quesadilla explosion salad;
This quesadilla explosion salad is everything you love about Mexican flavors in a healthful bowl. Plus a little cheese quesadilla love to brighten the whole thing up! A bed of crisp romaine lettuce topped with a corn salsa that adds an explosion of flavor! Plus quesadilla strips to add a little warmth and cheesy flavor to the whole quesadilla explosion salad!
So the inspiration for this quesadilla explosion salad, I guess, comes from Chili’s? I’ve actually never had their version of the salad, but I threw this together based on The Slow Roasted Italian’s recipe, which is a Chili’s copycat recipe. All I can say is: I’m a fan!
The corn salsa by itself is chef’s kiss. Roasted corn, red bell pepper, tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro. Heck, I could eat this on a chip by itself. (Hey, that sounds yummy, excuse me while I go do that….brb……O,k I’m back, and can report—yummy!). Like most salads, the instruction is “chop”. And then mix together, but that hardly warrants a separate step.
Can you use regular corn? Of course. Is fire roasted corn better? Abso-corn-o-lutely.
Secret to success
Whenever I need corn, especially for a salad, my go-to is Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn. It’s packed with extra flavor and char from a grill. And best of all? I don’t have to grill. It just comes like that out of the package. Can you use regular corn? Of course. Is fire-roasted corn better? Abso-corn-o-lutely.
Honestly, corn salsa + lettuce + dressing makes for a good salad any day of the week. I could eat this as-is and be happy. But what elevates the salad even more in the quesadilla!
I always love a warm component to my salads. It makes them feel heartier and more filling, and–I just like them better. And I LOOOVE cheese. So sign me up for quesadillas in my salad.
I kept the quesadilla pretty simple. Flour tortilla in a pan, fresh grated cheddar cheese, and top it with another flour tortilla. Cook on both sides until toasty, cheese is melty, and the tortilla is browned and crisp. Serve immediately!
To add protein to the quesadilla explosion salad, I highly recommend adding chicken (or your protein of choice), Any protein will do, just think of your favorite taco meats or quesadilla fillings.
Add a protein to your salad! Any protein will do, just think of your favorite taco or quesadilla fillings.
Secret to success
Chicken, I think, is the obvious one, and one of my favorites. I like to season my chicken with paprika, chili powder, and cumin, plus salt and pepper, and just grill it up on the stove. Sometimes I used prepared chicken (like the chicken skewers from Costco) or even chopped frozen chicken tenders, depending on how lazy I am that day. (Hey, no shame—I’m mom to a todder. Some days be cray.)
You can just toss grilled chicken onto the salad itself; or my personal favorite—make a chicken quesadilla and get your protein that way. Heck, do both if you’re feeling hungry.
You can toss grilled chicken into the salad directly, but my personal favorite—make a chicken quesadilla for your quesadilla explosion.
Secret to success
Quesadillas are best fresh, when they have crispy bits and edges of the tortilla, and the cheese is melted to that perfect oozy bite. So if possible, I try to make my quesadilla fresh when serving. You can reheat it, but it’s not the same in my opinion. But store your quesadilla separately if so, to make it easy to reheat without getting warm lettuce (yuck).
When it comes to dressing for the quesadilla explosion salad, a chipotle ranch is classic. But a traditional ranch works just as well. I didn’t have chipotle ranch on hand and no time to make or buy it (hello, toddler), so I just used the ranch I already had. I wasn’t disappointed. If I had time, I’d have blended an adobo pepper with my store-bought ranch as a quick win, but honestly, I couldn’t be bothered to get out the blender. A little creme fraiche or a cilantro lime dressing would also work wonders on this quesadilla explosion salad. The corn salsa has enough flavor that you might decide you don’t even need a dressing.
secrets to success;
Want all the best tips and tricks to make this recipe a success? Check out the blog post above to find out more!
more recipes;
Looking for other healthful and delicious options? Check out these favorites!
- Want to add easy protein to this salad? Go for my slow cooker salsa chicken, originally posted as one of my new momma meals because it’s just so darn easy. Just add the chicken on top, or add it directly to the quesadillas for a chicken quesadilla explosion!
- If you want to avoid the carbs, try swapping out the quesadilla here for Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers! I really love something warm and cooked with my salad. I feel like it makes the whole thing heartier and more satisfying.
- I love to serve this Mexican cornbread as a side dish to round out the table. Moist, delicious cornbread chock full of green chilies and cheese makes a great addition to any table, with or without this salad!
- Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention homemade enchiladas as another option to serve alongside your quesadilla explosion salad!
quesadilla explosion salad;
Ingredients
corn salsa;
- 12 oz sweet corn (I like Trader Joe’s fire-roasted frozen corn, thawed)
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ cup Roma tomato diced (2-3 tomatoes)
- ¼ cup red onion diced
- ¼ cup cilantro fresh, chopped
- 1 lime zest and juice
- salt & pepper to taste
quesadillas;
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded (or colby jack)
- 6 medium flour tortillas
quesadilla explosion salad;
- 4 heads romaine lettuce roughly 4 cups chopped
- Tortilla chips crushed
- shredded Colby Jack cheese or cheddar
- Cooked chicken cut into strips (optional)
- Chipotle ranch dressing
Instructions
corn salsa;
- To a medium bowl, add 12oz drained corn (thawed if using frozen).
- Dice 1 red bell pepper, and 2 Roma tomatoes, and red onion to fill 1/4 cup. Add to the corn.
- Chop fresh cilantro and add to the corn salsa. Zest the lime, then squeeze the juice over the salsa and toss together. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
quesadillas;
- In a large skillet over medium heat, lay a flour tortilla down and cover with a generous layer of cheese.
- Cook until cheese begins to melt around the edges, then lay a second tortilla over top and flip the quesadilla.
- Cook until evenly browned on both sides and cheese is melted. Remove to a plate to cool, and repeat with remaining quesadillas.
- Once cooled, cut each quesadilla into halves and then cut approx. 1” strips.
quesadilla explosion salad;
- Chop romaine lettuce and add to a large bowl. Layer on the corn salsa and gently toss, leaving the bulk of the salsa on top.
- If using chicken, cook or slice into strips and top the salad.
- Top with extra Colby jack cheese, crushed tortillas and warm strips of quesadilla.
- Serve with chipotle ranch dressing.
