Healthy Mexican comfort food loaded with tender chicken, beans and veggies, melty cheese, and a bold, easy homemade sauce!
Happy Seis de Mayo, everyone! Yesterday was pretty dreary–one random cold, dark and cloudy day amid an otherwise gorgeous warm season–and I have to admit it was not my most productive. The weather called for a fuzzy blanket, hot tea, and Netflix, and I certainly got some of that in. Side note: Has anyone been watching 13 Reasons Why?!?! YOU SHOULD! (keeping in mind it gets into some heavy topics and a few graphic scenes)
Anyway, yesterday was not the prettiest day for a bright and festive Cinco de Mayo celebration, so I’m reviving the festivities (and FOOD!) for el seis. (77ºF, clear and sunny today…I don’t get it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
Let’s start with these mouthwatering enchiladas packed with all the good stuff–pulled chicken, beans, sautéed peppers and onion, spicy homemade sauce, and cheeeeeeeese–then topped with more sauce, more cheese, and creamy avocado.
SO. MUCH. YUM.
Plus, these are so wholesome and quick that you can skip the greasy foods at Americanized Mexican joints and have a fiesta at home any night of the week! 
Another plus of the home cooking route is control over your spices. Some of my family can’t tolerate much heat, so I love being able to adjust the sauce to make it just right for us. (Getting the spiciness perfect for every member of the family at once is a different story…)
You will be shocked at how easy the enchilada sauce is to throw together. Start with a little oil and flour, mix in your spices, tomato paste, then broth. Stir and let it simmer a few minutes, and it’s thick and beautiful and ready to go!
I just started using avocado oil and find that it’s perfect for recipes like this. Usually I default to olive oil or coconut oil, but both have flavors that will potentially clash with flavors here. Avocado oil is neutral tasting; it tolerates high heats, so you can safely get the flour to sizzle when making the sauce and create a nice sear on your chicken and veggies; and it offers wonderful health benefits. Winner!
On the side I went for simple sautéed fresh corn, zucchini, and grape tomatoes. Just toss the veggies in the same skillet after removing the chicken/pepper/onion for the enchiladas; throw in a little garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and a squeeze of lime; and you have a beautiful festive side dish in minutes with no additional clean-up!
Chicken and Bean Enchiladas
Notes
*This makes just enough sauce for 2 servings. For saucier enchiladas or extra to save, double or triple the recipe.
**I use a generic chili powder that's balanced with other spices and not overly hot. For a hotter sauce, add an extra 1/2 tsp chili powder of choice, black pepper, and/or a pinch cayenne powder.
***If using a salted chicken broth, the sauce should not need extra salt.
Sauce recipe loosely adapted from Cookie and Kate
Ingredients
For the sauce:*
- 1 tsp avocado oil (or other medium/high heat oil)
- 1 tsp flour
- 3/4 tsp chili powder**
- 1/8 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/16 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp unsweetened cacao powder
- 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- salt and pepper, to taste***
For the enchiladas:
- 5 oz raw chicken breast
- salt and pepper
- chili powder
- 1/2 tsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- 1/4 tsp minced garlic
- 1/3 cup black beans
- 2 oz cheese (cheddar, Monterrey jack, colby, and/or mozzarella), shredded
- sliced avocado, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (for serving)
Instructions
Make the sauce:
- Mix chili powder through cacao in a small bowl, and have remaining sauce ingredients ready to go. Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. (If not using nonstick, you may need a little more oil.) The oil should be hot enough that the flour sizzles upon contact. When hot, sprinkle in flour and stir. (I use a small rubber spatula.) Then stir in spices and cook a few seconds. Stir in tomato paste. Then gradually add chicken broth while stirring constantly. Bring to a light simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat. (It will thicken further as it rests.)
Make the enchiladas:
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Pound chicken to even thickness. Rub with a pinch salt and pepper, a sprinkle chili powder, 1/2 tsp oil, and 1/2 tsp lime juice.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat; grease as needed. Add chicken and cook about 4 minutes, then turn. Add peppers and onion and sauté as chicken finishes cooking.
- When chicken is cooked through, set aside to rest (about 5 minutes). When veggies are crisp-tender, stir in minced garlic; cook about 30 seconds longer. Remove from heat, and add remaining 1/2 tsp lime juice.
- Shred cheeses. Use 2 forks to shred chicken.
- Microwave tortillas about 10 seconds to soften, then lie on a flat surface. Across the center of each tortilla, layer chicken, a spoonful sauce, 2 Tbsp cheese, beans, and pepper/onion. Roll tortillas around filling.
- Spread some sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish. Place rolled enchiladas in dish. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.
- Bake uncovered about 20 minutes, or until hot and melty. Serve with sliced avocado and sour cream/Greek yogurt, if desired.