Vegan Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas anyone?! If you love that classic buffalo chicken flavor, these babies will really hit the spot! They are packed with flavor and have the perfect balance of creaminess and texture.

I used canned artichoke hearts (in brine) as a stand in for shredded chicken, but you could also use canned, young jackfruit. Either way, make sure that you squeeze out as much of the excess liquid after draining and chopping them, otherwise your mixture will be too runny.

BONUS: the filling for the quesadillas can also be used as a vegan buffalo chicken dip. Rather than spreading it in the tortillas to make quesadillas, put it in a Pyrex or oven-safe baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.

Vegan Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in hot water for at least 10 minutes
• ¾-1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buffalo hot sauce, I like Frank’s original 
• 1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, in water/brine (not in oil), chopped
• 4 large flour tortillas, white, whole wheat, spinach, etc.

For serving

• Vegan ranch dressing
• Hot sauce for dipping
• Celery sticks
• Carrot sticks

Order of Operations

1. Place 2 cups of raw cashews in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with 2 inches of water. Microwave for 2 minutes and then let soak in hot water until it’s time to blend. Alternatively, boil 4 cups of water and pour over cashews, then let them soak in hot water.
2. While cashews soak, drain, rinse, and roughly chop the artichoke hearts, lengthwise, to resemble shredded chicken. Use your hands or a clean kitchen towel to wring out as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
3. Add the following ingredients to a food processor or high speed blender and blend until smooth. Start with ¾ cup water and add more as needed.
   • 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in hot water for at least 10 minutes
   • ¾-1 cup water
   • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
   • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
   • 2 teaspoons onion powder
   • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
4. Add the artichoke hearts and the buffalo sauce to the food processor and pulse just a few times to combine. Alternatively, remove cashew cream to a bowl and stir in buffalo sauce and chopped artichoke hearts.
5. Spread about a ¼ inch-thick layer of the buffalo mixture over half of a tortilla and fold the other half over it to make a sandwich/quesadilla. 
6. Heat a large skillet with 1 teaspoon of oil (optional – for extra crispiness) over medium-high heat. Once hot, carefully lay the quesadilla in the pan and let cook for a few minutes on one side, until golden brown. Gently flip over and let cook another 3-4 minutes on the second side. 
7. Remove quesadilla from the pan to a clean, dry cutting board and cut into triangles. Serve with celery and carrot sticks and extra buffalo sauce, if desired. Enjoy!