Description
These Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas combine tender shredded chicken with a flavorful pumpkin sauce, topped with creamy avocado cream and melted Monterey Jack cheese. Baked to bubbly perfection, this dish offers a comforting twist on classic enchiladas with seasonal pumpkin and fresh ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Filling
- 3 cups (680 g) shredded chicken
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (10 g) minced garlic
- 2 cups (360 g) corn kernels, fresh, canned, or frozen
- 4 ounces (113 g) canned diced green chilis
- 3 tablespoons (6 g) sliced green onions
Avocado Cream Topping
- ½ avocado
- ¾ cup (180 ml) salsa verde
- ¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream
Pumpkin Sauce
- 15 ounces (425 g) canned pumpkin puree
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 jalapeno, quartered, seeds removed
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons (9 g) kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) chicken broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
Enchiladas
- 8 corn tortillas or flour tortillas, 6-inch size
- 1 ½ cups (170 g) grated Monterey Jack cheese
- Cotija cheese, for garnish
- Cilantro leaves, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon (2 g) green onions
Instructions
- Heat the Oven: Set the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC).
- Make the Chicken Filling: Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add corn and sauté until cooked through. Stir in diced green chilis, shredded chicken, and green onions. Mix well and set aside.
- Make the Avocado Cream Topping: In a blender, puree half an avocado, salsa verde, and sour cream until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Make the Pumpkin Sauce: Blend together pumpkin puree, garlic cloves, jalapeno (seeded), cumin, black pepper, kosher salt, chicken broth, and water until smooth. Pour 1 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
- Warm the Tortillas: Lightly toast tortillas in a pan over medium-high heat or warm directly over a gas flame for 10 to 15 seconds per side to make them pliable.
- Assemble the Enchiladas: On a flat surface, spoon about ⅓ cup of the chicken filling onto half of each tortilla. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in the baking dish on top of the pumpkin sauce. Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle evenly with Monterey Jack cheese.
- Bake the Casserole: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- To Serve: Garnish with cotija cheese, cilantro leaves, and green onions. Serve warm with avocado cream topping on the side.
Notes
- You can substitute rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Adjust the jalapeno in the pumpkin sauce for desired spiciness.
- Warm tortillas gently to prevent tearing during rolling.
- Use gluten-free tortillas to make this recipe gluten free.
- This dish can be prepared ahead and baked just before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 enchilada with sauce and toppings
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
