Mexican food is a family favorite to eat and one of my favorites to cook. These saucy chicken enchiladas are always a hit in our house.
“Healthi formerly iTrackbites is an alternative to Weight Watchers. “
An easy recipe for a delicious dinner
Delicious dishes don't have to be difficult or complicated. These saucy chicken enchiladas are so flavorful and taste like a complicated dish, but are so easy to prepare!
Not all tortillas are created equal
This recipe calls for 6″ flour tortillas. They are fine to use for this recipe, but they also account for the majority of points in these chicken enchiladas. There are some other options though.
Olé Xtreme Wellness High Fiber Low Carb wraps are a great option. Being high in fiber, they will help to fill you up. They run one point each, so on purple, that will save you 6 points or so per serving.
Light Flatouts are also significantly lower in points. And since they are so large, you can cut them in half for even fewer points.
If you have a lower point wrap or tortillas that you aren't particularly fond of on their own, these chicken enchiladas are the perfect way to use them up. Since they are covered in cheesy saucy goodness, you likely won't notice the taste of the tortillas much.
How can you spice up chicken enchiladas?
One of the things with this chicken enchilada recipe is it is versatile. The filling can be changed in so many ways! You can obviously substitute your protein from chicken to steak, shrimp, a white fish, tofu, Portabello mushroom or just vegetables.
The filling is made up of chicken, a bit of onions and cheese, two of my favorite things. But there's nothing that says you can't throw some sautéd peppers and onions in there. Want more bulk and fiber? Add some black beans. Looking for a touch of sweetness? A can of corn will be delicious. A fan of spicy things? Spice it up with some peppers cooked with the chicken. The possibilities are endless!
If you know the evening is going to be hectic, you can prepare this the night before or in the morning and refrigerate until you are ready to cook.
It's also a great recipe to make ahead and freeze. It's always nice to have things in the freezer for nights where dinner went wrong or you don't have time to cook.
Sides, sides, everywhere are sides
If you are looking for a wonderful side for chicken enchiladas, our instant pot yellow rice is perfect! We usually sauté some zucchini as well for some added vegetable bulk. Adding vegetables to a meal will help fill you up with low to no points.
How do I stay on track?
I've struggled with my weight most of my life. The key, I have found, to being successful is planning and tracking. I can have anything I want if I plan ahead. To help me with that planning, I use Healthi formerly iTrackbites.
- cost: Healthi formerly iTrackBites costs $36 for the year (using this link for 40% off makes it $36 – use COACH_SMILEY to save!!), WW is $20+ for the month, and it's the same formula and less options
- choices: I can choose PointsPlus, Freestyle, or any other plan I want with Healthi formerly iTrackBites. Even with the new WW changes, they only offer 3 plan options (not PointsPlus).
- logs: You can export your tracker data by the week, month, or quarter with Healthi formerly iTrackBites. WW does not give you access to quarterly data.
- accuracy: I've found inaccurate info in the WW app due to members submitting and not paying attention to the right numbers. With Healthi formerly iTrackBites, I know if I see the green check, it's been verified as accurate. This puts my mind at ease!
BLUE PLAN: 9 Points
GREEN PLAN: 11 Points
PURPLE PLAN: 9 Points
PrintSaucy Chicken Enchiladas, Homestyle Mexican Food At It's Best
Ingredients
1 red onion
2 cloves of garlic
7 ½ oz mozzarella cheese
1 lb boneless chicken strips
16 oz tomato sauce
½ oz taco seasoning
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper third. Finely chop the onion and 1 tablespoon of garlic. Coarsely grate all of the mozzarella on the large holes of a box grater. Cut chicken into strips, then into ½-inch pieces.
Transfer ½ cup of the chopped onions to a medium bowl, then stir in 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt; set aside to marinate.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk taco seasoning and 1 tablespoon flour; slowly whisk in all of the tomato sauce, 1¼ cups water, 2 tablespoons of oil, and 2 teaspoons of vinegar; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stack the tortillas, wrap in foil, and place on the upper oven rack until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, remaining chopped onions, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions are softened and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Add the chopped garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove skillet from the heat, then stir in 1 cup of the sauce and half of the cheese; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spread a ½ cup of the sauce into the bottom of a large baking dish. Spread the tortillas onto a work surface. Divide chicken filling among tortillas, then roll up each and place in the prepared baking dish, seam side down.
Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake on the upper oven rack until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, 10–15 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Serve chicken enchiladas topped with the pickled onions.