Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla

Back when I was a student at Carnegie Mellon, one of my favorite campus dining options was a place in the University Center called "Si Señor." Most people tried a wrap or a taco and dismissed it as a subpar Chipotle imitation. My friends and I, though, considered ourselves real connoisseurs of the lesser known offerings further down the menu, from Buffalo wings to lamburgers to a fried frankfurter covered with onions and peppers. The "Pittsburgh wrap" filled with French fries (in the style of Primanti Brothers) was another classic item. Over the years, the menu grew with various pieces of paper taped to the wall. Sadly, Si Señor closed shortly after I graduated, but the memories live on over a decade later. 

Among all these items, the Buffalo chicken quesadilla stands as my overall favorite, most frequently ordered meal, and the one I most wanted to recreate all these years later. There is no shortage of recipes for such a thing online, including one from the Frank's RedHot website. Like everything they did, the Si Señor version is a little different. The chicken (also available in a wrap if so desired) was bathed in a creamy, pale-orange sauce and was relatively mild. The quesadilla was made from an enormous tortilla, folded into a square envelope and crisped on a flattop, held down with a trowel. It was served cut in half with a choice of side and a small brownie known as a "sweet treat." Although not exactly the same, my version does capture the spirit of the original. 

As a student, I always wondered what exactly went into the Buffalo chicken and a few months back, I went digging using the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. I managed to dig up a 2006 menu from the CMU website with the description: "Buffalo Chicken ~ marinated in hot sauce, baked and tossed with light mayo, blue cheese and spices. (hot)." With just this and my memory, I created this recipe, which turned out rather well. The only change I made is adding more Frank's to the final sauce to crank up the Buffalo wing flavor and make it a little spicier. I typically ordered the quesadilla with what the old menu calls "Morelia" hot sauce, so I think this works well. The leftover chicken (this recipe makes way more than is needed for one quesadilla) is also good cold as a chicken salad. Try adding a little celery. For the quesadilla itself, I went with the more typical half-moon form factor. The traditional cheese to use for quesadillas is Oaxaca from southern Mexico, but anything that melts well is good. I used Chihuahua cheese, which originates in northern Mexico (the brand I use, VV Supremo, is from Wisconsin and can be found at Sam's Club). Mozzarella is a good substitute if neither are available. 

Ingredients

Buffalo Chicken

• 2 1/2 to 3 lb. boneless chicken thighs
• 3/4 cup Frank's RedHot Original sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbs. lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• Splash of Worcestershire sauce

Sauce

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup blue cheese dressing
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 Tbs. Frank's RedHot Original sauce (to taste)

Quesadilla (each)

• 1 large flour tortilla
• 1/2 cup shredded Oaxaca or Chihuahua cheese (can substitute mozzarella)
• 1/2 cup Buffalo chicken mixture
• Lard, butter, or vegetable oil

Instructions

In a bowl, combine the Frank's, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, and Worcestershire. Whisk together and transfer to a zip-top bag. Add chicken. Seal the bag and toss until the chicken is well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.

Arrange chicken on a sheet pan lined with foil and lightly oiled. Roast the chicken at 425 degrees F (400 with convection) until cooked through (about 25 minutes). 

Remove from oven and let cool. Cut into small pieces. Combine the chicken with all the sauce ingredients and toss until completely coated.

To make the quesadillas, heat a small amount (just enough to coat the pan) of lard, butter, or oil in a cast iron (or nonstick) skillet over medium heat. With the cheese and chicken close at hand, place the tortilla in the pan. Cover the entire tortilla with cheese and half with the chicken mixture. 

Once the cheese is slightly melted, fold over and press down with a spatula. Continue cooking until the tortilla is browned but not burned. Flip over and brown the other side. If cooking multiple quesadillas, add more fat to the pan as needed. Use a chef's knife to cut into four wedges.