In these Lighter Chicken Enchiladas, cooked shredded chicken is tossed with a light chipotle sauce, stuffed into tortillas, topped with Munster cheese, and baked until melted and delicious! Makes 8 enchiladas or 4 servings (2 each).
I’ve never met an enchilada I didn’t like.
Stuffed and baked tortillas with gravy and cheese? What’s not to love?
I’m a little picky about my enchiladas, preferring homemade red enchilada sauce (shock, right?) to store-bought. If you haven’t made your own enchilada sauce, YOU MUST! I have a quick version and a more from scratch version. But what I love about this particular enchilada recipe is that it doesn’t have any red sauce at all! Yes, enchiladas without red sauce! Instead, the sauce is made by sautéing onions, hot peppers, garlic, cumin, and chipotle. They make a quick and easy roux, stir in some broth, which makes for a lighter creamy and broth-like sauce.
For those who don’t like those crispy tortilla edges, I aim for a crispy end piece for each. singles. Time.
To make these lighter chicken enchiladas you will need:
- shredded cooked chicken – Use either leftover roast chicken or rotisserie.
- Extra light olive oil – Or use avocado oil.
- Red pepper – Adds a touch of color and a hint of sweet flavor.
- yellow onion – Gives delicious onion flavor.
- Garlic – Gives a distinct, strong taste.
- butter – Use unsalted butter to control the saltiness of the dish.
- unbleached all-purpose flour – Needed to thicken the sauce.
- Chipotle in Adobo sauce – Imparts smoky and spicy taste.
- low sodium chicken broth – This is used to make the sauce.
- kosher salt – Enhances the flavor of the dish.
- freshly ground black pepper – Imparts distinct bite and flavor.
- soft flour tortillas – Use regular, low-carb, or whole grains.
- Munster cheese – A delicious, mildly melting cheese that’s perfect for enchiladas or nachos.
Make the sauce:
Start by spraying a 9×13 baking pan with olive oil spray, then set aside. Heat a few teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 cup finely diced onion and 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper. Cook until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Once the peppers and onions are soft and translucent, add the teaspoon of cumin and 3 cloves of minced garlic.
Stir and cook 1 to 2 minutes.
Next add 2 tablespoons butter and stir until melted, then stir in the 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.
Stir until a wet paste forms and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the chopped chipotle and 1 to 2 teaspoons adobo sauce, more or less to taste.
Stir in 1-3/4 cups chicken broth. Increase heat to medium-high, stirring occasionally for 5 to 10 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
Taste and season with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste) and a few rounds of black pepper, give or take about 1/8 teaspoon.
Make the enchiladas:
Take 3/4 cup of the sauce and add it to the shredded chicken, tossing to combine.
Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce over the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.
Scoop some of the chicken mixture onto one side of a tortilla.
Pin, roll and repeat.
Place them seam-side down in the casserole dish.
Pour the remaining sauce over the rolled enchiladas.
Smooth out with a spoon.
Finally, grate about 1 cup or more (you decide!) of Munster cheese, then sprinkle on top.
Finally, slide the pan with the lighter colored chicken enchiladas on the middle shelf of your preheated 400° oven for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown in spots.
With enchiladas, I sometimes cover with foil and sometimes I don’t. For some reason I never cover it with this recipe. The cheese will melt and turn golden brown and where the cheese touches the pan it gets super crispy.
Let these lighter chicken enchiladas cool for a minute while you prepare some easy toppings.
Optional toppings for enchiladas:
- sour cream
- avocado
- hot sauce
- green onions
- coriander
- chopped tomatoes
- raw onion
- sliced fresh jalapeños.
These lighter chicken enchiladas are definitely a family favorite at our house and I hope they are at your house too!
Enjoy! And if you try this lighter chicken enchiladas recipe, let me know! Take a picture and tag me chirp or instagram!
Yield: 4 Servings (2 each)
Lighter chicken enchiladas
In these lighter chicken enchiladas; Cooked chicken cutlets are tossed with a light chipotle sauce, stuffed into tortillas, topped with Munster cheese and baked until melted and delicious! Makes 8 enchiladas or 4 servings (2 each).
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 Cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1/2 Cup finely diced red peppers
- 3 cloves Garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 small chipotle peppers, in Adobe, hacked
- 2 teaspoon Spanish spice and marinade mix
- 1¾ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE ENCHILADAS:
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, Leftovers roasted or rotisserie
- 8th Tortillas, Enchilada, or soft, taco-sized tortillas
- 1 Cup Munster cheese
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Spray the bottom and sides of a 13×9 baking dish with olive oil and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°.
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Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large, 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the finely diced onion and peppers, season with a pinch of salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the peppers are soft, about 5 minutes.
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Next add the garlic and cumin. Cook 1 minute before adding the butter. Once melted, stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
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Then add the chipotle peppers and 1 to 2 teaspoons adobo sauce. Stir as you slowly pour in the broth. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 4 to 6 minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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In a bowl, combine all of the shredded chicken with 3/4 cup of the sauce. Then spread 1/2 cup of the sauce over the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.
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Scoop some of the chicken mixture onto one side of the tortilla, fold in and roll up and place in the casserole dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling
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Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and spread with a spatula before sprinkling with the grated Munster cheese.
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Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and golden brown in spots.
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Allow to cool slightly before serving with your desired toppings.
Serve with: sliced avocado, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, hot sauce, sliced scallions, and chopped fresh coriander leaves.
Portion: 2G, Calories: 413kcal, Carbohydrates: 13G, Protein: 37G, Fat: 24G, Saturated Fatty Acids: 11G, Polyunsaturated fat: 2G, Monounsaturated fatty acids: 8thG, Trans fats: 1G, Cholesterol: 121mg, Sodium: 1265mg, Potassium: 494mg, Fiber: 3G, Sugar: 4G, Vitamin A: 1475ie, Vitamin C: 28mg, Calcium: 247mg, Iron: 3mg
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