Half plain, half loaded, one pan, no argument
Lay a flour tortilla in a dry skillet over medium heat and cover the whole thing with shredded jack cheese. Then load only the right half with shredded chicken and black beans.
Fold it, press it, four minutes total, and cut straight down the crease. Your six-year-old takes the plain half and your twelve-year-old takes the one with everything in it.
Two kids fed off one tortilla and one skillet, and neither of them had to be talked into anything.
Ingredients
The batch makes 2 quesadillas. Plan on about 15 minutes.
- 4 flour tortillas (8-inch)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
- 1 cup cooked shredded chicken
- 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, for dipping
- 1/4 cup salsa (optional, for the dip)
How to Make It
- Lay two tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat and sprinkle cheese over each.
- Add the chicken and beans to one half, keeping the other half cheese-only for a picky eater.
- Top with the second tortillas and cook about 2 minutes per side until golden and the cheese melts.
- Cut into wedges and serve with Greek yogurt, stirred with salsa if you like, for dipping.
Make It Work for Picky Kids
A plain cheese quesadilla is the trusted version, so add protein to only part of it at first.
- Keep one quesadilla cheese-only and load the other with chicken and beans
- Serve the yogurt dip plain so it is not too tangy for a cautious kid
- Add just the chicken first and bring in the beans another night
Pack or Store
Quesadillas pack well and stay good for a short ride to practice.
- Wrap the wedges in foil to keep them warm on the way to practice
- Pack the yogurt dip in a separate leakproof cup
- Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days and crisp them in a dry skillet to reheat
- Serve with: a piece of fruit, carrot sticks
Parent Tip
Use a dry skillet, not oil, so the tortilla crisps without getting greasy.
Make it fit tonight
Small changes that make this one fit your night
Beans only
Black beans and cheese with no meat makes it cheaper and a full minute faster.
Egg and cheese
Scrambled egg folded in makes a version for a 6:30 a.m. Saturday tournament departure.
Barbecue chicken
Chicken tossed in barbecue sauce first gives a sweeter half for a kid who dislikes cumin.
Chopped spinach
A handful of spinach on the loaded side wilts down to almost nothing under the cheese.
Pepperoni pizza
Mozzarella and pepperoni with marinara for dipping reads as pizza to a kid who wanted pizza.
Yogurt dip
Plain Greek yogurt with lime stands in for sour cream and holds better in a cooler bag.
Plan the next step
Browse more upgrades
See more ways to add protein to a snack a kid already loves.