Zucchini Enchiladas Recipe
Make Zucchini Enchiladas for Cinco de Mayo – It’s a Healthy Twist on a Classic!
Cinco de Mayo is almost here and I love to celebrate (and eat tacos)! I was looking through some dinner ideas the other day to come up with some new. I love tacos as I’ve mentioned but my hubby, e doesn’t care for tacos, but he does like Mexican food. So, I decided to try something new. I made him zucchini enchiladas.
Sounds weird, right? He’s on a healthy food kick, but still wants lots of flavor. He loves zucchini and I figured that if he hated what I came up with, he could have a regular taco on a flour tortilla. I even went out of my way (and comfort zone) to make homemade guacamole.
The first thing I had to do was take the zucchini, cut them in half and spoon out the middle. I don’t have a lot of experience cooking with it, so I was really surprised to find that the zucchini was soft and tender enough to spoon right out. I kinda scooped too much and they were really flexible. But, they still worked.
You have to roast the scooped out olive oil rubbed zucchini for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees. This adds a level of flavor and it also cooks it so that it’s delicious.
For the meat part, I knew I wanted to use chicken because it’s healthier (especially if you use boneless, skinless chicken breasts). But in the past, when I use chicken, it tends to turn out tough. And, I didn’t have time to use my crock pot. The only other option was to boil the meat. So, into a pot, four large chicken breasts went. This was too much meat. The breasts were so large that I only ended up using two. Once the chicken was boiled and shredded, I put it aside to cool.
While my chicken was cooking, I made my enchilada sauce. This was too easy. I took a can of tomato sauce (I only had a big can and used half of it). I took some olive oil and cooked a chopped onion in a skillet. Once the onion was soft, I added fresh garlic and cooked about a minute longer. Be careful not to burn the garlic…it makes it bitter. Remove your pan from the stove.
Add in your tomato sauce, cornstarch water, and taco seasoning packet. Stir well. DO NOT ADD SALT. Adding salt will be too much and you won’t be able to enjoy your meal. Add the skillet back to the stove and heat to a simmer. Add in the shredded chicken and heat for about 5 minutes.
Ingredients
- shredded chicken (about 2 cups)
- 1 small onion
- 4 cloves of fresh garlic
- 1 taco seasoning packet
- 1 small can of tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup water (add 1 tsp corn starch)
- 2-4 zucchini (cut them in half long ways)
- olive oil (to rub zucchini before roasting & for cooking onions)
- frozen corn-topping
- cheese-topping
- diced tomato-topping
- chopped cilantro-topping
Instructions
- Take zucchini, cut in half long ways, scoop out centers. Rub and roast zucchini at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes.
- Take diced onion and saute it in olive oil until soft, add chopped fresh garlic cloves.
- Remove from heat and add tomato sauce, taco seasoning.
- Mix water and corn starch together and add to tomato sauce mix.
- Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add shredded chicken.
- Layer zucchini with chicken and sauce mix, corn, and cheese.
- Bake at 400 degrees until tops are golden.
- Top them with tomatoes and cilantro before serving them with sour cream and guacamole.
Here is the fun part. The assembly:
Keep your zucchini in the same pan you roasted them in (why wash another pan?). In the bottom of the zucchini, layer chicken and sauce mix, cheese, corn and more cheese. Top them with diced tomatoes and cilantro.
Bake these delicious enchiladas at 400 degrees for about 7 to 10 minutes. Serve the enchiladas with guacamole, salsa and sour cream.
Make these for your Cinco de Mayo celebration or just a fun twist to Taco Tuesday!
A big thanks to team member Missy for sharing this yummy recipe! If you try the recipe out let us know how you like it.
Lynne B says
I came to the zucchini party late in life. Now I love it. This recipe is fantastic for low carbers.
Rosie says
wowie zowie what a wonderful way to use zucchini! In fact, I think this is the best recipe with zucchini I’ve ever seen, now I must try this!
