Spicy Chicken Eggplant & Red Onion Quesadillas

1/4 cup water
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno chili, sliced
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz chicken tenders
4 slices red onion, 1/4 thick
4 slices eggplant, crosswise, -1/4 th, ick
1 vegetable oil
8 flour tortillas, 6 diameter
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, grated
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
sour cream

Combine 1/4 c water, cilantro, sliced jalapeno, lime juice and olive
oil in blender. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and
pepper. Place chicken in shallow baking dish. Pour marinade over,
coating completely. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours.

Preheat broiler. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.
Broil chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Set
chicken aside. Lightly brush both sides of onion and eggplant slices
with vegetable oil. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Broil
vegetables until tender and golden, about 2 minutes per side.

Preheat oven to 450F. Lightly brush 4 tortillas with vegetable oil.
Place tortillas, oil side down, on baking sheet. Combine grated
cheeses in small bowl. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese mixture over each
tortilla. Place chicken atop cheese, dividing equally. Place 1 onion
slice and 1 eggplant slice atop each. Top each eggplant slice with 1
tortilla. Lightly brush tops of tortillas with oil. (Can be prepared
6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Bake quesadillas until tortillas are slightly crisp and cheese melts,
about 10 minutes. Cut quesadillas into quarters. Serve with sour
cream.

Reprinted from Bon Appetit's "Chefs at Home" magazine, Sept. 1997.

Servings: 4