Chicken & chorizo quesadillas, rice and Mexican street corn for dinner!

Preparation Notes for a Big Griddle Cook:
Mise en Place: Have all your ingredients prepped, chopped, measured, and sauces mixed before you turn on the griddle. This is crucial for smooth griddle cooking, especially with multiple dishes.
Griddle Zones: Plan to use different heat zones. Usually, the back is hottest, front is cooler.
Keep Warm: Have foil pans or plates ready to move cooked items to a cooler section of the griddle or off to the side to keep warm.
Cleaning: Keep your scraper handy for quick clean-ups between cooking different components.
1. Chicken & Chorizo Quesadillas
Yields: 4-6 quesadillas (serves 4-6 people)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15-20 min
Ingredients:
For the Filling:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 lb fresh Mexican chorizo, casing removed (if applicable)
1 tbsp olive oil (for chicken)
1 tsp taco seasoning (for chicken)
1/2 large onion, finely diced
1-2 jalapeños, finely diced (remove seeds for less heat)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or a Mexican blend)
8-12 large (burrito-size) flour tortillas
Butter or oil for griddle
Instructions (Griddle – Zone 1: Medium-High):
Prep Meats: Toss chicken with olive oil and taco seasoning. Crumble chorizo.
Cook Chorizo: Heat one section of the griddle to medium-high. Add chorizo, breaking it up. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 mins. Drain excess grease. Remove and set aside.
Cook Chicken: Add seasoned chicken to the griddle. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 mins. Remove and set aside.
Sauté Aromatics: Add diced onion and jalapeños. Sauté for 3-5 mins until softened. Combine with cooked chicken and chorizo in a bowl.
Assemble & Cook Quesadillas:
Reduce griddle heat to medium. Lightly butter or oil a section of the griddle.
Lay a tortilla on the griddle. Sprinkle cheese evenly over one half of the tortilla.
Spoon a portion of the chicken/chorizo/veggie mixture over the cheese.
Add a little more cheese on top of the filling.
Once the bottom is slightly golden and cheese begins to melt, fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filling.
Cook for 2-4 minutes per side, pressing down with a spatula, until golden brown and cheese is fully melted and gooey.
Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Slice into wedges and keep warm.
2. Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
Yields: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10-15 min
Ingredients:
4-6 ears of corn, husked (or 4-5 cups frozen corn, thawed and drained)
2 tbsp butter or oil
For the Coating:
1/2 cup mayonnaise or Mexican crema
1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (or finely grated Parmesan/feta)
1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1-2 tsp chili powder (or Tajin seasoning)
Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Extra lime wedges for serving
Instructions (Griddle – Zone 2: Medium-High):
Cook Corn: Heat a section of the griddle to medium-high. Add butter or oil.
Fresh Corn: Place corn cobs directly on the griddle. Cook, turning occasionally, for 8-12 minutes until kernels are tender and lightly charred on all sides.
Frozen Corn: Add thawed frozen corn to the griddle. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and some kernels are lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Prepare Coating: In a shallow dish or on a plate, combine mayonnaise, Cotija cheese, lime juice, and chili powder. Mix well.
Coat Corn:
Cobs: Once cobs are cooked, carefully roll each cob in the mayo/cheese mixture until evenly coated. Garnish with cilantro.
Loose Corn: Once cooked, transfer the loose corn to a bowl. Add the mayo/cheese mixture and stir to combine. Garnish with cilantro.
Serve: Serve immediately with extra lime wedges.
3. Mexican Fried Rice
Yields: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10-15 min
Ingredients:
4-5 cups cooked, cold day-old white rice (essential for good texture)
2-3 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp tomato paste (for a touch of “Mexican rice” flavor)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (for garnish)
Instructions (Griddle – Zone 3: Medium):
Prep Rice & Veggies: Ensure rice is cold. Have diced onion and frozen veggies ready.
Cook Eggs: Heat a section of the griddle to medium. Add 1 tbsp oil. Pour beaten eggs, scramble quickly. Chop into small pieces. Push to side.
Sauté Aromatics & Veggies: Add another 1-2 tbsp oil to the clear space. Add diced onion, stir-fry 2-3 minutes. Add frozen mixed vegetables, stir-fry until heated, 3-5 minutes.
Add Rice & Seasoning: Add the cold rice. Break it up with spatulas. Mix with vegetables and scrambled egg. Add soy sauce, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and white pepper.
Stir-fry: Toss everything thoroughly until well combined, coated, and heated through. Spread out on the griddle to get some slight crisping.
Garnish: Stir in sliced green onions and cilantro right before serving.
Putting it all together for your dinner:
Start Meats: Cook chicken and chorizo for quesadillas. Set aside. Sauté onions/jalapeños for quesadillas.
Start Corn: Get the corn cooking on another section of the griddle.
Start Fried Rice: While corn is cooking, start the fried rice components (eggs, veggies, then rice).
Assemble Quesadillas: While rice finishes, start assembling and cooking the quesadillas.
Finish Corn: Coat the cooked corn.
Serve: Once everything is hot, bring it all to the table!