Austin Baroudi says
This looks delicious! Can’t wait to give it a try! Thanks for sharing.
tiffany dayton says
I’m not crazy about zucchini but it’s a good way to get your vegetables.
Lisa Brown says
They look great, a lot like a stuffed zucchini. Can fill them with anything.
Laurie P says
This is way to awesome! I love love love using zucchini as a staple for my meals. It’s very satisfying in any meal, and the variations are endless…..
Sara Theissen says
Wow, these sound so good! I love the idea of using the zucchini instead of taco shells. I bet you yellow squash would be great too! I will have to make this soon.
Cindy S. says
This looks so yummy! I’m on a low carb diet and this looks pretty low carb. It should be a great option.
Lauryn R says
These zucchini enchiladas sound incredible! I love zucchini and this sounds like a perfect dish for those hot summer days. I will definitely be making some soon, thanks for sharing! 🙂
Jerry Marquardt says
I would be interested in trying out the Zucchini Enchiladas as it looks very delicious. I am going to try your special recipe over the coming weekend.
Tanya White says
This sounds amazing, I would love to try it.
Gloria Walshver says
This is a great recipe for people who like zucchini like me.
Nancy says
This recipe looks delicious. It’s perfect for summer when zucchinis are so plentiful
Wanda Tracey says
I love zucchini and find it just blends in with other flavors to taste perfect because it`s so mild.This recipe
looks fabulous and I am going to make it.Thank you.
Anne Marie Carter says
I love zucchini squash in any way and this recipe looks very delicious. I’ve never used zucchini in this way. I’m saving this recipe and I will be trying it this summer when my zucchini comes in.
Debbie White Beattie says
This recipe looks so delicious that I’m going to make it as soon as I get the ingredients
Pat Schwab says
This recipe looks like something my family would enjoy. I am going to pin this. Thanks, Pat S
Cynthia W says
This looks so good. I can’t wait to try the recipe. Thanks!
Karen Adams says
Wow this looks absolutely delicious..I can’t wait to try this. Thanks for sharing with us
Sophia,M.,McConnery says
This is making me hungry!Good recipe that can be used for other veg too like squash! YUMMY!
Linda Manns says
This made such a great meal for my family. They loved it. Thank you again for this great recipe
Lara says
These look amazing!! The best part is, that all of the ingredients are things I generally have on-hand. It is so disappointing finding a delicious-sounding recipe, only to discover that in order to make it, you have to go to a specialty store for the ingredients or purchase about a half dozen new spices/sauces that you will only ever use for that one recipe (or only a couple times a year). Thank you!
ANN*H says
We grow zucchini in our garden. Never thought of using it in enchiladas tho. Going to be making these . thanks much
Linda Manns says
These are so good and this recipe was a great way to sneak in some veggies for my grandchildren. Thank you so much for this great recipe
Blanca Conde says
Omg I just woke up to reading this and my mouth just watered. I make enchiladas all the time so I wouldn’t mind having the zucchini enchiladas. Sounds very delicious and healthy. I might give a try!
Sarah L says
That is a great recipe. I’ve stuffed zucchini before but not with a mexican flavor.
Kim Avery says
I am saving this to make this summer with zucchini from our garden! Sounds yummy!
Pat Schwab says
This looks really good. I think almost everyone in my house would like these. Pinning
Cynthia H says
Oh my goodness! These look amazing! I am going to have to print this recipe off and give it a try. I know my husband will love it, but I am not sure about the grandkids. Thank you for posting this.
Amanda Alvarado says
This is a new way of making “enchiladas”! I wonder if my hubby would like them. We usually make them from scratch both red and green ones!
Sophia,M.,McConnery says
Now that is a great idea to use the zucchini shell as the taco outside!I love hot food.Trying to cut down on wheat products!
Keri Bergerson says
WOW! I have never thought of using zucchini as a substitute for enchiladas before! Mexican food is my absolute favorite but those calories add up SO fast! Especially with all the cheese! Great recipe! Excited to replicate this!
