatoes. I add a roasted tomatillo salsa for dipping the quesadillas, which pretty much makes for the tastiest quesadillas around. I usually roast cherry tomatoes straight from my garden in large batches and freeze the baking sheet with the roasted halved tomatoes on it. I then store the frozen tomatoes in a few mason jars in the freezer, making it easier to grab a few out at a time to use in sandwiches, stews, soups, and my all-time favorite use, quesadillas. • makes 4 quesadillas

---

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

• 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed
• 2 jalapeño chiles, cut in half with cap and seeds removed
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• ⅓ cup minced fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

• 1 pound tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Quesadillas

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper powder
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 large tortillas
• 16 ounces queso fresco

For the roasted tomatillo salsa, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the tomatillos, jalapeños, and garlic on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, until slightly softened. Let cool for 20 minutes before pureeing in a blender or food processor with the onion, cilantro, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. (Makes 2 cups salsa.)

For the slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Spread out in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes, until they have shrunk, flattened slightly, wrinkled, and begin to look like sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside.

For the quesadillas, rub the chicken breasts with the salt, black pepper, and chipotle chili powder. Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until golden on both sides and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Once cool enough to handle, cut into ½-inch-thick strips.

To assemble, lay a tortilla flat on a clean work surface. Sprinkle 2 ounces of the queso fresco across half of the tortilla. Add one-fourth of the chicken strips and one-fourth of the roasted cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle another 2 ounces queso fresco over the top and fold the tortilla in half. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Sprinkle a pinch of salt in a tortilla pan or large frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Place a quesadilla on the pan and toast until lightly golden on both sides and the cheese inside is completely melted, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and repeat with the remaining quesadillas. Serve with the roasted tomatillo salsa.