Gluten Free Margarita Chicken & Clementine Quesadillas

Margaritas and quesadillas are a match made in heaven!

Clementine and coriander is an unusual combination, but unbelievably refreshing and perfect for summer! Often thrown together in salads, chicken and clementine are complement each other perfectly--the zesty burst of the citrus enlivens the somewhat bland chicken. The combination of coriander (cilantro) and chicken is far less radical but just as delicious. Combining all three result in a trifecta of summery deliciousness that beckons after a long, lazy day in the sun.

Inspired by a recipe I'd seen repeated all over Pinterest for margarita chicken, I loved the idea of incorporating the flavors of a classic drink into a family-friendly meal time. I also wanted something at little less flamboyant than the 28-ingredient recipe that inspired this meal. Are you kidding me?! Who has time to make a meal for a family that requires 28 ingredients? No beuno!

My take on this recipe is family-friendly, quick to whip up after a long day and only requires 10 ingredients without skimping out on the flavor! Even better is everyone loved this meal including my toddler, Callum. That's got to be a win, right?

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Ingredients:

For the quesadilla
1tsp tequila
1 lime, zest and juice
1tbsp taco seasoning*
2 avocados
2 spring onions, chopped
2 clementines
6 cherry tomatoes
a packet of shop-bought Mexican rice
gluten free tortillas
shredded cheese
a bunch of fresh coriander/cilantro
about 1kg or 5 cups cooked chicken breast

*Taco seasoning is one of the staples of my kitchen and I always have some of my homemade seasoning in a jar on my spice rack. It's so versatile and can be used to give to life to a number of bland foods, it make sense to keep some at the ready.

Coming up with your own taco seasoning mix is simple. All you need is a good base recipe and then make the adjustments you'd like in congruence with your and your family's palette. You can find my recipe for taco seasoning here. Often, I'll amp up the coriander or the chili powder et cetera depending on how I'm intending to use it.

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Instructions:

Margarita Chicken & Clementine Quesadillas

1. Using your fingers, shred the cooked chicken into thin strips.
2. Sprinkle the chicken with your homemade taco seasoning and toss in a dry skillet to warm through and set aside.
3. Make the rice according to the instructions on the packet.
4. Prepare the cheat's guacamole by mashing the avocados and adding in the tomatoes, spring onions, some fresh coriander, lime zest and juice, tequila and the juice of one clementine. Add the seasoned chicken and stir to combine well.
5. Brush one side of a tortilla lightly with oil (optional) and place oiled-side down in the pan. Sprinkle with cheese, add the chicken and avocado mix and a spoonful of rice to one half of the tortilla. Fold over and cook until browned.
6. Continue in this way until you have used up all of the chicken and avocado mix.
7. Cut the finished quesadillas into three or four sections and arrange on a platter.
8. Serve with a sour cream and fresh coriander.

Just can't get enough of Mexican? Try these other fab Mexican dishes: