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October 28, 2020

Healthy Chicken Enchiladas (+ Gluten Free Option)

Gluten Free Main Dishes Poultry Bake
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These healthy chicken enchiladas are a majorly delicious, lightened-up version of the classic dish. It’s just as creamy and comforting, but made with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream! 

Plus, if you use corn tortillas, it’s gluten-free. It’s an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love. I also included a recipe for homemade enchilada sauce, but you can totally skip that part and use store-bought sauce if you prefer.

healthy chicken enchiladas - gluten free

Healthy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I actually originally developed this recipe way back in 2011 as part of a gluten free recipe challenge at one of my dietetic internships! It was such a hit with everyone in person that I shared it here on the blog, and since it has now had a photo update, I wanted to fully update it and re-share the blog post to give it some new love and fresh eyes.

I adapted this recipe from a variety of recipes that I found online, swapping out the usual sour cream for plain yogurt, dialing down the cheese, etc. I was really pleased with how it came out.

Corn tortillas make this recipe gluten-free — but feel free to use regular wheat tortillas if you want!

healthy chicken enchiladas

To make this healthy chicken enchiladas recipe, you’ll need:

  • cooked chicken (shredded) (rotisserie chicken makes this extra easy, or you can make shredded chicken in your crockpot! And, here’s how to cook frozen chicken breasts in your instant pot.)
  • canned chopped green chilies
  • plain Greek yogurt
  • fresh lime juice
  • black pepper
  • cumin
  • enchilada sauce (see recipe below, or use store-bought if short on time!)
  • large white or yellow corn tortillas (or wheat tortillas if not gluten-free)
  • Extra virgin olive oil or cooking spray
  • shredded cheddar cheese (I prefer sharp – it’s more flavorful!)
  • fresh cilantro

Feel free to add some veggies if you’d like, too – chopped fresh baby spinach would be great to add in, or try adding in some diced bell pepper!

How to Make Chicken Enchiladas

Start by preheating your oven to 350. Then, in a large bowl, combine cooked chicken, green chilies, yogurt, lime juice, pepper, and cumin. Mix and set aside for later.

Next, you’ll want to make your enchilada sauce (if not using store bought). (Ingredients and instructions are in the following section below.)

After that, lightly grease a 13 x 9″ baking dish. Spread a thin layer of your enchilada sauce over the bottom of the dish. Set the first tortillas on top, covering the bottom of the dish in a thin layer.

Separately, spoon about 1/10th of the chicken mixture into the center of a tortilla and roll it up. Place it seam-side down into the casserole dish. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.

how to make chicken enchiladas in a casserole dish

Next, pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and cilantro.

healthy chicken enchiladas casserole

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted, sauce is bubbling, and enchiladas are hot.

Serve warm with salsa, hot sauce, or guacamole/avocado slices, if desired! It’s great with roasted broccoli on the side, too. 

How to Make Homemade Enchilada Sauce

To make your own enchilada sauce, you’ll need:

  • olive oil
  • onion
  • chili powder
  • cumin
  • garlic cloves
  • crushed fire roasted tomatoes (canned)
  • sugar
  • balsamic vinegar
  • fresh cilantro

Start by heating the olive oil for one minute in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add in the onion, garlic, and spices; saute for 5 minutes.

Next, add the tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, and cilantro. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 20 minutes. That’s it!

Of course, if you’re short on time, you can definitely use store-bought enchilada sauce. Nothing wrong with that!

The full healthy chicken enchiladas casserole recipe is at the bottom of this post. Enjoy! 🙂

For more healthy and comforting dishes, check out these recipes:

  • Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole
  • Overnight Crockpot French Toast Casserole
  • Veggie Egg Casserole (Frittata) with Smoked Salmon
  • Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas
  • Creamy Mexican Chicken Chili
  • Walnut and Mushroom Vegetarian Enchiladas
  • Cheesy Mushroom Quinoa (vegan)
  • Mexican Lasagna
  • Sage Butter Pasta with Chicken Sausage

Healthy Chicken Enchiladas (Gluten-Free!)

