By Angie McGowan
I have been seeing lots of pumpkin enchilada recipes on blogs lately, and couldn’t resist giving one a try. I have seen many variations, and decided to try a spicier tomato and pumpkin sauce with my enchiladas. I couldn’t find a recipe that fit the idea in my head of what spicy pumpkin enchiladas should be, so I created my own. I added the pumpkin puree to the enchilada sauce, creating not only a very healthy sauce, but also adding a thick, creamy texture. If you want to make this recipe just a little spicy, leave out the jalapeno and chipotle powder. For a little more heat, omit the jalapeno. For just a bit more heat, use the jalapeno , but discard it’s seeds and ribs. For full heat, use the whole jalapeno, and additional jalapenos and chipotle powder for even more heat. I topped the enchiladas with queso fresco cheese that I crumbled. If you can’t find this cheese, just use about 2 cups shredded Monterey jack, white cheddar, or Mexican blend shredded cheese.
Stacie also made this amazing pumpkin enchilada sauce that you can make as spicy as you like.
Spicy Pumpkin Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in chicken breasts, roasted and shredded
- 6 green onions, chopped
- 1 – 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 1 – 15 oz can diced tomatoes and green chilies
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
- 1 finely chopped jalapeno, seeds removed for less heat
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- corn tortillas
- vegetable oil
- 1 package queso fresco cheese, crumbled
Method
1. To roast the chicken breasts, just brush them with olive oil and salt and pepper them. Then roast them at 425 degrees until they were nicely browned and the internal temperature is 165 degrees. Then let them cool and shred for this dish.
2. For the enchilada filling, combine the sliced green onions and the shredded chicken in a bowl and set aside. Preheat oven again to 425 degrees.
3. For the sauce, combine the pumpkin puree, the canned diced tomatoes, water, spices, jalapeno, salt and garlic in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
4. While the sauce is simmering, oil the bottom of your casserole dish. Warm tortillas in the microwave until warm and pliable. Fill tortillas with chicken and onion mixture, roll and place seam side down in casserole dish. Once all your enchiladas are made, cover with sauce and crumble queso fresco cheese on top. Bake at 425 degrees until heated through and cheese is starting to brown.
Food , Recipes
