Takeout Theory45 min · Easy
Crispy Chicken Bao-Style Buns
Golden panko chicken tucked into warm steamed buns with quick-pickled cucumber and a little sriracha mayo. Frozen folded bao buns keep this takeout-style dinner practical at home.
Cheesy Garlic Butter Steak Quesadillas
Browned steak. Garlic butter. Crisp, cheesy edges. Thinly sliced steak tossed through garlic-parsley butter and folded into flour tortillas with cheddar and mozzarella. Toast gently so the cheese melts before the outside gets too dark, then cut into crisp wedges.
40 minApprox. time
EasyEffort
4 quesadillasMakes
Everything you need
Ingredients
Batch size
Choose a batch size above. Portion to your appetite.
Garlic butter steak
Quesadillas
Wheat and milk. Check tortilla and optional sauce labels.
Let’s cook
Make it tonight.
Sear and rest the steak
Pat steak dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sear the steak about 3–4 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until the centre reaches at least 63°C / 145°F. Rest on a clean board for 5 minutes, then slice thinly across the grain and cut long slices into bite-size pieces.Add garlic butter
Lower the heat to medium-low. Add butter to the same pan, then garlic; stir for 30 seconds without browning it. Turn off the heat and toss sliced steak, resting juices and parsley through the garlic butter. Transfer to a bowl.Fill and fold
Mix the two grated cheeses. Scatter half the cheese over one half of each tortilla, leaving a small border. Divide steak evenly over the cheese, add the remaining cheese and fold the empty half over to enclose the filling. Do not pack in excess liquid from the bowl.Toast and cut
Wipe the pan clean. Use the remaining 1 tbsp oil in small amounts across all four quesadillas. Cook over medium-low heat in batches, about 2–3 minutes per side, until the tortillas are golden and cheese melts. Rest 1 minute, then cut each into three wedges. Serve with salsa and sour cream if using.
Make it yours.
Tender steak
Slice across the grain after resting. Keep pieces small so the filling stays inside when you bite.
Cheese swap
Use 200 g Monterey Jack in place of the cheddar-mozzarella mix.
Gentle heat
If the tortilla browns before the cheese melts, lower the heat and cover the pan for 30 seconds.
Leftovers
Refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat in a pan or oven until the filling reaches 74°C / 165°F; avoid the microwave for a crisp tortilla.
Equipment
Large frying pan, spatula or tongs, knife, chopping boards, grater and instant-read thermometer..
A note on the nutrition
The recipe, in pictures.
Your next craving
Keep a good thing going.
Takeout Theory45 min · Easy
Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch Wraps
Oven-crisped chicken strips, bacon and cheddar tucked into warm flour tortillas with shredded lettuce and a measured spoonful of ranch. A short toast in the pan seals the wraps and gives the outside a light crunch.