Amanda says
We love mexican food but just the tortilla alone is pretty unhealthy. This sounds great and you could do all sorts of fillings to mix it up!
Julie says
This looks so yummy! Zucchini is becoming my new favorite vegetable. It’s good in so many dishes!
Corey Olomon says
This looks so delicious!
Elizabeth says
This Zucchini Enchilada Recipe looks so good! What a great way to use up leftover chicken…thanks for sharing!
Lisa says
This is such a way to make a meal tasty and healthy.
Dani H says
I’m drooling right now!
I don’t care for dark meat so almost always use chicken breasts. Whatever the recipe, I usually poach them in water or low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock. I hadn’t thought to fix them in my crockpot though. Maybe you could post a recipe for that sometime?
Thanks!
Melissa Crisp says
Ok this sounded weird at first but I like zucchini and enchiladas so I figured it was worth a look. Once I read everything,it actually sounds really good. I’ve never made home enchilada sause so I will have to steal your recipe on that plus it’s gotta taste better than the canned stuff. Thanks for sharing this.
Adriana saucedo says
Wow this looks delicious, can’t wait to make it and try it. 🙂
Gretchen Luper says
I love this recipe. can’t wait to try it. we eat mexican about 5 days a week and this is a new one.
Jill H says
This looks like a good time summer recipe when zucchini is plenty . I’m going to pin this one.
Robert Hogan says
I’m going to have to try this. The family loves enchiladas and this would be a clever and sneaky way to tell them afterwards how healthy and hopefully tasty their meal was.
Jennifer M says
Well this looks interesting and yummy. I am going to try it and see if I can convince my hubby to try it too 🙂
Christina G. says
I’ve never thought of using zucchinis in enchiladas. That’s a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
Dana Rodriguez says
I really like zucchini.This is a delicious looking twist on how to serve them!
Rachel says
So fun!
lisa says
I like zucchini. I’m not sure about made this way. It looks pretty good. I just usually have mine plain.
Sarah Kurtz says
I have never had zucchini… But this looks so delicious! I think my picky eaters would even like this!
rochelle haynes says
This looks good never tried this but would love too
Regina Elliott says
I’ve never tried zucchini but I know it has good nutritional value so I’m down with trying this recipe
Michelle Elizondo says
So yummy. Great for cinco de mayo.
Dotty J Boucher says
This looks absolutely amazing, I really enjoyed reading and looking at every picture for detailed instructions, This is well done and This is going to be on a must list make for me, O love zucchini..
Tandi Vidal says
These look really good. I am going to have to give them a try.
Angelica Dimeo says
Yum this looks like a semi healthy twist to a classic meal
robyn donnelly says
These zucchini enchilatas looks like something I would eat.
Holly Schilling says
I saw the title of the post and instantly had to open and now save to use in the future.
Laura says
These sound so tasty. I love that this is a healthy option. It’s can be hard to find healthier foods when you are trying to make Mexican.
Kim Pinch says
I love zucchini and can’t wait to try these. I have never thought of eating them this way.
Michelle Catallo says
I admit to putting zucchini in a lot of different meals from breakfast to dinner and, of course, baked goods but, I had never thought of enchiladas. Funny thing is that this is the second enchilada recipe I have read today and I have been craving them for a week now.
Nicole Carter (Weasley) says
Okay I am not a zucchini fan at all but I have to admit this does look delicious! I do love enchiladas though!
Donna B says
This sounds delicious. My husband and I both love Mexican food, I love how you have added the vegetables.
Sandra Watts says
These actually do look really good. I wonder if I can sneak them into a meal.
ken ohl says
I love mexican food these look amazing
Linda Manns says
I love enchilada’s. These sound so good. I can’t wait to make these. What a great meal. Thank you for sharing
Carolyn Daley says
I never thought of zucchini for enchiladas, but this is definitely a good idea. Thanks for the recipe!
Stephanie H. says
These do look good and I love that they have veggies in them. Thanks for the amazing twist of an enchilada recipe!