Christmas Tree Quesadillas

Start by chopping the cooked chicken into small, bite-sized pieces. You can also shred it if you prefer.

Juice half the lime to get about 1 Tablespoon lime juice.

Cut one of the cherry tomatoes into quarters length-wise. We’ll use this to create a tree topper.

Cut the rest of the cherry tomatoes in half. These will be the ornaments.

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. It’s important to give the skillet enough time to heat up so that the tortillas cook evenly.

Also, preheat your oven to 250°F. This will be used to keep your quesadillas warm as you prepare the rest. If you have a warming drawer, that’s a great alternative to use.

In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped chicken with 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of Mexican seasoning and 1 Tablespoon of lime juice.

The lime juice helps to keep the chicken moist.

Feel free to adjust the seasoning based on your preference—if you like it spicier, you can add a bit more seasoning or even some chili powder.

Place a tortilla into the preheated skillet. There’s no need for oil or butter, as the tortillas will toast nicely on their own.

Evenly sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese over the tortilla.

Distribute ½ cup of the seasoned chicken over the cheese.

Add dollops of red salsa, green salsa, and queso on top of the chicken.

These add layers of flavor and moisture to the quesadilla.

Top with another tortilla to complete the quesadilla.

Cook until the cheese is fully melted and the chicken is heated through, which usually takes about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Keep an eye on the quesadilla to avoid burning the tortillas.

Once cooked, transfer the quesadilla to a baking sheet and place it in the warm oven while you prepare the remaining quesadillas.

Cut each quesadilla into four equal pieces using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter for clean, even cuts.

On a serving platter, arrange the pieces in the shape of a Christmas tree.

Start by placing one piece at the top with the point facing upward.

Then create a second row under the first one with the points facing up and the rounded edge on the bottom. The top outside edges should be slightly inside the corners of the first row. The bottom outside edges should be sticking out past it to form a jagged Christmas tree shaped triangle.

Do the same for the third row, but use three quesadilla quarters.

Then create the bottom row with four pieces.

You’ll have 2 pieces left over. I usually just add them to the middle of the bottom row. But you could also save them to replenish the platter later.

Finally, add the halved cherry tomatoes to look like ornaments by placing them on the quesadilla pieces.

To create the tree topper, place the quartered cherry tomato at the top in a star shape.