I’m sharing our absolute family favorite Healthy Chicken Enchiladas that are packed with nutrition, flavor and made with better store-bought enchilada sauce for weeknight convenience!
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These healthy chicken enchiladas are a melt in your mouth, restaurant quality, easy family friendly dinner! Just like my kids’ absolute favorite chicken enchilada skillet and slow cooker chicken enchilada casserole!
I originally posted this chicken enchilada recipe back in 2022 made with enchilada sauce using tomato sauce. A reader pointed out that authentic enchilada sauce doesn’t contain tomatoes and she was right. So I tried my recipe again, and decided it needed a redo.
So, here it is new and improved 2024 healthier chicken enchiladas using decent store-bought enchilada sauce for added convenience.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Wholesome ingredients: Onion, black beans, chicken, whole wheat tortillas, freshly grated cheese and toppings like avocado are all a part of what makes this Mexican dish so tasty and healthy.
- Easy recipe: With pre-cooked chicken and store-bought enchilada sauce, all you need to do is roll and bake.
- A crowd pleaser: I don’t know a kid or anyone who doesn’t love enchiladas!
- Versatile: Use different tortillas, less cheese, refried beans instead of black beans, and toppings you like.
Ingredients for Healthy Chicken Enchiladas
- Tortillas: I used 8 10 inch whole wheat tortillas. You can also use white flour tortillas. Smaller 7-8 inch tortillas will work, you will need more of them. I also like to use 50% corn/50% wheat tortillas as they have a flavor of corn and the flexibility of flour dough.
- Shredded chicken: I used my baked chicken breast recipe. You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Enchilada sauce: Look for a better brand with less ingredients and sodium. I am using President’s Choice brand or homemade enchilada sauce works as well.
- Black beans: Be sure to buy low sodium canned beans. Or cook your own dried beans or Instant Pot black beans.
- Onion and garlic: I always use yellow onion and garlic, always add garlic to everything!
- Green chilies: A 4 ounces can adds a lot of flavor.
- Cilantro: To add flavor to the filling.
- Taco seasoning: Be sure to use low sodium or homemade taco seasoning.
- Chicken broth: To add a bit of moisture to the filling. I like to use Better than Bouillon chicken base with water or homemade chicken broth.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese or Tex Mex cheese. I like to shred my own cheese because it melts better.
- Optional toppings for serving: Green onion, avocado, and sour cream.
- Cooking spray and oil: I use Misto and avocado oil for frying.
How to Make Healthy Chicken Enchiladas
Cook the chicken breasts, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and spray 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Make the chicken filling: Saute onion and garlic. Then add shredded chicken, black beans, green chilies, 1/4 cup enchilada sauce, chicken broth, taco seasoning and cilantro. Mix and simmer for a few minutes.
- Fill tortillas and roll: Scoop about 1/2 cup of chicken mixture and spread onto a flat tortilla. Roll it up and place seam side down in sprayed baking dish. Do this with the remaining tortillas until you have about 8-9 rolls. They should be rolled tight enough to allow this many to fit.
- Top the casserole: Pour enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese on top. Make sure to spread evenly so each roll gets its fair share.
- Bake: Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let enchiladas sit before serving: Remove from the oven and allow the flavors settle for about 10 minutes.
Tips for Best Results
- Don’t use corn tortillas: Use flour tortillas, if you can. Many store-bought corn tortillas break easily unless you know the trick. I have heard of warming them up in a microwave but had no success with this method. However, homemade corn tortillas should roll with no problem.
- Size of tortillas is flexible: I used 8 10 inch tortillas. Actually 9 tortillas because my can of black beans was 19 ounces. You will need more of 7 or 8 inch tortillas and pack them tightly in any direction or use a second baking dish.
- Use different tortillas: For gluten free version, wrap the filling in my spinach tortillas.
- If you have extra filling: After rolling enchiladas, if you have extra filling and out of tortillas or space in the baking dish, just spread it around and on top of rolled enchiladas.
Variations
- Rotisserie chicken: You will need 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken. Keep in mind it contains more sodium but if this is of no concern to you, then, by all means, use it.
- Different beans: Black beans are a classic filling, however, feel free to substitute for pinto beans, lentils, or even Instant Pot refried beans.
- Vegetarian: For a meatless option, swap out the chicken for loaded veggies, such as mushrooms, zucchini, or bell peppers. Load it up with extra beans and cheese, like veggie quesadillas!
- Vegan: Try these vegan enchiladas from my friend Anjali of Picky Eater Blog – they look amazing!
- Spices: Switch up the spices to suit your tastes. Some possibilities for added seasoning are cumin, chili powder, and even some herbs like oregano.
Serving Ideas
To serve, place Mexican chicken enchiladas on a plate and top with your favorite toppings like sour cream or yogurt, guacamole or avocado, and pico de gallo.
