The BEST VEGAN Chick-un Quesadillas

Savoury Mexican-Inspired Vegan Chicken Quesadilla: A Flavorful Delight!

With every crispy bite, the savoury Mexican-inspired vegan “chicken” quesadilla takes your taste buds on a delightful journey! The golden-brown tortilla encases a generous portion of tender, juicy vegan “chicken”, with just the right amount of spice and flavour to satisfy your cravings.

The vegan “chicken” is perfectly seasoned with a blend of traditional Mexican spices and cooked to perfection, giving it a texture and taste that is hard to resist. The freshly sliced Roma tomatoes, spring onions, and melted vegan cheese add a touch of sweetness, while the fresh, vibrant salsa packs a punch of freshness that balances out the flavours.

What makes this quesadilla extra special is the homemade vegan lime cilantro topping. Its tangy, creamy goodness is the perfect complement to the dish. Paired with a glass of freshly squeezed limeade, this quesadilla will hit the spot and leave you feeling satisfied.

Overall, this savoury Mexican-inspired vegan chicken quesadilla is a must-try for any plant-based foodie or Mexican food lover. It's packed with flavour, texture, and an explosion of deliciousness that will have you coming back for more. So why wait? Get in the kitchen and indulge in this delightful treat today!

Who says healthy can’t be delicious? This is by far one of my most favourite creations ever.

Ingredients & Directions

Estimated time: 1 hour

Effort/skill: Easy

Servings: 4

Oyster mushrooms

What makes oyster mushrooms so nutritionally powerful is their antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory properties, along with being rich in B vitamins (niacin or B3, and pantothenic acid or B5). We need niacin to help the body process our food into energy we can use. It also acts as an anti-oxidant and helps make and repair DNA. Panthothenic acid, much like niacin, helps turn food into usable energy. It also helps make and break down fatty acids.

Oyster mushrooms also contain β-glucans (beta glucans), a type of fibre that your gut microbes love and need. Beta-glucans are also present in oats, and have been demonstrated to help lower cholesterol, prevent insulin resistance, prevent hypertension and obesity. (1)

They’re woodsy and a bit more wild than the conventional white button mushrooms. As a result, they work amazing as a substitute for chicken or seafood. They’re texture holds up against cooking them, offering a chewy texture that melts in your mouth.

Ingredients & DIRECTIONS

Estimated time: 45 minutes

Effort/skill: Medium

Servings: 4

Preheat oven to 400F

Ingredients

Vegan Fried “Chickun”

• 2 cups of shredded oyster mushrooms

• 1 cup chickpea flour

• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp each: black pepper, basil, thyme, parsley, rosemary, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika

• 3 tbsp Just Egg (or a chia egg: 1 tbsp chia seeds, 2 tbsp water)

• 1 cup oat or soy milk

• zest of 1 lime

• 2 tbsp olive or avocado oil

• 1/2 cup vegan shredded cheddar cheese

Quesadillas

• 4 large (8-10”) tortillas

• 1/2 cup salsa

• 1 14 oz can black beans

• 1/4 cup diced green onion

• optional: onion, pepper, corn, rice

Creamy Cilantro Lime Topping

• 2 ripe avocados

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1 bunch of cilantro

• 3 tbsp plain greek-style oat yogurt

• 1 tsp maple syrup

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400F.

2. Shred your mushrooms with a fork, creating a shredded meaty texture. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

3. In a medium sized bowl, mix together flour, nutritional yeast, spices.

4. In a separate medium-sized bowl, mix the milk and Just Egg or chia egg with the lime zest.

5. Toss the mushrooms in the egg wash, followed by the flour mixture.

6. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, pan fry the coated mushrooms until well browned and crispy.

7. Once cooked, set aside in a paper-towel-lined dish and cover to keep warm.

8. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 2 tortillas on the sheet. (if your sheet isn’t large enough, use two smaller baking sheets).

9. Spread salsa on the top of each tortilla. Add beans, green onion, pepper, corn, rice, other ingredients. Spreading evenly over the tortilla.

10. Top with the “chickun” mushrooms.

11. Top off with vegan cheese or more nutritional yeast and add a second tortilla to the top of each of the quesadillas.

12. Bake in preheated 400F oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they start to brown.

13. While the quesadillas bake, in a blender or magic bullet, add all the topping ingredients. Blend well.

14. Once the quesadillas are baked, slice into quarters, and serve with topping spread on the top or serve on the side.

15. Enjoy with a side salad or with oven-baked or smashed potatoes.

16. You’ve just saved a chicken or two! Celebrate with your favourite beverage!

Sources

(1) Dicks, L., & Ellinger, S. (2020). Effect of the intake of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) on cardiometabolic parameters-A systematic review of clinical trials. Nutrients, 12(4), 1134. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12041134

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