Fiesta Chicken Quesadillas with Chipotle Relish and Mango Salsa.

How about a little Fiesta with your Monday???

Yes, yes, yes. PLEASE?!??

No but really, wouldn’t it be awesome if we could all start the weekend tomorrow for Cinco De Mayo? I have such good, good, GOOD things planned for you. I mean, I’m starting with these quesadillas, but it gets better tomorrow. Trust me on this.

So starting the weekend off tomorrow would mean Tuesday-Sunday of weekend bliss…that would totally be enough time to fly to Mexico and still be back in time for some Sunday night relaxation (you know to wind down from our relaxing time in Mexico). Ahh, where is my plane ticket, sun-screen and sombrero?? Sounds kind of awesome, right??

You see, I can dream, and dream big! It’s so much fun…until reality hits like a ton of bricks and I realize that a six-day weekend in Mexico is so not within my reach at the moment.

Life.

I could get a sombrero though, always wanted one of those. Picture me wearing a brightly colored sombrero all day tomorrow hanging in my kitchen, while it’s raining outside (truthfully it rarely rains here, think snow pretty much all year round, but is says thunderstorms all week), listening to Kenny Chesney sing about Mexico and snacking on quesadillas. Yup. That’s what reality will be tomorrow. Oh but, with a side of some grilled pineapple, guacamole AND chips.

Obviously.

Ok, but let me get serious here (sorry for all the sarcasm, that’s what Monday does to me). These Fiesta Chicken Quesadillas are basically the fancy version of a quesadilla that I used to make my brother Kai on a daily basis when I was still figuring out this whole cooking thing (oh wait…I am still figuring it out). Kai (the brother just below me, real name Malachi) is a pretty picky eater, so after school, or well, after snowboarding, I’d make these quesadillas with the leftover rice and chicken that was almost always sitting in the fridge. All I would do is add some seasonings to the chicken and then layer it with cheese and rice. Then I’d just throw the quesadilla in a skillet with a good amount of olive oil – super quick, and all the boys loved them. Soon I was making these quesadillas for all their friends too. This went on for a while, but then I got busy and I can’t remember the last time I made my brother a quesadilla.

Kind of sad since it shows that we are all growing up. I am only twenty-one, but I will not lie, I still wish I could be seventeen and careless sometimes. Kai is actually back in Cleveland for the summer working a restaurant job and hanging with friends before school starts in the fall. He just went to prom with his girlfriend and I am beyond sad I missed it. The pictures were just not enough. I missed out on the whole big sister tormenting/being annoying thing. Enter giant sad face.

Also, don’t ask how he has a girlfriend back in Cleveland, when he has been living in Colorado for the last eight years. The kid has friends everywhere. He’s kind of hard not to love.

ANYWAY, the point of the story it that this quesadilla is inspired by that simple one I used to make my brothers years ago. It’s still really simple and quick to make, but I added some fun things like a chipotle relish and mango salsa (officially a fruit salsa addict). The chipotle relish is beyond awesome. Like you could totally just serve this as a snack or appetizer with chips. SO good with chips. I mean, it’s better with this extra cheesy quesadilla, but chips on the side are a must.

Also a must, is the rice. I always, always, always add rice to my quesadillas. I am not sure why or how this came to be, but I am glad it did. Rice in a dilla is the best. Try it and you will see (I sound like Sam I Am in Green eggs and Ham!).

And finally, I really can’t think of a better Monday meal at the moment than this one. Don’t be freaked out by the list of ingredients. That’s just mostly seasonings that I am praying you keep in your pantry at all times. The relish and salsa are EASY too, so try to make those as well!

Promise, it’ll be the best part of your Monday…

Especially, if ended with some banana fritters or ice cream tacos. YES. Fiesta time!