According to Danny Trejo, Fried Chicken Belongs in Your Quesadilla

You might know him from movies like Machete and Bad Ass, but these days, you’re just as likely to find Danny Trejo in the kitchen of one of his LA restaurants as on a movie set. In fact, it was at one of these restaurants—Trejo’s Tacos in Santa Monica, California, to be precise—that the actor, cookbook author, and restaurateur walked listeners through his method for making Pollo Frito Quesadillas on the latest episode of Food52’s podcast, Play Me a Recipe. Described by Trejo as “mouthwatering,” these quesadillas aren’t your average after-school snack—they come stuffed with super-crispy fried chicken, slaw made from green cabbage and chipotle crema, fresh chiles, and cheese.

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Here's what we learned cooking with Danny Trejo:

1. First and foremost: Fried chicken belongs just as much in a quesadilla as it does on a waffle with maple syrup. “This fried chicken is delicious on its own, but when we pair it with salsa and load it into a quesadilla, it’s a whole other level of delicious,” says Trejo.

2. Salting your chicken 30 minutes prior to dredging and frying creates a light curing effect, “[making] the meat even more flavorful.” This technique, similar to a dry-brine, also ensures a moist, juicy final product. (But, in a pinch, any leftover fried chicken will work just as well—just make sure it’s roughly chopped prior to assembly.)

3. If you like spicy chicken, introduce multiple sources of heat. To provide “a little bit of kick” in this recipe, Trejo seasons the fried chicken dredge with cayenne pepper, plus garlic and onion powders, dried oregano, and sweet paprika. Then, he loads the quesadilla with spicy, chipotle crema and thinly-sliced serrano chiles.

4. As for building the quesadilla, Trejo emphasizes the importance of making sure each component is “evenly spread” to ensure a balanced mix of fried chicken, cabbage slaw, chiles, and cheese in each bite.

To hear more from Danny Trejo, check out the latest episode of our podcast, Play Me a Recipe. Or, you can find the full recipe for Trejo’s Tacos’ Pollo Frito Quesadilla below.

Danny Trejo’s Pollo Frito Quesadilla (Fried Chicken Quesadilla)

View Recipe

Ingredients

Quesadilla with Cabbage Slaw

2	cups sour cream
4	chipotle chiles from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, plus 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce
2	limes, juiced
2	teaspoons kosher salt
1/2	cup shredded green cabbage
2	(13-inch) flour tortillas
2	cups shredded Mexican-style cheese blend
1 1/2	cups chopped Trejo's Fried Chicken, about 1/3 of the recipe below (or, use any type of leftover fried chicken)
2	serrano chiles, finely chopped

2	cups sour cream
4	chipotle chiles from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, plus 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce
2	limes, juiced
2	teaspoons kosher salt
1/2	cup shredded green cabbage

2	(13-inch) flour tortillas
2	cups shredded Mexican-style cheese blend
1 1/2	cups chopped Trejo's Fried Chicken, about 1/3 of the recipe below (or, use any type of leftover fried chicken)
2	serrano chiles, finely chopped

Danny Trejo's Fried Chicken (serves 4)

1 1/2	pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3	teaspoons kosher salt
4	cups all-purpose flour
2	tablespoons garlic powder
2	tablespoons onion powder
1 1/2	teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2	teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2	teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2	teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4	cups canola oil
2	cups buttermilk

1 1/2	pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3	teaspoons kosher salt
4	cups all-purpose flour
2	tablespoons garlic powder
2	tablespoons onion powder
1 1/2	teaspoons dried oregano

1 1/2	teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2	teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2	teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4	cups canola oil
2	cups buttermilk