My favorite thing to make in my low-level cooking rotation is quesadillas because of its simplicity and deliciousness. 

All you need for a quesadilla is some cheese and a tortilla, but this recipe is only slightly more complex.

This recipe has helped me as a college student because it is both easy and high in protein and healthy fats.

Personally, I eat a high protein diet because I lift weights and this is one great recipe to get high quality protein that tastes great everytime.

For this recipe, you will need:

Three to four ounces of chicken breast

One cup of mozzarella or pepper jack cheese

One tablespoon of olive oil

Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wings Hot Sauce

Seasoning:
Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Cayenne pepper

Paprika

Chili powder

Cumin

This recipe comes in two main steps: the first involves cooking the chicken and then cooking the quesadilla.

First thaw your chicken by leaving it in a refrigerator overnight. This is the easiest method because you don’t have to do anything other than remember to move the chicken to the refrigerator from a freezer.

But if you want to cook your chicken the same day, place the chicken in a bag and put inside a bowl with cold water for a few hours until it fully thaws, changing out the water every 30 minutes to make sure it stays cold.

Start by cutting the chicken while it’s raw because it’s easier to cook to the temperature of 165 degree Fahrenheit.
Once you are ready to cook the chicken, mix the seasoning into the meat and don’t be shy – not adding enough seasoning can make or break your recipe. 

Seasoning is an essential part of cooking. If you don’t season your food, it probably won’t taste good, it’s as simple as that, especially in the case of chicken breast, which is pretty bland by itself. If you don’t know what seasoning to use, experiment!
Preheat a saucepan on medium heat, add a small splash of olive oil to your pan, then put in your chicken.
If you’re new to cooking, this might seem daunting but it’s not as scary as it seems. 
All you’re doing is leaving it in the pan and occasionally stirring until it turns golden brown or has a reasonably firm texture, like touching the fleshy part of your palm.
You can use a frying pan but I use a saucepan because I cook multiple breasts of chicken to have leftovers.

Once you’ve finished cooking your chicken, grab a frying pan to cook your quesadilla.
Grab either one or two medium-sized tortillas.
I use two tortillas because of the amount of chicken used, but if you don’t want as much protein, you can go with the one-tortilla option or use more cheese.

I also like using “carb balance” tortillas because they are lower in calories, but that’s just personal preference. If you’re trying to cut weight, this is one easy way to knock down some calories in your meals.

Place your tortilla in your pan, then add half a cup of cheese in the middle of the tortilla and place all your chicken on top. 

Put the other half cup of cheese on top of the chicken, then add your sauce and place another tortilla on top. 

Then apply pressure to the top of the quesadilla so it sticks – if you’re using the single tortilla method, you would fold it in half.
Preheat a frying pan on medium heat then add around half a tablespoon of olive oil and place your quesadilla in the frying pan.

Cooking this quesadilla without the oil is fine, in fact it makes it a much lower calorie meal, but the oil adds a level of moisture and flavor you just won’t get without it.
Make sure the entire bottom of the quesadilla is saturated with the olive oil and wait until tortilla until it turns a golden brown

Now you can flip the quesadilla over, add the second half tablespoon of olive oil then repeat.

When the second tortilla has turned golden brown, take it out of the pan and cut it into halves or fourths, or if you use the singular tortilla method cut it into thirds, let it cool, and enjoy.

Congratulations, you have now made an excellent quesadilla! As it turns out, cooking enjoyable meals is not as hard as you may or may not have thought. 

Because this meal does not have a great deal of carbohydrates, I’d recommend supplementing it with something like a salad or cooked vegetables, potentially even adding some bell peppers to the quesadilla for a little extra veggies.

Macronutrient profile:

Calories: 768

Protein: 52 grams

Fat: 39 grams

Carbohydrates: 49 grams