Chicken Calza-dillas

Tired of all my Clean Eating recipes yet?  Well, this one is just a loose interpretation of their chicken spinach ricotta quesadilla.  To me, it was more of a calzone in a tortilla.  Slightly messy but very yummy.  The kids loved the cheesy-ness of it.

8 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
2 1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 medium white onion, finely diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 cup spinach, stems removed
3/4 cup fat free ricotta cheese (original recipe calls for low fat)
1/2 cup navy beans, drained and rinsed under cold water
3/4 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup fresh herbs (flat-leaf parsley and rosemary), chopped
Juice 1/2 lemon
Pinch nutmeg, freshly grated
8 small whole-grain tortillas

Preheat oven to 350° F. Heat grill or indoor grill pan.  Lightly coat chicken with 1/2 tsp oil and season with salt and black pepper. Cook to done on grill pan or outdoor grill.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add onion and red pepper, stirring frequently until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add spinach to pan and stir to combine, until spinach is slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Remove mixture from pan and pour into a paper-towel-lined bowl. Set aside and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese and beans, mashing beans slightly (or all the way so the kids don't see them). Add mozzarella cheese, herbs, lemon juice and nutmeg. Season with salt and black pepper, and stir well to combine. Set aside. When chicken is cool enough to handle, dice into 1/2-inch pieces and add to cheese mixture.

Working in small batches, squeeze excess moisture from spinach mixture with your hands. Discard any liquid, and then add spinach mixture to chicken-cheese mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

On a flat surface, lay out tortillas and scoop about 1/3 cup mixture into center of each tortilla. Fold each tortilla in half, pressing gently to flatten filling evenly, until filling is about 1/4-inch from edge (you want to prevent the filling from leaking out during cooking).

Place quesadillas on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in oven for 20 minutes, or until filling is hot throughout and tortillas are golden brown and crisp. Allow filling to set for 3 minutes before cutting. Cut in half and serve immediately.  We used a little side of prepared salsa for dipping.

From Clean Eating (assuming the use of low fat ricotta): per 1/2 quesadilla: Calories: 290, Total Fat: 7 g, Sat. Fat: 2.5 g, Monounsaturated: 1.5 g, Polyunsaturated: 0 g, Omega-3s: 40 mg, Omega 6s: 260 mg, Carbs: 36 g, Fiber: 6 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 20 g, Sodium: 590 mg, Cholesterol: 25 mg