Healthy Chicken Enchiladas (Gluten-Free!)
May 6, 2019

These healthy chicken enchiladas are deliciously cheesy and gluten-free (if using corn tortillas)!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Yield
serves 4-6
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Ingredients:

  • 3 C cooked chicken, hand torn
  • 1/2 C canned chopped green chilies
  • 3/4 C plain whole milk Greek yogurt
  • Juice from 1 fresh lime
  • 1/2 tsp. cracked pepper
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 2 C enchilada sauce (see recipe below)
  • 10 large white or yellow corn tortillas
  • Extra virgin olive oil or cooking spray, as needed
  • 3/4 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

For Enchilada Sauce

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 small onion, peeled, diced finely
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 28-oz. can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 splash of balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

  1. In a large bowl, mix together the cooked chicken, chopped green chilies, yogurt, lime juice, cracked pepper, and cumin. Set aside.
  2. Make your enchilada sauce* by heating the olive oil for one minute in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add in the onion, garlic, and spices; saute for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, and cilantro; stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 20 minutes.
  3. Lightly oil/cooking spray a 13 x 9" baking dish. Spread a thin layer of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the dish.
  4. Set the first tortillas into the baking dish. Spoon one tenth of the chicken mixture into the center of the tortilla and roll it up, placing the seam side down. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.
  5. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle with shredded cheese and cilantro.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted, sauce is bubbling, and enchiladas are hot.
  7. Serve warm with salsa, hot sauce, or guacamole, if desired.

Notes:

*If you're tight on time, you can use store bought enchilada sauce!

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

- anne
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you might also like:

