Light Chicken Enchiladas [Recipe]

Every Monday is Mexican night and enchiladas are on the rotation. I’m not sure where the idea for this chicken enchiladas recipe originally came from, but I have been making it on and off for years. I’ve attempted a couple other chicken enchilada recipes, but they seem so involved. I asked my sister how she makes chicken enchiladas, and she lost me at, “I start by boiling the peppers.”

It’s nothing fancy but it gets the job done. It goes wonderfully with black beans. I switch between a red and green enchilada sauce, and I add red or green peppers if I have them. Taco sauce can be bought at the store or easily made from tomato sauce. My kids prefer no sauce on top so I keep the sauce off of theirs.  

Enjoy!

Light Chicken Enchiladas [Recipe]

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken breasts or tenders
• 4 oz light or regular cream cheese (half an 8-oz container)
• 1 10-oz can red enchilada sauce
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
• 5–6 large whole-wheat flour tortillas (you can also use smaller ones)
• taco sauce (mild or not — your choice!)
• 1–2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend

Instructions

1. Spray a skillet or pan with cooking spray and turn on to medium-high heat. Place chicken in pan, turning frequently. While cooking, take a fork and knife and shred the chicken while it cooks. Continue this until meat is shredded and cooked through.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the chopped onion, red pepper, cream cheese and enchilada sauce to the chicken and stir to combine. After the mixture starts boiling, turn off the heat and set aside.
3. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Fill the tortillas with the chicken mixture and fold each side over. I usually get 5–6 big enchiladas and then make a couple small ones for the kids. Cover with as much taco sauce as desired and top with the cheese.
4. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and cook uncovered for an additional 5–10 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.

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This recipe is featured in my book The Family Dinner Solution: How to Create a Rotation of Dinner Meals Your Family Will Love