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Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas

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Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

 
Enchiladas are a special food in our house. They are, as I like to refer to them, my weapon. They were the first meal I ever made for my husband and THE meal I make when I … well, quite frankly, when I want something. That something could really be anything, like the replacement of the high light bulb I can’t reach, which I’ve incessantly nagged about or the purse I “accidentally” purchased and let him “accidentally” see. Either way, they are one of my husband’s favorite meals and something I make probably twice a month.

The thing is, they are pretty decadent. We like lots of sodium-laced sauce, tons (no really—tons) of cheese inside and out, and really huge puffy flour or soft corn tortillas. And let’s not forget what goes on top: sour cream, more cheese, and obviously guacamole. Hello lover.

So enter Laurie’s recipe for Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Oh my goodness, I was so excited I almost died. But then I was even more excited after I made them and we seriously loved on the entire pan. These are super delicious, so let’s get started!

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

You need some cooked and shredded chicken, low-sodium chicken stock, flour, a sweet onion, a few garlic cloves, olive oil, whole wheat tortillas, cumin, chipotle peppers in adobo, a red pepper and of course, cheese.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

First up, dice your peppers and onions and add them to a skillet with some olive oil. After sautéing until soft, add in your garlic and cook for a few seconds until fragrant.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

Stir in the flour, chopped peppers and cumin.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

Then add your chicken stock and water, whisking well.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

Cook for a few minutes until bubbly and thickened, and boom, you have your sauce! See how simple? Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

With your shredded chicken in a large bowl, add some of the sauce and mix it up.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

Add a bit more sauce to the bottom of a greased baking dish to make the first layer of deliciousness.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

Then start filling your enchis. First up, add a few spoonfuls of the chicken mixture to the tortilla.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

Roll it up tightly, placing it in the dish. Repeat with the rest until they are all crammed together and ready to go.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

Add the rest of the sauce on top. I gently spread it with a spoon to cover every inch before baking.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

Then add some cheese—just a bit—to cover the dish. Bake for a few minutes just until the enchiladas are warmed through and the cheese is melty. Oh melty cheese.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

Admire your beautiful work!

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Lightened Up Chicken Enchiladas. Guest post by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet It Is, recipe submitted by TK member Laurie McNamara of Simply Scratch.

Serve your enchiladas and cover them with sour cream (or, as we like, plain Greek yogurt), guacamole, chives, salsa and chopped cilantro. Go to town with all of your favorite garnishes.

We absolutely adored these! Not only are they much lighter ingredients-wise than our typical enchiladas, they are lightly filling, too. They aren’t heavy since you make your own sauce and keep the cheese to a minimum, but they still taste incredible and get the job done. Cravings cured!

Thanks so much to my fellow TK Blog contributor Laurie for the fabulous recipe. Check out her incredible blog, Simply Scratch, where she shares her delicious creations in the kitchen and beautiful step-by-step photography.

 
 

Printable Recipe

Lightened-up Chicken Enchiladas

See post on Laurie - Simply Scratch’s site!
5.00 Mitt(s) 9 Rating(s)9 votes, average: 5.00 out of 59 votes, average: 5.00 out of 59 votes, average: 5.00 out of 59 votes, average: 5.00 out of 59 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5

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Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 4

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Description

Chicken enchiladas lightened up with grilled chicken, whole wheat tortillas and a broth-y chipotle sauce that is to die for!

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 whole Small Onion, Diced Small
  • ½ whole (red, Green Or Orange) Bell Pepper, Diced Small
  • 2 cloves Fresh Garlic, Peeled And Minced
  • ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce
  • 1-½ cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
  • ¼ cups Water
  • 1 Tablespoon Adobo Sauce (optional)
  • ¾ teaspoons Kosher Salt
  • ⅛ teaspoons Black Pepper, More Or Less To Taste
  • 2 whole Grilled Chicken Breasts, Shredded In A Large Bowl
  • 8 whole Whole Wheat Tortillas
  • ½ cups Grated Muenster Cheese
  • Your Favorite Enchilada Toppings, For Serving (Salsa, Sour Cream, Chopped Fresh Cilantro, Etc.)

Preparation Instructions

Lightly spray the bottom of a 13×9 baking dish and set aside. Preheat your oven to 400 F.

In a large skillet over medium heat add the two tablespoons of olive oil.

Add diced onion and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the peppers are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add in the minced garlic and cook for one minute. Add in the flour, cumin and the tablespoon of diced chipotle peppers, stir.

Whisk in the broth and water. Add in the tablespoon of adobo sauce if desired and simmer over medium heat until the sauce has thickened. Season with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, taste and adjust seasonings.

Put the shredded grilled chicken in a bowl. Add a cup of the “enchilada sauce” to the shredded chicken.

Measure and spread 1/4 of a cup of the sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan.

Wrap the 8 whole wheat tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for one minute.

Spoon a little of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla, then tuck and roll each tortilla and place it seam side down into the baking dish.

Pour and spread the remainder of the sauce over top of the enchiladas and top with the half cup of grated Muenster cheese.

Bake, uncovered, in your preheated 400 F oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and bubbly.

Serve two per person topped with a dollop of sour cream, your favorite hot sauce and torn cilantro. Other delicious toppings like sliced olives, salsa, green onions and pickled jalapenos would be fantastic too!

Enjoy!

 
 
_______________________________________

Jessica Merchant is a personal trainer turned food writer and blogger. Her blog, How Sweet Eats, is where she proclaims her love for all things sweet, all things bacon, and everything else in between. She works her magic in her Pittsburgh kitchen, which she shares with her husband of 2 years.

