Chipotle chicken, apricot and brie quesadillas

From Closet Cooking

After a long break from Texmex/Mexican cuisine I was back into the zone and craving more. I also wanted to use some fresh local ingredients and I remembered seeing a chicken, apricot and brie panini on good Life {eats} which sounded like a good combo. I immediately thought about doing a quesadilla version but I knew that I would need some heat so I added some chopped chipotles in adobo sauce. I followed that with some cilantro, and green onions and I was just about done. For the apricots, I decided to grill them first and I thought that since brie goes well with jams that a bit of apricot preserves would both enhance the apricot flavour and add a nice touch of contrasting and balancing sweetness. I like to cook my quesadillas stove top in a pan as I am always able to get them nice and golden brown and slightly crispy on the outside and ooey gooey and melted and good on the inside and this time was no different. The chipotle chicken, apricot and brie quesadillas turned out really well! I liked the combination of the spicy chipotle chicken along with the apricots and the melted cheese all wrapped in crispy tortillas. The touch of sweetness from the apricot preserves worked just as well in these quesadillas as they do in grilled cheese sandwiches and I am going to enjoy experimenting some more with the new combo.

(makes 1 quesadilla)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chicken (cooked and shredded)
1 tablespoon apricot preserves
1 chipotle in adobo sauce (chopped)
1 green onion (sliced)
1 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
a touch of butter
2 large tortillas
1 apricot (sliced in half, stoned, grilled and thinly sliced)
4 ounces brie (thinly sliced)

Directions:
1. Mix the chicken, apricot preserves, chipotle in adobo sauce, green onion, cilantro in a large bowl.
2. Melt the butter in a large pan.
3. Place a tortilla into the pan and swirl it around in the butter and set aside.
4. Repeat for the other tortilla and leave it in the pan.
5. Spread the chicken mixture, apricot and brie on the tortilla and top with the other tortilla.
6. Cook until the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted. (I placed a plate onto the quesadilla and flipped it from the pan to the plate and then slid it back into the pan.)