Healthy Chicken Enchiladas

If you want a recipe for healthy chicken enchiladas that still tastes like chicken enchiladas, you’ve come to the right place! These wholesome enchiladas are just as saucy and cheesy as your favorite Mexican restaurant makes them, but they’re not loaded with tons of fat and sodium thanks to plant-based queso and a homemade sauce.

An enchilada is typically filled with meat, cheese, beans, and vegetables. What makes enchiladas different from other Mexican dishes (like burritos) is that they’re usually made with corn tortillas and smothered in sauce. But what makes our healthy chicken enchiladas extra unique is a savory homemade ranchero sauce and low carb tomato-based tortillas.

So basically, we’ve created a deliciously satisfying alternative to restaurant style chicken enchiladas that’s healthier for you and so easy to make. This is one recipe we’ll be relying on in the new year to achieve our healthy eating goals!

Ingredients For Healthy Chicken Enchiladas 

We like to make these healthy chicken enchiladas with homemade ranchero sauce and sun-dried tomato basil tortillas for a less processed and low carb alternative to traditional enchiladas. We also use a plant based queso dip in the filling so you get the cheesy, saucy texture of traditional enchiladas with less fat and more natural ingredients.

Here’s the full list of ingredients you’ll need to make our recipe:

• Shredded chicken
• Canned black beans
• White onion
• Poblano pepper
• Plant based queso dip
• Ranchero sauce or enchilada sauce
• Sun-dried tomato basil tortillas
• Colby Jack cheese
• Cilantro

You’ll want to prepare the shredded chicken ahead of time however you like. We typically marinate chicken in a simple blend of olive oil, lime juice, and salt, then either bake or boil and shred. Let it cool to room temperature or use it straight from the fridge for this recipe. Alternatively, you can use a rotisserie chicken to save on some cooking time.

If you don’t want to make a homemade ranchero sauce, you can always use store-bought enchilada sauce instead. Just note that canned enchilada sauce is typically higher in sodium than homemade alternatives.

How To Make Healthy Chicken Enchiladas

You can make these healthy chicken enchiladas in about 45 minutes! All you need is a large mixing bowl and a 9×13 baking dish, so cleanup is even easier than making dinner.

Here’s how to make our healthy chicken enchiladas recipe:

1. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Next, combine the shredded chicken, black beans, onion, poblano, plant based queso dip, and some of the ranchero sauce in a large bowl. Mix until the ingredients are well-combined, forming a saucy enchilada filling.
3. Then, add a thin layer of ranchero sauce to the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Spread it around to cover the whole dish in an even layer.
4. Next, assemble the enchiladas. Spoon the filling into a line down the center of each tortilla, then roll them up tightly and place them seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
5. Finally, top the enchiladas evenly with the remaining ranchero sauce, and sprinkle with Colby Jack cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Garnish enchiladas with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Healthy Chicken Enchiladas: Serving Suggestions

We recommend serving healthy chicken enchiladas with traditional sides like rice and beans, guacamole, salsa, plain Greek yogurt (in place of sour cream), and tortilla chips. You can easily prepare these additional foods while the enchiladas bake in the oven.

When served with these extra toppings and sides, one enchilada per person should be plenty of food. Sometimes Alex and I will split an extra enchilada in half if we’re a little extra hungry or didn’t make rice and beans to go with dinner.

Storing & Reheating Leftovers

You can store leftover chicken enchiladas in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. We love baking enchiladas in our OXO glass baking dish since it comes with a lid for easy storage – if you don’t have one of these already, go buy one ASAP! It cuts down on dishes and makes meal prep a breeze.

To reheat a single enchilada, microwave for about 2 to 3 minutes. To reheat the whole batch of leftover enchiladas, cover the pan with foil and pop them back in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These healthy chicken enchiladas are an easy and delicious alternative to traditional enchiladas that are less processed and cut down on fat, sodium, and carbs. While they’re not packed to the brim with superfoods, they’re wholesome and nutritious while still actually tasting like real enchiladas.

These easy enchiladas are the best weeknight dinner when you want something good for your body and your soul, and the leftovers taste just as good the next day (and the next, and the next…). Prep a big batch at the beginning of the week and enjoy easy lunches all week long with this healthy recipe!