Easy Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas

Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas

I love a good, simple, healthy meal any time of year! But when it comes to Fall, I also want to have warm, comfort food. This recipe has it all. Adopting healthier habits can be as easy as swapping out ingredients in some of your favorite recipes for a healthier version. These Easy Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas have become a favorite in our home this time of year!

Adding pumpkin puree into the sauce of this enchilada recipe adds a lot of extra nutrients. Pumpkin puree has a nice consistency to enhance any sauce. Once you add the right seasonings and a little water to thin it out, it really becomes the star of this dish.

This sauce also includes garlic and jalapeño for a nice spicy touch. Don’t worry it isn’t too spicy- as long as you remove the seeds from the jalepeño.  That’s where the real heat is. You can always swap it out for a small can of roasted green chilies for a milder flavor. I often swap these two ingredients in recipes.

Gluten Free Tortillas

I eat mostly gluten-free by choice, mainly because I feel much better without a lot of gluten, and not necessarily because of an allergy or sensitivity to gluten. Along the way we have tried MANY gluten-free tortilla options. I have found that many were too dry and would crack easily when folding or rolling. Others were too tough and lacked a lot of flavor.

Through a lot of trial and error, we finally found the perfect tortillas with the brand Siete. They have a few options, but our favorite is the6-inch almond flour tortillas. They are super versatile or recipes like this, but also egg wraps, or quesadillas. The key is to heat them slightly if folding or rolling them. They can still crack if you aren’t careful. I do have much better luck with these almond flour ones over a the cassava or rice ones.

If you aren’t gluten free, they can easily be swapped with any regular tortilla in this recipe. If you’re trying to keep your meal a little healthier, look for tortillas with minimal ingredients.

Modern Farming and Food Processing

Gluten-free products and recipes are a great option if you’re on an anti-inflammatory diet, or would like to try it. Going gluten free can be beneficial for gut health, and can help people who are managing inflammatory or autoimmune conditions. Many people may have an allergy to gluten like celiac disease, a non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), conditions like irritable bowel disease (IBS), or just have a preference to be gluten free because it makes them feel better.

Much of the conventional wheat used these days in breads, tortillas etc that you buy at the store, are not the same as they were many years ago. Modern farming and food processing have worsened the impact of gluten on your health. There is a lot of research on this. You can google much of it or look up the studies on PubMed if you’re interested.

In a nutshell, modern wheat has been bred to contain higher gluten content than grains from the past. This makes them harder to digest. They also tend to be a crop that is commonly sprayed with glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, and that may be a cause for the rise of gluten-related illnesses. It can not only cause unpleasant digestive symptoms, but can actually harm or cause damage to your gut, especially in large quantities.

If you do choose to have wheat products, a great thing to look for is organic wheat products or ancient grains like einkorn, farro, spelt etc. These varieties have been mostly unchanged over the years and tend to contain higher levels of protein, fiber, and certain vitamins and minerals compared to conventional modern wheat.

Benefits of Pumpkin

Pumpkin is a great source of vitamin A, C, and E. It’s also rich in potassium, magnesium, fiber, and antioxidants like beta-carotene. Although most commonly used in Fall recipes, pumpkin can and should be enjoyed all throughout the year. It can be great for heart health by regulating blood pressure, lowering cholesterol levels, and protecting against oxidative stress.

Pumpkin can also help regulate blood sugar levels, improve gut health, and help aid in weight management. Honestly there are too many reasons not to add it into your diet! It’s such a versatile ingredient to add into soups, stews, sauces, smoothies, and healthier desserts. You can also just eat roasted with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. So good!!

Recipe Tips:

-This recipe makes it easy to swap ingredients if preferred – it’s good with either organic shredded chicken, ground chicken or ground grass fed beef etc.

-If you aren’t a fan of spicy foods, you can easily swap the jalapeño for a small can of mild roasted green chilies.

-Any gluten-free tortillas like corn, rice, cassava or almond flour work great, but you can also swap in any tortilla you like. The key is to slightly heat them before rolling into enchiladas to prevent cracking.

-The sauce seems super thin at first, but TRUST THE PROCESS….it gets thick when it bakes. 🙂

-Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted and slightly crispy brown on top! So good! If you don’t like a crispy top, just take it out before it gets too brown.

Follow me on social media

Easy Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas

I hope you enjoy this Easy Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas recipe! It has quickly become one of our favorite healthy Fall meals! If you like this pumpkin recipe, then be sure to also check out my Pumpkin Crumb Cake with Vanilla Maple Glaze HERE.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram @motivate.educate.repeat HERE where I spend most of my time sharing health and wellness tips and healthy recipes. I also have coaching opportunities to help you to build sustainable healthy habits without the overwhelm of following every new trend, and instead focus on what works for your individual needs.