Chicken Enchiladas

Finally – a break from desserts and some savory food! And a healthy recipe at that!

These chicken enchiladas were a treat for my hubby. I had never made enchiladas before, mostly because I always thought they were a bit too cheesy or creamy for my taste. However, I loved these – made with a chipotle tomato sauce, chicken, and veggies. I’ve made them a couple times now. As noted below, I usually use larger tortillas than the recipe calls for, so bulk up the filling with extra veggies (usually bell peppers or mushrooms), in order to keep the nutrition facts similar to the original recipe (about 250 calories per enchilada!). I make a big batch of these on the weekend, and then hubby and I heat them up for lunch or dinner during the busy week. They’re even better leftover!

Chicken Enchiladas

Adapted from Gina’s Skinny Recipes

Makes 4 servings (8 enchiladas)

Ingredients for the Sauce:

  • non-stick cooking spray
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-2 Tbs. chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (1-2 chipotles), minced
  • 1-1/2 c. tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 3/4 c. low sodium chicken broth
  • kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

Ingredients for the Enchiladas:

  • 1 tsp. vegetable oil
  • 8.5 oz (2 breast halves) cooked shredded chicken breast
  • 1 c. diced onion
  • 2 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 c. finely chopped cilantro
  • kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
  • 1/3 c. low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 c. tomato sauce
  • 8 (7-inch) tortillas*
  • 1 c. shredded low fat Mexican cheese
  • 1/2 c. chopped scallions or cilantro for topping

* The original recipe called for 8 7-inch reduced carb whole wheat tortillas (at 50 calories each… so that each enchilada would be about 160 calories). I used 8-10 inch whole wheat tortillas (at 130 calories each). Each enchilada was about 250 calories.

Make the Sauce:

  1. Spray a medium sauce pan with cooking spray. Over medium heat, saute garlic until fragrant. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Make the Filling:

  1. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil. Add onions and garlic, sauteing until soft. Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chili powder, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Cook for 4-5 minutes.

Make the Enchiladas & Bake:

  1. While the chicken mixture is cooking, preheat oven to 400 and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. When chicken mixture is ready, place 1/3 c. chicken mixture into each tortilla. Roll it, and place it in prepared baking dish, seam side down.
  3. Cover with sauce and top with cheese.
  4. Bake 20-25 minutes, covering with aluminum foil if the top starts to burn.

Serve topped with scallions or cilantro, and if desired, sour cream. Serve with rice.

2 thoughts on “Chicken Enchiladas”

  1. Great enchiladas. Tons of flavor and not too cheesy like many other recipes. The wheat tortillas are a great choice. My husband dislikes the gumminess that can happen when using regular flour tortillas. These were great for weekday lunches

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