Easy & Healthy Red Chicken Enchiladas with Veggies

If there is one thing I am usually always down for, it’s Tex Mex. I absolutely love the flavors, the ingredients, and how quickly meals can come together. And these red chicken enchiladas are a new favorite.

To be honest, enchiladas were never really on my radar. But my husband started getting them when we hit up our favorite Tex Mex restaurant and I quickly realized the hype. What’s not to love about a meat filling stuffed inside a tortilla, covered in sauce, topped with cheese, and then baked to melty perfection.

I decided it would be fun to make them at home and put a little bit of healthy spin on them. Made with corn tortillas, shredded chicken, veggies, an easy homemade enchilada sauce, and topped with cheese. Flavor-packed and relatively easy to make, these red chicken enchiladas have become a repeat at our house when wanting a comforting and balanced meal.

Are chicken enchiladas healthy?

Chicken enchiladas might not be the first thing you think of when hearing the word healthy. When getting them out at a restaurant, they can be heavy on fat and carbs, and lower on protein.

Of course, they can be enjoyed in moderation, but something to think about if you have specific goals.

But these homemade chicken enchiladas are totally different! We aren’t using a ton of cheese in this recipe to keep the fat down. We also added in some veggies for fiber and micronutrients. And they are packed with protein!

Each chicken enchilada has 16 grams of protein, 17.5 grams of carbs, 10.5 grams of fat, and 3 grams of fiber. We’ve eaten them 4 times in the past 2 weeks for a super satisfying yet healthy dinner!

Red chicken enchiladas ingredients

• olive oil
• red enchilada sauce – I love using homemade
• onion
• peppers
• zucchini
• shredded chicken
• greek yogurt – helps keep the filling moist and adds more protein
• chili powder
• dried oregano
• tortillas – I like using corn tortillas
• shredded cheese – we are using a mix of Monterey jack and cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper
• toppings – avocado, cilantro, jalapeno, sour cream/greek yogurt…

How to make red chicken enchiladas

1. Make shredded chicken. If needed, make your shredded chicken. You can also use rotisserie chicken.
2. Make enchilada sauce. If needed, make homemade enchilada sauce. I suggest making this in advance for a quicker and easier mealtime. You can also use your favorite store-bought kind.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour a little of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 13×9 baking dish, spreading out the sauce evenly.
4. Make veggie and chicken mixture. Heat up a large sauté pan over medium heat and add your oil and let it get hot. Add onion and some salt and pepper and saute for a few minutes. Then add your peppers and sauté for a few more minutes. Finally, add your zucchini and sauté for a few more minutes. Turn off the heat and add your shredded chicken, greek yogurt, some more enchilada sauce, chili powder, dried oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
5. Heat up your tortillas. Take a dishcloth or a few paper towels and dampen them with water. Wrap around the tortillas to fully cover. Place in the microwave for 30 seconds, flip, and then another 30 seconds until warm. This is important as you don’t want your tortillas to break as you roll them!
6. Roll enchiladas. Take 1/3 heaping cup of the chicken and veggie mixture and place it on one side of your tortilla. Carefully roll, trying to make sure the filling stays inside. Place seam-side down in your baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Pour the remaining sauce over top the tortillas and sprinkle with cheese.
7. Bake. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the foil and let them bake for a final 5 minutes.
8. Enjoy! Garnish with toppings and enjoy!

Your tortillas can make or break you (literally!)

The tortillas you use and how you prep them are literally going to make or break your enchiladas. Trust me, you don’t want your tortillas to be breaking apart as they sit in the pan and you are rolling the remaining ones. It has happened to me plenty of times and while you can still bake them, the filling will dry out.

It’s important for your tortillas to be warmed through and pliable when rolling. Here are a few ways to do this:

• in the microwave – take a dishcloth or a few paper towels and dampen them with water. Wrap around the tortillas to fully cover. Place in the microwave for 30 seconds, flip, and then another 30 seconds until warm. Make sure you keep the stack covered with the damp cloth as you roll each one out. This is my preferred way of heating them up.
• frying in a pan – lightly fry each tortilla in a pan with some oil until warmed through. I have not tried this as it will take more time than putting them all in the microwave at once.
• dipping in enchilada sauce – after you heat them up either in the microwave or in a pan, you can dip them in enchilada sauce to help with rolling. I have not tried this but it has been recommended to me by you guys on Instagram!

As for the kinds of tortillas, I like using corn as it keeps them gluten-free, but you can also use your favorite kind of tortilla. You will want about a 6-inch tortilla.

For serving:

• rice – Mexican rice or this arroz verde (green rice)
• beans – black, pinto, or refried beans
• lettuce, tomato, guacamole, and salsa
• chips
• blackberry margarita – if you want to get fancy!

Storage

These red chicken enchiladas can be prepped a few ways in advance to make a quicker meal time. I do recommend making the sauce and shredded chicken in advance.

• partial prep – make the enchilada sauce, shredded chicken, or even the chicken and veggie mixture in advance. Store in the fridge until ready to use. When you are ready to eat, simply roll your tortillas and bake. You might need to bake a little longer depending on if you make the chicken mixture in advance and if it is cold.
• full prep – make the recipe as written and store it in the fridge for an easy meal during the week.
• fridge – if you have leftovers, just store them in the fridge in a tightly sealed glass container. You can also wrap your casserole dish with saran wrap. It saves well and should be good for up to a week.
• freeze – I haven’t tried freezing this recipe, but it would work. You can either freeze the whole recipe in a large container or in individual servings. It should last up to 3 months in the freezer.

More healthy Mexican inspired recipes

• turkey taco skillet with rice
• steak fajitas
• healthy chicken fajita casserole with rice
• beef taco casserole
• shrimp fajitas
• chicken fajita soup