Low-Calorie Lunchbox: Chicken Quesadilla & Salsa

If I could drink salsa in shots, I'd probably do it. I love the salty taste of it. Luckily, it is also a perfect low-calorie addition to any meal, so I get my fill even when I am "dieting."

Only 5 calories per tablespoon!

I told you I was going to try to make quesadillas using the La Tortilla Factory Smart and Delicious Tortillas, and to my great pleasure, they turned out to be filling and yummy, which is a good thing because I can only eat so many Honey Mustard Turkey Wraps.

At 197 calories including the salsa, this makes a great, light lunch while filling you up at the same time. Compare that to the 520 calories in a Taco Bell chicken quesadilla! Here's a "recipe" so you can see how to get the same calorie count, but really you can fill this up with whatever ingredients you prefer in your quesadilla.

Low Cal So Cal's Chicken Quesadilla

INGREDIENTS:

1 80-calorie La Tortilla Factory Smart and Delicious Tortilla
2 tbsp of your favorite salsa
    I used Safeway Signature Cafe Salsa Fresca Mild
1/8 cup shredded mozarella cheese
    I used Lucerne Low-Moisture, Part-Skim Shredded Mozarella Cheese
1/3 cup shredded rotiserrie chicken

DIRECTIONS:

1. On a saute or any flat-bottomed pan, place the tortilla.

2. Cover one half of the tortilla with a layer of mozarella cheese. Then layer on your shredded chicken.

3. Fold over your tortilla so that the cheese and chicken is covered.

4. Heat your pan on medium for 3-4 minutes. Check to see that the cheese has melted in the middle, then use a spatula to flip the quesadilla to crisp the other side for another 1-2 minutes.

5. Remove the chicken quesadilla from the pan and let it cool on a plate for a few minutes. Cut the chicken quesadilla into quarters and serve with salsa. Bon apetit!

NUTRITION INFO (per chicken quesadilla with salsa):

Calories: 197
Carbs: 21 g
Fat: 9 g
Protein: 22 g

I can't wait to experiment more with these tortillas. There are so many possibilities! I bet some onion and bell peppers would be great in this quesadilla.

What is your favorite salsa?