Zucchini Enchiladas

Okay, so I'm going to start this post by giving credit where credit is due.  I always get my recipes/cooking inspiration from pinterest, but I typically put my own spin on things so I don't feel like I'm stealing if I post a recipe and call it my own.  I saw a post the other day on instagram that was (fairly nicely) calling people out for not giving credit to those who wrote the original recipe.  Being new at this whole blogging thing, I don't want to do anything wrong.  So before I get further into this recipe, I want to shout out Feel Good Foodie for her original zucchini enchilada post that inspired me to make this recipe.  I saw this on pinterest and knew it was something I wanted to try.  

The recipe called for store-bought enchilada sauce, which I was considering using until I saw an instagram story from another lifestyle blogger I follow who was sharing her enchilada sauce recipe.  So shout out to @SpencerCotter for sharing your recipe and inspiring me to make home-made enchilada sauce. In general, I try to stay away from store-bought sauces because they just aren't as good (or to your taste) as you can make at home.  But back to my original thought of giving credit where it's due - where does it end?  I used the base of one recipe and combined it with another, so does that make it my own?  With technology and sharing things on the internet and social media, can we really say we own anything anymore? Just some food for thought (don't mind the pun).

Anyways, these enchiladas were absolutely delicious.  I plated them with a side of black beans and topped them with hot sauce (obvi) and cilantro. I would have added avocado too, but my avocados are taking forever to ripen. I definitely recommend adding a little something on the side because the rolls are fairly small, so 2 rolls is not a full meal on their own.  And don't be afraid to eat 3 if you feel like it, they are made from zucchini after all!

Total Time: 45 minutes - 1 hour

Servings: 6 (12 rolls)

Ingredients:

For the Enchiladas:

3 cups shredded chicken (about 1.5 lbs)

1 tbs olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

2-3 large zucchinis

1 cup* shredded Mexican cheese blend

For the Sauce: 

1/2 tsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chicken bone broth

1 1/2 cups canned tomato sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

Salt & Pepper to taste

*The original recipe called for 2 cups of shredded cheese, but as much as I love cheese, I just couldn't bear to put that much on, so I halved it.  I say, cheese to your heart's desire 😀 but just remember that as delicious as cheese is, it's not good for you

Instructions:

1. Make the enchilada sauce - add oil and minced garlic to pan over medium heat and cook 1-2 minutes, until beginning to brown.  Add the rest of the sauce ingredients, bring to a boil, and then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes.  You want the sauce to thicken up a little.
2. Preheat oven to 350° F.
3. Thinly slice your zucchini using a mandolin or a veggie peeler and set aside.  You'll need 3 slices per roll, so 36 total.
4. Add garlic and oil to a large pan over medium heat and brown the garlic for 1-2 minutes.  Add in chicken, 1 cup enchilada sauce, cumin & chili powder and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Line up 3 slices of zucchini and overlap slightly (see photo below).  Add a spoon full of chicken mixture about 1 1/2 inches from the end of the zucchini and roll.  Place in baking dish and repeat until zucchini & chicken are gone.
6. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the rolls and top with cheese.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, until zucchini is cooked through and cheese is melted.
8. Garnish and serve with your favorite Mexican fixings: hot sauce, cilantro, avocado, jalapeno, black beans, etc.

Here's what the zucchini should look like before you roll up the wraps.  Make sure your zucchini is sliced thinly enough that it's malleable and will easily roll.  Some of my first slices were too thick and made the rolling process a challenge.

After the chicken and the enchilada sauce are incorporated, there shouldn't be much liquid left.  The sauce should just coat the chicken.

All rolled up and ready to be baked!  As you can see, I didn't put anywhere near 2 cups of cheese on my enchiladas.  You could definitely go a little heavier than this, but again, remember that cheese is full of saturated fat and really not good for you.

The final plating: served with black beans, cilantro & hot sauce.  All it's missing is avocado and a margarita on the side!