Grilled Turkey and Poblano Quesadillas with Avocado Crema
Here we combine shredded turkey, pepper jack cheese, roasted poblanos, charred scallions, and cilantro in a crispy grilled tortilla. On the side, a cooling avocado crema is a delicious counterpoint to the spicy quesadilla. This is one of our go-to ways to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey, but if you’re making this recipe any other time of year, then feel free to swap in shredded chicken. Pro tip: If you’re grilling the quesadillas in batches on a stove top grill pan, preheat your oven to 250° and set a baking sheet in the oven. Keep the quesadillas warm in the oven while you finish up the others.
Ingredients
- 1 ripe Hass avocado halved, pitted and chopped
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice plus lime wedges for serving
- 1 large garlic clove finely grated
- kosher salt and pepper
- Vegetable oil for greasing
- 1 bunch of scallions trimmed
- 1 large Poblano pepper
- 4 large burrito-size flour tortillas
- 1½ cups shredded leftover turkey or chicken
- 2 cups shredded Monterey or Pepper Jack cheese (or a blend of both; about 8 ounces)
- ½ cup small cilantro sprigs plus more for garnish
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, puree the avocado with the sour cream, lime juice and garlic until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Alternatively, you can mash everything together in a small bowl using a fork.) Scrape into a small serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the crema so that avocado doesn’t oxidize. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over moderately high heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Brush with vegetable oil. Grill the scallions and poblano, turning occasionally, until the scallions are tender and lightly charred and the poblano is nicely charred all over, about 5 minutes for the scallions and 10 minutes for the poblano. Transfer the scallions to a work surface and chop. Place the poblano in a resealable plastic bag. Seal and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. When the poblano is cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to wipe off the charred skin. Stem, seed and thinly slice the poblano.
- Working one at a time, sprinkle one half of a tortilla with ¼ cup of cheese. Top with some turkey or chicken, sliced poblano, scallions and cilantro. Top with another ¼ cup of cheese. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling and repeat with the remaining tortillas, cheese, turkey or chicken, poblano, scallions and cilantro.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over moderate heat. Brush with oil. Grill the quesadillas until the cheese is melted and the outsides are charred and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Cut into wedges and serve with the avocado crema, lime wedges and more cilantro.
Notes
If you do not have a grill or grill pan, the quesadillas can be cooked in a large nonstick skillet in 1 tablespoon of oil.
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