Walnut and Mushroom Vegetarian Enchiladas Recipe

11 Things to do with Rotisserie Chicken

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas Recipe

Mexican Lasagna Recipe

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53 comments
  • Cassie @ Naturally Cassie
    May 24, 2011 · 9:19AM:
    Great Recipe! I am always craving mexican food. Can't wait to try it!
    Reply
  • Gwen
    May 24, 2011 · 9:28AM:
    These sound and look amazing! I'm going to make them this weekend!
    Reply
  • Renie May 24, 2011 · 9:44AM:
    OMG Anne, that looks devine. Being Italian, I will Italian it up a bit. Can't wait to try it.
    Reply
  • Leili Learning Life
    May 24, 2011 · 9:51AM:
    I've made enchiladas from the recipe you linked as well! Even better than corn tortillas, try the brown rice tortillas from Trader Joe's. Also, if you're gluten-free AND vegetarian, a mixture of crimini mushrooms and beans is a really yummy sub for chicken.
    Reply
    • Anne P
      May 24, 2011 · 9:55AM:
      Ooo thanks for the tips! We didn't love the corn tortillas - they were kind of crumbly! I'll keep brown rice tortillas instead in mind for future gluten free endeavors :)
      Reply
  • Claire @ Live and Love to Eat
    May 24, 2011 · 9:59AM:
    I love enchiladas - so many different ways to make them and they're super satisfying! I usually cheat and buy canned sauce!
    Reply
  • Jill K May 24, 2011 · 10:21AM:
    Looks delicious! Btw Anne, the Manager of the Hotel I stay at, is totally fit and entering the 1/2 Iron Man Triathlon, I suggested that watch you mentioned that you love to use during your workouts.... What was the name of it?
    Reply
    • Anne P
      May 24, 2011 · 10:24AM:
      It's the Garmin Forerunner 305: http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Forerunner-Receiver-Heart-Monitor/dp/B000CSWCQA/ref=as_li_wdgt_js_ex?&camp=212361&linkCode=wey&tag=fanfoo-20&creative=391825
      Reply
  • Matt @ The Athlete's Plate
    May 24, 2011 · 10:23AM:
    I just found my dinner for tonight! Thanks for giving me an excuse to go to Whole Foods ;)
    Reply
  • Jill K May 24, 2011 · 10:44AM:
    Thanks for the quick response. I will let him know. If you could believe it, the guy did a 24hour Mountain bike race and last month ran from the Ritz South Beach to the Ritz Ft Lauderdale (6 hours) He's totally fit!!! He said when in midst of training, he thinks he can do anything, so continuously challenges himself to greater lengths for better endurance.... I told him to look at your website for awesome health and fitness tips He also recommended the cheapest trick for his blackberry that he uses during the rain: Put it in a ziplock sandwhich bag and poke a small hole where the headphone penetrates the phone, and it's gauranteed to kept your phone dry! Cheap but awesome trick, hope it helps yo! (my trick is to leave it at home... ;-)
    Reply
    • Anne P
      May 24, 2011 · 10:47AM:
      24 hour mountain bike race and 6 hour run?! That's intense! He sounds hardcore. :) Great tip for the phone - when I did that muddy 5k run we put my friend's camera in a ziplock - worked great!
      Reply
  • Alexis
    May 24, 2011 · 10:58AM:
    How did you cook the chicken? So many recipes call for shredded cooked chicken but don't say how to cook it for optimal shredding. Hope to try this soon!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      May 24, 2011 · 11:17AM:
      I just cooked 3 large chicken breasts in a pan with some olive oil. Very simple and the shredding after the breasts were cooked worked fine!
      Reply
  • Tina @ Faith Fitness Fun
    May 24, 2011 · 11:09AM:
    I think enchiladas are my fave meal to make. And I tend to use corn tortillas just for the extra flavor. They are such a pain to roll though!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      May 24, 2011 · 11:10AM:
      Yeah I had some issues with them falling apart!
      Reply
  • Sarah for Real
    May 24, 2011 · 11:15AM:
    Yum! These look delicious. I love love LOVE that you include a recipe for enchilada sauce and didn't just say to use the canned variety. You have a place in my heart forever!
    Reply
  • DHP May 24, 2011 · 11:24AM:
    Those look awesome. Must try them!
    Reply
  • natalie (the sweets life)
    May 24, 2011 · 12:18PM:
    I've made similar (sour cream) enchiladas before...love that you used yogurt though! If you're looking for another great enchilada recipe, i LOVE the pumpkin, bean, and kale ones I made: http://www.thesweetslife.com/2010/11/kale-bean-enchiladas-with-pumpkin-sauce.html
    Reply
    • Anne P
      May 24, 2011 · 1:55PM:
      YUM those sound delicious! Pumpkin, beans, and kale = my faves :)
      Reply
  • Lauren
    May 24, 2011 · 12:47PM:
    These look amazing Anne!
    Reply
  • Kristen
    May 24, 2011 · 1:23PM:
    printing off this recipe ASAP! yum!
    Reply
  • Joyce Cherrier
    May 24, 2011 · 1:55PM:
    My family was just requesting a new dish! This looks perfect! Printing! :)
    Reply
  • Johanna B
    May 24, 2011 · 2:25PM:
    Love Love Love this. Thanks so much for considering us Celiacs. Will you post the link for the article you mentioned so I (and others of course) can read it?
    Reply
    • Anne P
      May 24, 2011 · 2:27PM:
      I definitely will if the article is online! I'm not sure if it will just be in print or not - it's a small local paper :)
      Reply
  • Courtney @ Sweet Tooth, Sweet Life
    May 24, 2011 · 2:45PM:
    Wow, these look AWESOME, Anne!! YUM :-P
    Reply
