Creamy and Healthy Chicken Enchiladas (lactose free options)

Creamy, healthy chicken enchiladas filled with rotisserie chicken, fresh spinach leaves, coconut milk, and green chile enchilada sauce. All the flavor of fattening enchiladas, with a lot less calories!

So, chicken enchiladas are pretty much my favorite food ever, right? And, considering the fact my cheesy chicken enchiladas are one of my top recipes…I’m assuming most of you love them, too!

Since I’m trying to eat healthier, I decided to try to make over my old recipe a little bit. Don’t get me wrong…I’m sure I will still make those delicious, not-so-healthy ones more often than not…but for those days that I want enchiladas, but need them to be a little healthier…I need a go-to recipe!

These enchiladas were amazing. They were creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor. And were pretty healthy. Weird, right? Healthy and creamy aren’t usually used in the same sentence. However, instead of using fattening sour cream, cream cheese, or crema, I used the cream from a can of light coconut milk. There was still an incredible amount of flavor and creaminess, but a lot healthier! Coconut cream is my go-to nowadays. Of course, you can use sour cream if you don’t have (or like) coconut cream…but it’s worth it. To get the cream from a can of coconut milk, just open the can, and let it settle in the fridge for about 30 minutes. The cream will settle at the top (and you can use the watery part for an evaporated milk substitute!)

I also decided to use rotisserie chicken. One of my favorite things to do is buy a rotisserie chicken from Costco, use part of it for dinner, and then shred the rest and put in little baggies. I freeze a few bags, and leave another bag in the fridge to use on salads throughout the week. They come pre-seasoned, and require no prep! Win-win situation right — delicious AND easy!

Instead of using a more calorie-filled cheese like I usually would, I chose mozzarella…and it was a perfect complement to the creaminess of the dish. Also, instead of the tortillas being fried (despite how much I love those), I simply heated them up in the microwave.

And the final touch was fresh spinach. I was hesitant to put it in, I admit. But I’m so glad I did. It upped the health content a little bit, and it gave it a nice flavor.

Anyways, enough babbling from me. Here’s the recipe. I promise, these are delicious. And even better, they can be made lactose free (a must around here). Jack was begging for me — I was a little shocked because he hadn’t been eating well lately since he’s been sick. And even if you don’t like spinach, I think you’ll still like them. Creamy AND healthy chicken enchiladas? I promise, it’s possible!

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Creamy and Healthy Chicken Enchiladas {{lactose free options}}

Yield: 10 enchiladas

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups shredded rotissiere chicken, or any shredded chicken -- season as desired
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups Kraft mozzarella cheese
• 10 corn tortillas
• 3/4 cup lite coconut milk cream**, or sour cream
• 1 small can of green chile enchilada sauce
• About 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, washed and dried

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Warm corn tortillas on a paper towel in the microwave for about one minute. Set aside.
3. In a 9x13 baking dish, place 1/4 cup green chile enchilada sauce and move pan around until covered.
4. Combine the remaining enchilada sauce with the coconut milk cream and mix well.
5. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the mixture and set aside.
6. Place the shredded chicken into the coconut milk/enchilada sauce (NOT the reserved portion) and mix well.
7. Place one corn tortilla in the pan. Put about 1 1/2 spoonfuls of the chicken mixture down the center, then 2-3 spinach leaves, and 1 tablespoon mozzarella cheese.
8. Repeat until all tortillas are used.
9. Cover with the reserved coconut milk/enchilada sauce, and then about 1/4-1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
10. Cover with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove tin foil, and bake for another 10.

Notes

**To get coconut milk cream, open a can of coconut milk and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes. The cream will go to the top of the can. Skim off to use.