These healthy chicken enchiladas are packed with flavor and nutritious ingredients! The homemade enchilada sauce is the star of this recipe.
I don’t know what it is but I loveMexican food. Maybe it’s the spice or just the overall flavor profile but I love the cuisine! I have a vegetarian enchilada bake but hadn’t shared a straight forward enchilada recipe… until now. I love this recipe and hope it becomes a staple with your families!
A lot of people might consider Mexican food unhealthy, but the truth of the matter is within every cuisine there are healthy options! Sure, you can order or make the heaviest, creamiest dish but you could also make some simple swaps to lower the calories and up the nutrition profile. These chicken enchiladas are the perfect example!
Ingredients for Healthy Chicken Enchiladas
Whole wheat flour tortillas
Homemade red enchilada sauce – this is the star of the recipe in my opinion!
Vegetables – corn, black beans, yellow onion, garlic and cilantro
Cheese – I use low-fat, shredded Mexican cheese
Spices – chili powder, cumin, salt
Toppings – scallions, cilantro and jalapeños
Prepping and Storing Enchiladas
There are a couple of different ways you can prep these enchiladas ahead of time. One big time saver is making the homemade enchilada sauce ahead of time! You can freeze it if you make it more than one week in advance, otherwise just store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to use. You can also prep the entire meal ahead of time and then bake it when you’re ready.
To store, use an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to five days. I don’t think I would freeze the leftovers because the cheese gets a little wonky, but if that doesn’t bother you, you can absolutely try it!
How to Serve Enchiladas
When serving these enchiladas I usually have a few topping options on hand including fresh cilantro, green onions, jalapeños, sour cream or Greek yogurt, salsa, hot sauce and guacamole or fresh avocado. You don’t need all of these. Pick your favorite toppings and use those!
These chicken enchiladas are a meal on their own, but it’s always fun to have a few sides… especially if you’re hosting. Here are some options:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add oil and sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, tomato sauce, oregano, chili powder, cumin, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. This will help thicken the sauce. Set aside until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 400°F degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add chicken, corn, black beans, cilantro, chili powder, cumin and 1/2 cup enchilada sauce to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Fill each tortillas with 1/4- 1/3 cup of the chicken and black bean mixture, a sprinkle of cheese and roll it up.
Place rolled tortilla into the baking dish, seam side down. Once all the tortillas are filled, cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle remaining shredded cheese over top.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and enchiladas are warm throughout. Serve enchiladas with your toppings of choice: green onions, fresh cilantro, jalapeños, sliced avocado and Greek yogurt and/or sour cream.
I WOULDLIKE TO TRY”HEALTHY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS CAN I PREPARE THE RECIPE TO FREEZE BEFORE I BAKE IN THE OVEN
YOU HAVE SAID THIS A DUPLICATE COMMENT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE SEEN YOUR RECIPES AND I WOULD LIKE IF YOU CAN REPLY TOMY FREEZING
Hey Vera,
You should be just fine to prep the dish and then freeze it before baking. Just make sure to store the enchiladas in an airtight container covered to prevent any freezer burn. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Fabulous! I did a few substitutions for dietary and pantry restrictions. Used goat cheddar cheese and added a small can of green chilis and instead of tomato sauce used a can of diced tomatoes. Immersion blended it and let it cook a little longer on the stove but otherwise followed the recipe. The worlds crankiest aunt deemed them the best enchiladas she ever had- high praise indeed!!!! Thank you!
YESS! I am SO happy to hear that this recipe was a hit, Amanda! Your substitutions sound amazing. Thank you for your review + star rating, I really appreciate it.
A HUGE hit! I love that it uses a traditional red enchilada sauce with a healthy twist! I quadrupled the recipe to freeze individual meals. Yes…. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are HOT! If you didn’t know that before, now you do! I used 1/4 of what the recipe called for. Added extra to hubby’s!
We’ve made this recipe so many times I’ve lost count. It is definitely a family favorite and we use the enchilada sauce for stuffed peppers as well! So so good
Ah! I am so happy you and your family enjoy this recipe. Using the enchilada sauce for stuffed peppers is a GREAT idea as well, thank you for sharing. I appreciate your review + star rating, thank you for being here!
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I WOULDLIKE TO TRY”HEALTHY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS CAN I PREPARE THE RECIPE TO FREEZE BEFORE I BAKE IN THE OVEN
YOU HAVE SAID THIS A DUPLICATE COMMENT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE SEEN YOUR RECIPES AND I WOULD LIKE IF YOU CAN REPLY TOMY FREEZING
Hey Vera,
You should be just fine to prep the dish and then freeze it before baking. Just make sure to store the enchiladas in an airtight container covered to prevent any freezer burn. Let me know how it turns out for you!
I WOULDLIKE TO TRY”HEALTHY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS CAN I PREPARE THE RECIPE TO FREEZE BEFORE I BAKE IN THE OVEN
Fabulous! I did a few substitutions for dietary and pantry restrictions. Used goat cheddar cheese and added a small can of green chilis and instead of tomato sauce used a can of diced tomatoes. Immersion blended it and let it cook a little longer on the stove but otherwise followed the recipe. The worlds crankiest aunt deemed them the best enchiladas she ever had- high praise indeed!!!! Thank you!
YESS! I am SO happy to hear that this recipe was a hit, Amanda! Your substitutions sound amazing. Thank you for your review + star rating, I really appreciate it.
A HUGE hit! I love that it uses a traditional red enchilada sauce with a healthy twist! I quadrupled the recipe to freeze individual meals. Yes…. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are HOT! If you didn’t know that before, now you do! I used 1/4 of what the recipe called for. Added extra to hubby’s!
WOO! I am happy to hear that is recipe was such a hit, Suzanne! Thank you for coming back and leaving your review + star rating, I so appreciate it!
We’ve made this recipe so many times I’ve lost count. It is definitely a family favorite and we use the enchilada sauce for stuffed peppers as well! So so good
Ah! I am so happy you and your family enjoy this recipe. Using the enchilada sauce for stuffed peppers is a GREAT idea as well, thank you for sharing. I appreciate your review + star rating, thank you for being here!