  • Gretchen @ Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen!
    May 24, 2011 · 3:26PM:
    This looks amazeballs Annie. Are you sure that's just 3/4 c of shredded cheese? Those look cheesielicious! Which of course, makes them taste amazing, I'm sure, but I have a bit of a cheese problem you could say... hehe. These are totes on my to-make list!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      May 24, 2011 · 3:36PM:
      It is indeed! Delish.
      Reply
  • Emily @ Glitz Glam Granola
    May 24, 2011 · 4:15PM:
    These look amazing!!! I am so, so excited to make these-- maybe tonight! I'm not a big cook but these look like something I could do! How did you cook the chicken that you used?
    Reply
    • Anne P
      May 24, 2011 · 4:16PM:
      I just cooked 3 chicken breasts in a pan with some olive oil until cooked through :)
      Reply
  • Kendall (On An Inhale)
    May 24, 2011 · 4:21PM:
    Thanks for the recipe. I LOVE Mexican food. I'm thinking I'm going to make Turkey Taco's tonight and I will try this one soon! I have been trying to go g-free for the past 2-3 weeks. So far it hasn't been too difficult. I don't check every ingredient but I just stay away from the obvious. I feel a lot better, a little lighter and less bloated.
    Reply
  • Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn
    May 24, 2011 · 4:27PM:
    Do you think this would work well with white fish subbed for chicken?
    Reply
    • Anne P
      May 24, 2011 · 4:30PM:
      Hmmm I'm not sure if the flavors would go together all that well... but give it a try and let me know how it goes!
      Reply
  • Jayme @ Runner-n-Spice
    May 24, 2011 · 4:58PM:
    Yum!! Saw your blog via And her little dog too. Love it! Looking forward to reading more.
    Reply
    • Anne P
      May 24, 2011 · 9:10PM:
      Welcome to the blog! :)
      Reply
  • Kelly
    May 24, 2011 · 6:04PM:
    Mmmm. I've been craving enchiladas lately so badly and have been thinking about doing a breakfast version with scrambled eggs & veggies in the filling. I love the sound of making this with greek yogurt.
    Reply
  • Colleen
    May 24, 2011 · 7:18PM:
    Yum! Good call on adding the yogurt, I need to try that!
    Reply
  • Katherine May 24, 2011 · 7:51PM:
    Hey girl! I wanted to let you know that I made your Thai Summer Rolls recipe (with a few vegetarian substitutions) tonight and they turned out great! Your dipping sauce was definitely the star of the show. I added an avocado slice to each roll to make them more of a meal and it worked really well. Thanks for the recipe! :)
    Reply
    • Anne P
      May 24, 2011 · 9:10PM:
      Mmm good idea to add avocado! Now I want some :) That sauce is so addictive!
      Reply
  • Salah (My Healthiest Lifestyle)
    May 24, 2011 · 9:13PM:
    oomg definitely making those! Yum! Love tha tyou made them GF for us with celiacs!
    Reply
  • Jessica May 27, 2011 · 3:04PM:
    This sounds great! I recently got some Himalayan pink salt and organic peppercorns from Sustainable Sourcing https://secure.sustainablesourcing.com (gluten-free and made in their own facility so no cross contamination!) and I'll have to try them out in this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
    Reply
  • Maja June 21, 2011 · 2:44PM:
    I just wanted to thank you for this great recipe! I love how it doesn't leave you sluggish like other enchilada recipes do. I have made saveral times already. Thanks again!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      June 21, 2011 · 2:55PM:
      Glad you enjoyed it! :)
      Reply
  • Kelli November 15, 2011 · 1:16PM:
    Hi, I would live to try your recipe, but I was wondering if you have nutrition facts? Thanks!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      November 15, 2011 · 3:00PM:
      I don't - I'm sorry!
      Reply
      • Kelli November 16, 2011 · 12:56PM:
        It's ok. I tried the recipe out last night and both me and my fiancée loved it! Very flavorful and satisfying! Thanks for posting great recipes; I will definitely be trying more of them!
        Reply
        • Anne P
          November 16, 2011 · 1:27PM:
          Yay - glad to hear it! :)
          Reply
  • april September 13, 2012 · 12:24AM:
    i made these for dinner last night and LOVED them! thanks for the great recipe :)
    Reply
    • Anne P
      September 13, 2012 · 9:45AM:
      Glad you loved them!
      Reply
  • Kyle October 26, 2013 · 12:35AM:
    Why do you say not to use gluten free tortillas ?
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 27, 2013 · 5:12PM:
      That was meant to be read as, wheat tortillas are not gluten free. Just making a note reminder that if the recipe is to remain gluten free, don't use wheat tortillas. I didn't mean don't use gf tortillas - sure, you can use them.
      Reply
  • meg October 28, 2020 · 1:15PM:
    I solve the corn tortilla crumble dilemma by quickly & lightly dipping both sides of each tortilla in enchilada sauce before filling & rolling. A quick dip gives them just enough pliability to roll & place in the dish, though it does make for messier hands. Worth it in my book!
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 28, 2020 · 5:01PM:
      This is such a great tip, thank you!
      Reply
  • Roadrunner October 28, 2020 · 9:27PM:
    These look fantastic, thanks!
    Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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anne mauney

I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

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