January 2nd… the day we all dread. The holidays are over, work is back in full swing, and those festive treats seem to have settled around your waistline. It’s the perfect time to embrace healthy chicken enchiladas, a recipe that helps you cut back without sacrificing the bold flavors your taste buds now expect.
Healthy Chicken Enchiladas: Comfort Food Made Lighter
Did you know that a traditional chicken enchilada recipe can have up to 1,000 calories a serving?! Say what?!?! Lucky for you, these healthy chicken enchiladas have all the intense flavor of a Mexican restaurant with only 374 calories per serving. The trick is in the seasonings, so let me show you how to make it:
Step 1: Shred the Chicken
Start with a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Peel off the skin and pull off as much of the meat as possible.
Shred up both chicken breasts so that you have about 3 cups total. Using the breast meat helps save a lot of calories. As for the rest of the shredded chicken, save it in a container for another healthy recipe like 30-minute chicken tortilla soup. You will also need to chop up a medium sized onion.
Step 2: Make the Sauce
Now here’s where all the flavor for the healthy chicken enchiladas comes in. Put the onion and 1 cup of unsalted chicken broth in a large saucepan. Pour in a 15 oz can of unsalted tomato sauce and 1 tablespoon of flour. Use a whisk to mix this together. Now add in the following seasonings:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
Bring all of these ingredients to a boil over medium to high heat and then let it thicken for about 2 minutes.
Want your enchiladas extra spicy? Add in a diced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce or a jalapeno.
Step 3: Reserve Sauce and Add Chicken
Reserve about 1 1/2 cups of sauce. This will be your topping for the healthy chicken enchiladas. Leave the rest of the sauce in your pot on the stove.
Add in your shredded chicken breast (about 3 cups worth) and a can of unsalted, rinsed, and drained black beans. Stir it around to heat it for about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Step 4: Prepare the Tortillas
Wrap 12 corn tortillas in some damp paper towels and microwave them for 25-30 seconds. This is an important step because it makes the corn tortillas more flexible without breaking apart. Using corn tortillas is another way to save calories. You may prefer flour tortillas like I do, but they have a lot more calories.
Step 5: Roll and Fill Tortillas
Spoon about 1/3 cup of the chicken enchilada mixture into each tortilla and roll it up.
Place the healthy chicken enchiladas seam side down in a large glass pan that you sprayed with cooking spray.
Step 6: Top with Sauce and Cheese
Pour on the sauce you reserved and press it down in between each of the healthy chicken enchiladas. Sprinkle on 3/4 cup of Colby Jack cheese.
Step 7: Broil or Bake
Put the dish in the broiler and broil for 3 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and browned. If you don’t have a broiler, bake the healthy chicken enchiladas at 350 degrees until the cheese melts. That will probably be about 10 minutes. When that is done, top the chicken enchiladas with a diced tomato and some chopped cilantro.
Serving and Storage Tips
Most throw on a dollop of sour cream, but I opted for a handful of chips with homemade cilantro-lime salsa. Salsa is another great way to add a lot of flavor without all the calories.
Isn’t it great to know that you can make something healthy and delicious in 20 minutes? My family goes nuts over these! For two healthy chicken enchiladas you consume only 374 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 35 carbs. And that accounts for a tablespoon of sour cream with it! For more healthy and quick family meals, check out my 30-minute chicken and black bean fajitas, creamy fettuccine and vegetable primavera, and 20-minute spicy shrimp fried rice. Also, check out my 30-minute meal Madness Board on Pinterest.
Oh! One more thing! These half calorie chicken enchiladas freeze really well if you want to make a couple batches. Simply thaw them overnight in the fridge and bake at 350 degrees for an hour. They make a great gift for a new mommy, sick friend, or new neighbor. Happy cooking y’all!
