Chicken and Sweetcorn Quesadillas

Ingredients

• 600g skinless boneless chicken thighs
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 340g tin sweetcorn, drained
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 30g pickled jalapeños, drained and roughly chopped
• 200g Monterey Jack or mature cheddar, coarsely grated
• 8 large flour tortillas
• 3 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
• ½ red onion, finely diced
• 1 fresh red chilli, finely sliced
• 15g fresh coriander, leaves roughly chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• 150ml sour cream, to serve
• 2 limes, cut into wedges, to serve
• 10g fresh coriander, leaves picked, to serve
• hot sauce, to serve
• guacamole, to serve
• shredded iceberg lettuce, to serve
• refried beans, to serve

Method

1. Make the salsa first: combine the diced tomatoes, red onion, sliced chilli, chopped coriander and lime juice in a bowl, season generously and set aside for at least 10 minutes so the flavours meld and the tomatoes release their juices.
2. Toss the chicken thighs with the smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder and 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper, rubbing the spices into every surface.
3. Heat a large frying pan over a high heat until smoking, then cook the chicken thighs for 5–6 minutes per side until deeply golden, lightly charred at the edges and cooked through with no pink remaining. Transfer to a board and rest for 5 minutes.
4. While the chicken rests, tip the drained sweetcorn into the same hot pan and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring only occasionally, until the kernels are blistered and charred at the edges and smell sweet and toasty.
5. Slice the rested chicken into thin strips, then toss with the charred sweetcorn, sliced spring onions and chopped pickled jalapeños.
6. Wipe the pan clean and return it to a medium heat with a small drizzle of the remaining olive oil.
7. Lay one tortilla flat in the pan, scatter a quarter of the grated cheese over one half, pile a quarter of the chicken and sweetcorn filling on top, then fold the tortilla over to enclose.
8. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side, pressing down lightly with a spatula, until the tortilla is golden and crisp and the cheese has melted into molten strands. Slide onto a board and repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
9. Cut each quesadilla into wedges with a sharp knife and arrange on a board or plates.
10. Scatter fresh coriander leaves over the top, squeeze a lime wedge over everything and serve straight away with the salsa, soured cream, hot sauce, guacamole, shredded iceberg and refried beans alongside.