A while back, I posted a super tasty enchilada recipe. Now that I am practicing healthier eating habits, I wanted to revamp that recipe to be lighter. I used whole wheat tortillas, fat free sour cream, fat free soup, and reduced fat cheese and they tasted just as great as the original!
Before I get into the main part of the recipe, I want to talk about a basic technique that I use all the time. A lot of my recipes call for “cooked, shredded chicken”. You could acquire that in a number of different ways (and in fact, shredding a rotisserie chicken is one of the easiest) but I want to show you my favorite method. I like to poach big batches of chicken at a time (especially when I see a bulk pack on sale), shred it, and freeze it so that I always have some on hand.
To do this, place boneless skinless chicken in the bottom of a large pot. Toss a quartered onion, carrots (no need to peel), celery, garlic, peppercorns, a bay leaf, and herbs over the top. I like to use thyme and this year I grew some myself! Cover with water (just the chicken, the veg can be floating), bring to a boil, then quickly reduce the heat to low so that the water is barely at a simmer. Partially cover and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Then turn off the heat completely, and allow chicken to sit in the hot water for another 15-20 minutes. Doing it this way prevents is from being overcooked and keeps it moist and tender.
Now here is the fun part. I used to shred my chicken by hand with 2 forks and it was a pain in the you-know-what. Then I read about this super awesome trick that makes is ten times easier! Just put the (still warm) chicken into a stand mixer and turn it up to medium – it will shred the chicken in no time!
Then, I set aside the portion I am using immediately and pack up the rest to freeze. I like to put 2 cups (pretty standard recipe amount) into a plastic bag and squish all the air out. I make sure that it will lie pretty flat, wrap it in foil for extra protection, write the date on it, and pop it into the freezer.
Okay – back to the enchiladas. I mixed a can of Rotel into some shredded chicken and placed a little onto each whole wheat tortilla, then topped it with a reduced fat Mexican cheese blend. I should have put some spinach into the filling, too, but I forgot!
Then I rolled them up and placed them into a baking dish.
Then I spread a mixture of sour cream, cream of chicken soup, green chiles, and Mexican oregano over the top – trying to make sure that everything was covered. I sprinkled a little bit more cheese over the top and baked them until they were bubbling. Yum yum yum!
Skinny Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
adapted from Skinny Mom
serves 4-6
16 oz. fat free sour cream
1 can fat free cream of chicken soup
1 tbsp fresh chopped oregano (1/2 tbsp dried)
1 can diced green chiles
2 cups cooked shredded chicken breasts
1 can Mexican Rotel
frozen chopped spinach and/or corn, thawed (optional, adjust chicken amount accordingly)
8-10 low carb whole wheat tortillas (I like Maria’s sprouted grains)
1 cup reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese blend
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray.
Mix together sour cream, soup, oregano, and chiles in a saucepan. Heat through and set aside.
Mix together chicken, Rotel, and veg (if using). Place a small amount into each tortilla, top with cheese, and roll into burrito shapes.
Place into the prepared pan, top with the soup mixture, sprinkle any remaining cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more until cheese is melted and bubbling.
For 2 enchiladas: 500 calories, 15g fat, 44g carbs, 39g protein