 

28 Comments

Comments are closed for this recipe.

Anna on 1.9.2013

I have never made or even eaten enchiladas, but when we invited a few friends over for dinner this week, I immediately thought about making enchiladas. I made these and used the shredded chicken from your crockpot beer chicken (which is made at least once a month). They turned out fantastic! Thanks for my first enchilada experience.

Allison on 12.17.2012

These are delicious! They taste really gourmet. Much more special than any takeout enchilada I’ve ever tried. I made a double batch to accommodate my large, multi-grain tortillas. I really like how textured the sauce was. I think it added something just right to the recipe. I could dip chips in this sauce and be a happy camper! Thanks for posting. This is going into regular rotation. Next time I’ve got company, you better believe this recipe will be making an appearance. Love it!

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rlhoyt on 11.1.2012

Made these last weekend and the whole family loved them. I used just a mixed shredded cheese – but everything else the same. They were great leftover also. This recipe is a keeper.

Margaret Echols on 10.30.2012

Is there another kind of cheese that would work as well? I’m not familiar with muenster.

Diana Barrios Trevino on 10.29.2012

Great recipe! I have an easy tip for softening corn tortillas. Heat a non-stick skillet, wet the tortillas by running them through water and then steam them on the skillet. Fill with your favorite filling and then roll them up and place them seam side down in your dish. Your enchiladas will be perfect!!!

Angela on 10.28.2012

I made this tonight for dinner. My husband and I loved it. Thank you

Rachael {SimplyFreshCooking} on 10.28.2012

Loving this recipe!!!! :)

Phyllis on 10.28.2012

Love the idea of light enchiladas but was expecting to see nutritional info. In any case, will be trying this soon.

michele on 10.27.2012

Wonderful! Tried these tonight. I added a bit more cheese because I’m ornery. I loved how the whole wheat tortillas kept their shape. The sauce is the bomb. So much flavor. Thanks!

Mandie @ Oh So Decadent on 10.27.2012

These look fantastic! I’ve always been a fan of Ree’s enchilada’s, but I love a lightened up version!

The hard part is going to be refraining from covering them in extra cheese and sauce.

Liz @ The Lemon Bowl on 10.27.2012

These look incredible!

Julia on 10.27.2012

I can not wait to try these out for dinner this week! Mexican food is always a popular meal and I love that they are lightened up!!

Jules on 10.27.2012

Any ideas as to how they hold up for leftovers? If I make a batch on Sunday, could I eat them for lunch on Wednesday? Thursday? Thanks!

Drea on 10.25.2012

A few days ago I made chicken stock and was left with a whole lotta chicken and while
I wasn’t looking for a way to use it when I saw this recipe it’s like the dots connected.
I made this for the family tonight, minus our sonny because he is spending the week at outdoor camp, but we loved it just the same.
The only thing I changed was I doubled the batch so we have lunch for tomorrow. This is a great recipe and I totally don’t feel heavy like I just ate a serving of enchiladas… even though I just did ;)

Sandra Livesay on 10.25.2012

I love autumn! Such a relief from heat and humidity. Crisp and invigorating.

Christy on 10.25.2012

I love the enchiladas! My hubby does too. Says it’s the best thing I’ve made in a long time :) Thanks!

Melanie T on 10.24.2012

Help please I want to make this but cannot find chipolte peppers in adobo sauce or adobo sauce at all in my grocery or walmart. Any suggestions??

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    Laurie - Simply Scratch on 10.25.2012

    Hi Melanie T! Since you can’t find chipotles I would try substituting (canned) chopped green chiles. Hope this helps!

Cat Cooks in WI on 10.24.2012

Made these last night! They were delicious and very easy. I added a handful of chopped kale to the sauce and it was great!!

LesleyPezley on 10.23.2012

Thanks for sharing this recipe. It looks fabulous!! Can’t wait to give it a spin this week.

Strawberry Pie on 10.23.2012

Also, thanks! This way of making the sauce and filling looks really appealing. Maybe I can try it with turkey leftovers at Thanksgiving.
And thanks, Courtney- Martha’s spin is here: http://www.marthastewart.com/318900/lighter-chicken-enchiladas
Good recipes have many lives :)

Strawberry Pie on 10.23.2012

I noticed Laurie developed this recipe because she is not a fan of red sauce.
If you are a fan, you can go ahead and use the red stuff- my favorite brand has only 160 calories for the whole jar. Also, tomatillo sauce is fab as well. Just go easy on the cheese, add vegetables as you please to the filling, and it will be “lighter” and delicious, too.
And I prefer corn tortillas, which I often just heat in sauce rather than oil to keep down the fat. Still delish!

Mollie on 10.23.2012

I made these a few weeks ago almost immediately after finding this recipe. It will definately be my go-to enchilada recipe from now on! It is much healthier than my previous recipe AND it passed the husband and 3 boys taste test!

melissa james on 10.23.2012

Im all about trying this recipe but would love to see your original recipe please. With all the cheese inside and out…

courtney on 10.22.2012

this is a martha stewart recipe. i make this once a week

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    Laurie - Simply Scratch on 10.22.2012

    Thank you Jessica for featuring my recipe! You photos are stunning and I’m suddenly wishing I had planned this for dinner instead of BLT’s! Drat.

    @Courtney I had no idea Martha had a similar recipe! Whoa… great minds! :)

Heather (Heather's Dish) on 10.22.2012

i’ve had this bookmarked for-e-ver…now i really need to get on it!

Carrie @ Kiss My Whisk on 10.22.2012

I love enchiladas, can’t wait to try this lighter version so I have less guilt after devouring an entire pan of them!