Zucchini Chicken Enchiladas are the perfect dinner. This dish is made with zucchini “tortillas” rather than flour or corn. This Zucchini Chicken Enchiladas recipe is also gluten free and packed full of delicious ingredients like enchilada sauce, shredded chicken, cheese and tangy sour cream.
I absolutely love making these lighter, Zucchini Chicken Enchiladas for dinner! At first I was a bit skeptical of the concept.
But now we make it over and over again in our home and the whole family loves the taste of zucchini “tortillas.” Even my husband goes for seconds!
- Extra virgin olive oil — Avocado oil also works.
- Onion — I generally use a white or yellow onion, either will do the trick!
- Garlic — Mince up 2 fresh cloves or use a jar of minced garlic to save time.
- Seasonings — Salt, black pepper, cumin and chili powder.
- Chicken — Pre-cooked and shredded chicken can typically be purchased in the deli section, you can also buy and shred a roasted rotisserie chicken! Another option? Poach chicken breasts or chicken thighs on the stove top in water or broth and shred by hand.
- Gluten free enchilada sauce — I use store bought enchilada sauce to keep things fast and easy, purchase mild or go with a spicier blend but be sure to double check the ingredients to make sure your sauce is gluten free (some brands are not).
- Zucchini — You’ll need 4 large zucchinis to make your “tortilla” wraps.
- Cheeses — A mix of shredded Monterey jack and sharp cheddar.
- Toppings — Fresh chopped cilantro and tangy sour cream!
Instructions
Make filling, slice zucchini:
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Drizzle olive oil into a large skillet on the stove top and turn heat to medium. Add onion and sauté until it begins to brown, this should take around 5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, shredded chicken and pour 1 cup of your enchilada sauce to the skillet (reserve remaining enchilada sauce for topping). Mix until ingredients are well combined and remove from heat.
- Use a “Y” shaped veggie peeler or mandoline slicer to create thin, even slices of zucchini. Lay four slices on a plate, making sure that they overlap slightly.
Roll filling in zucchini:
- Add about 2 tablespoons of filling to the zucchini slices and roll it up!
Assemble enchiladas:
- Line your zucchini chicken rolls in a large baking dish or casserole dish.
- Top enchilada rolls with remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle shredded cheeses. Cover the casserole with foil. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Uncover the casserole, and bake it for more 5 mins.
Bake then serve:
- Place Zucchini Chicken Enchiladas in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Once the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling, they’re done.
- Add your sour cream topping and some chopped cilantro, then serve your chicken enchilada casserole and enjoy the delicious Mexican food flavors of this recipe!
Recipe Tips
- This is a great Zucchini Chicken Enchiladas recipe for chicken leftovers. If you’ve got some leftover cooked chicken in the fridge from dinner, shred it up and toss it in your enchilada filling!
- Don’t try and use a knife to make your zucchini slices, it’s nearly impossible to get them as thin and even as necessary without a Y-peeler or mandoline.
- If your zucchini slices are too thick, they’ll break when you try to roll up filling. Make sure they’re super thin and test a few pieces before you cut up all of your zucchini.
- If you’re dealing with slippery zucchini slices and excess moisture, keep some paper towels handy. They can be used to pat down the slices for easier handling.
To Store: Allow leftovers to cool and place them in an airtight container, store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Zucchini has a high-water content and can become mushy once thawed, so I don’t recommend freezing leftovers.
To Reheat: Reheat your Zucchini Chicken Enchiladas in the microwave or pop them back into a 300°F oven until warmed through completely.
More Keto zucchini recipes to try:
- Spinach and Zucchini Lasagna: This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. It is made with delicious homemade tomato sauce, skinny ricotta, mozzarella, and zucchini noodles.
- 5-Ingredient Chicken Zucchini Boats: These are super easy to make, and it’s a great way to use chicken leftovers.
- 4-Ingredient Chicken Zucchini Rolls: This recipe makes a super-easy and delicious dinner for the entire family to enjoy!
Zucchini Chicken Enchiladas
Zucchini Chicken Enchiladas are the perfect dinner. This dish is made with zucchini “tortillas” rather than flour or corn. It’s also gluten free and packed full of delicious ingredients like enchilada sauce, shredded chicken, shredded cheese and tangy sour cream.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large white onion chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 3 cups shredded chicken
- 1⅓ cups red enchilada sauce divided
- 4 large zucchini sliced with a mandolin or peeler
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- Sour cream for drizzling
- Fresh cilantro leaves for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add diced onion.
- Sauté onion until golden and brown, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, chili powder, shredded chicken and 1 cup enchilada sauce.
- Stir well until combined.
- Using a vegetable peeler or mandolin, make thin slices of zucchini. On a cutting board, lay out 4 zucchini slices slightly overlapping. Then, add 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on top. Roll up, and transfer carefully to a baking dish. Repeat with the remaining zucchini and chicken mixture.
- After that, use the remaining enchilada sauce to top the zucchini enchiladas. Then, add the shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese. Cover the casserole with foil.
- Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Uncover the casserole, and bake it for more 5 mins.
- Garnish with sour cream and cilantro, and serve.
Notes
- This recipe was adapted from the site Delish.
- Do you have leftover cooked chicken? Shred and use for your filling!
- Don’t use a knife to slice zucchini. A Y-peeler or mandoline are necessary for thin, even slices.
- If zucchini slices are too thick, they’ll break when rolling.