If you’re a cilantro lover, sprinkle some fresh cilantro on top. Some people like the citrus note of a squirt of lime juice too!
If you can get your hands on some Mexican cheese like queso fresco, it’s great to have some crumbled on top.
Also these sides would go well with enchiladas:
- Mexican kale salad
- Cilantro lime cauliflower rice
- Mexican street corn salad
- Pineapple salsa or mango salsa
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers: Keep enchiladas covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or if you have room, just cover the baking dish and refrigerate like that.
Freeze leftovers? I am not sure they will hold up well and not become soggy.
Reheat: Reheating leftovers in a microwave is the best way. Or, if you would like to reheat in a baking dish, add a splash of water, cover, and bake at 350 degrees F until heated through.
Freeze to make ahead: It is nice to make enchiladas as a freezer meal or an extra batch. Assemble enchiladas up to the point of adding cheese on top, make sure to cool, wrap tightly with a few layers of plastic and then foil on top, and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, thaw in the fridge overnight, and bake the next day.
FAQs
Yes. Assemble the casserole, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking as per recipe when ready.
Flour tortillas work better for making enchiladas as they are soft and pliable. Corn tortillas tend to fall apart during rolling.
Yes, bake your chicken enchiladas covered. If you don’t cover them, the top could overbake before the inside catches up. The edges of the tortilla shells will dry out a bit too.
More Mexican Recipes to Try
- Low carb chicken enchiladas
- Creamy chicken enchilada soup
- Skillet beef enchiladas
- Chicken quesadillas
- Ground chicken tacos
- Chicken zucchini casserole
- Mexican chicken and rice
Healthy Chicken Enchiladas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked & shredded (2 cups)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 15 ounces can low sodium black beans, rinsed & drained
- 4 ounces can diced green chilies
- 15 ounces enchilada sauce, divided
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning, low sodium
- 1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 cups cheddar or Tex Mex cheese, grated
- 8 large (10 inch) whole wheat or any flour tortillas
- 1/2 tablespoon oil, for frying
- Cooking spray, I use Misto
- Cilantro, green onion, avocado and sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Cook chicken breasts using your favorite method or use leftover rotisserie chicken. I baked mine rubbed with oil at 450 F for 25 minutes, then let them rest for 5 minutes covered and shred.
- Reduce heat or preheat oven to 400 F and spray 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Preheat large non-stick skillet on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion and garlic, saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shredded chicken, black beans, green chilies, 1/4 cup enchilada sauce, chicken broth, taco seasoning and cilantro. Stir to combine and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Scoop about 1/2 cup mixture onto a side closer to you of a tortilla and wrap. Place seam side down in previously prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture, packing enchiladas tightly in a baking dish. I usually end up with 8 rolls. If you have extra filling spread it around the enchiladas or make another roll.
- Spread remaining enchilada sauce on top and sprinkle with cheese.
- Spray inside of a large piece of foil you will be covering dish with, or I prefer an extra layer of parchment under as well, with cooking spray and wrap tightly around the dish. Bake covered for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let enchiladas rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve hot with your favorite toppings like cilantro, green onion, avocado and sour cream, if desired.
Notes
- Store: Keep enchiladas covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a microwave.
- Freezer meal: Assemble enchiladas up to the point of adding cheese on top, make sure to cool, wrap tightly with a few layers of plastic and then foil on top, and freeze unbaked for up to 3 months. To bake, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake next day.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We can’t eat spicy. How much of the smoked paprika would you use?
2-3 teaspoons
Looks SO great. Dying to try it! Please tell me how to adjust to serve 3 instead of 6. I hesitate to simply half everything.
Thank you!
Carole
Houston
You could just half everything 🙂 Or better yet – freeze half for a freezer meal, see recipe notes for directions on how to do that and then you have a meal for later too 🙂
This recipe looks great and I’d like to try it, except I really don’t care for anything with chiles in adobo sauce (I think it’s thee smokiness that I don’t like). Anything I could substitute or could I just leave it out?
Thanks
I would say try smoked paprika, but that goes against the whole smokey taste preference! Just leave it out 🙂
I’m happy to report that these enchiladas were absolutely amazing!!!
Perfectly paired with your delicious Instant Pot refried beans. Both so easy to make, this is a big win!
Eating leftovers tonight, yay!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Hi Olena,
I’m dying to make this recipe but I can’t find chipotle pepper in adobo sauce here in the Greater Vancouver area. Any suggestions?
TIA
Smoked paprika would be great. You can find it in Ethnic/Mexican section of Superstore and I’m sure Save on and Thrifty’s.
Thank you, I looked at my local Super Store and Walmart in the Mexican section for months and couldn’t find it.
Went to Safeway yesterday and fund it! Bought few cans 🙂
Really, interesting…Maybe shortage like everything else…Yes, buying a few cans at a time is a good idea and I freeze leftovers and use as needed.