- Slippery zucchini slices? Use a paper towel and soak up extra moisture for easier handling.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/12, Calories: 154kcal, Carbohydrates: 6.1g, Protein: 16.7g, Fat: 7.2g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 245mg, Fiber: 1.7g, Sugar: 2.5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Pinned!! These look SO delicious!! Love that they’re low-carb, but even without that, I’d be all over them 🙂
Thanks, Sues 😉
I can definitely see why you love these! I have yet to make lasagna/enchiladas with zucchini and I absolutely love the idea…it keeps the meal so fresh and light, and yet that filling is so satisfying! Such a perfect healthful meal!
Exactly, Ju. That’s why I love this recipe. It’s fresh, light and very flavourful. Thanks a lot for stopping by 😉
The picture has me drooling. Love the idea of substituting zucchini for a regular tortilla for carb control. Looking to make it for the family.
That’s great idea, right? It was really good! I hope you enjoy it 😉
The nutritional count is that for one enchilada or all 12?
For 1 enchilada!
I am assuming the shredded chicken in the ingredients is cooked? I could use a rotisserie chicken?
Yes absolutely 😉
I’m wondering the same could a rotisserie chicken be used? Also, any suggestions if your grocery store doesn’t carry enchilada sauce?
I make my own home made enchilada sauce. It is so easy and delicious. Here it is:
½ cup onion chopped
1/4 cup olive oil (I use less)
1 fresh garlic pod, chopped
1 t chili powder
1 t Gephardt Chili Quick
Salt to taste
3 T Flour
2 cups Water
2 pounds ground meat (lean)
½ cup onion chopped
Salt, pepper, and parsley to taste
4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 dozen fresh corn tortillas
In a small saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until clear and tender. Add chili powder, chili quick, salt and flower. Stir with a whisk until blended. Blend in 2 cups water (hot), until smooth and without lumps. Cook over medium heat until heated through and slightly thick.
Brown 2 pounds of lean hamburger meat. Sauté with chopped onion, salt, pepper, and parsley until meat is cooked completely.
Dip corn tortilla in sauce until soft. Place in 9 x 13 casserole dish. Add heaping spoonful of meat and cheese. Roll and place seam side down in the pan. Repeat with all 12 corn tortillas. Sprinkle remaining meat on top of rolled enchiladas. Pour remaining sauce over rolled enchiladas. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
P.S. Can be made with chicken as well! Use chicken broth for the water and a rotisserie chicken adds delicious flavor as well.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with us 😉
Absolutely delicious You can cook the chicken the day before and it is much easier to work with while cold when you put it on the zucchini to roll
You’re absolutely right 😉
Making this for the first time but I
I’m having problems slicing the zucchini. I bought a mandolin but the slices are not coming out in tact.
Oh too bad. I usually use the mandolin that I recommend below the recipe box and it works really well. Have you tried with a peeler? It works well too 😉
This tastes absolutely wonderful I made it once and I’m going to make it again tonight my husband likes it better than using tortillas
Awesome!
This was amazing! Thank you!
You’re very welcome 😉
Hello! I want to make this recipe for the first time in about two hours. I was wondering how many minutes I need to cook the chicken in the pan, because it’s going in to the oven after and I don’t want it to be dry.
you can roast 2 chicken breasts in the oven at 400F for 20 minutes or until the chicken gets the 165F internal temperature.
Wow! A REAL hit with the entire family. Tastes as good as it looks. No wonder why it is such a great recipe, loaded with taste and health, plus no calories. Thanks so much for sharing this amazing recipe. If anyone is looking so for such great low-calorie recipes.
Thanks a lot!
Oh my sweet baby Jesus!
First off, delicious! Second, invest in a proper peeler. It’s a good thing this recipe was uh-mazing, because it was uh-pain to make.
Awesome! Happy to hear that 😉
This was so yummy. A bit of work but most enchiladas are. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Glad you liked it 😉
I am SO excited for this recipe! See… my family consists of 4 people who are not picky people (usually) but tortilla wars have been a blight for years! 😁
So, we have 2 corn lovers and 2 2 flour lovers of which I am one. I won’t eat corn tortillas unless I press them and I dont always have the time. THAT brings us to this recipe! It fits all our needs, and doesn’t get soggy in the oven as flour torts do but doesn’t break like corn torts do. This is our new favorite thing. Thanks! Will rate in another post when we have it for dinner.next week
Also do you think it would be tasty with half and half yellow squash (little ones) and zucchini? I do! I could let you know that too if you like!
So happy you all enjoyed this recipe 🙂
I loved the flavor, but I had such a rough time rolling the zucchini up. Did anyone else? I struggled keeping them all together and staying together once they were in the pan.
Yes! I think I will steam them or blanch them for a minute next time. I also felt they would taste better in the final dish a little softer
After hearing comments regarding troubles with the zucchini slices, but still wanting to try this yummy recipe, I made it casserole style with thinly sliced zucchini and yellow squash. It turned out absolutely amazing and delish. The whole family loved it, even my pickies! Thanks for sharing!
That’s SO AWESOME! Happy you guys enjoyed it 😉
Mm this Italian Style Chicken zucchini enchilada must be delicious. And thanks for sharing this tutorial with us 😉
It is a wow recipe!! perfect for winters!
So glad to hear that 😉
Has anyone tried this as a make ahead? I’d like to roll the enchiladas the day before and bake just before serving.
I’ve never made it as a “make ahead”, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
Hi…..I was wanting to make ahead as well……did it work out ok?
Yes, I think so.