Simple Skillet Green Enchiladas
9 colors (1-scallions, 2 - pepper, 3 - zucchini, 4- jalapeño, 5- green chilies, 6 - spinach, 7- pickled red onions, 8 - avocado, 9 - cilantro)THE WHY BEHIND THIS RECIPE
The honest why behind this recipe is I was craving enchiladas but didn’t want to spend 1-2 hours making them. Enter, the skillet enchilada with a few Cooking in Color approved store bought time savers.
I recently discovered the Siete simple enchilada sauce and realized I could make amazing enchiladas all in one skillet. Like all my recipes, I’ve snuck in tons of veggies and protein here to make this nutrient dense and blood sugar friendly.
You can use any refined-grain free tortilla, but my favorite is the Coyotes Cassava followed by the Siete chickpea flour tortillas (or almond flour tortillas, but those don’t hold up quite as well!).
This is a great recipe to meal prep or to make when you know you want leftovers the next day. Hope you love it as much as I do!
Yields: 4-6 servings (makes about 8-10 enchiladas)
Total time: 30 minutes
Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
WHAT YOU NEED
TOOLS
Large skillet (I love using my Lodge 12 inch cast-iron skillet for this)
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive or avocado oil
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, set aside 1/4 cup for topping
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground meat of choice (or shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp red pepper flakes (more if you want spicier)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 pepper, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 jalapeño, diced
1 (7 oz) can diced green chilis - I like La Preferida Organic Green Chiles but any organic diced chilies will work!
1 (16 oz) jar of salsa verde or enchilada sauce - I like Siete Green Enchilada sauce
1 (8 oz) bag of spinach or just a very large handful of spinach
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar (or your preferred cheese)
1/2 cup cotija cheese (for topping)
6-8 tortillas (I recommend Siete chickpea flour tortillas or Coyotes Cassava tortillas)
Optional toppings: pickled red onions, cotija cheese, thinly sliced red onion, avocado slices, cilantro, hot sauce, etc.
HOW TO DO IT
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cook the filling:
Warm 1 tbsp of olive or avocado oil in a large skillet (cast-iron works great for this) over medium-high heat.
Add the 1/4 cup sliced scallions and 4 cloves minced garlic, cooking for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Stir in 1 lb of your ground meat of choice, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp red pepper flakes. Turn the heat to high, breaking the meat into small crumbles with a spatula. Cook until the meat is browned and cooked through.
Turn heat back down to medium. Add the 1 diced pepper, 1 zucchini, 7oz can diced green chilis, and 1 jalapeño to the skillet. Add a little more oil if needed. Cook for another 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften.
Stir in 1/4 cup of the salsa verde or enchilada sauce and 1 large handful of spinach. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Assemble the enchiladas:
Spoon 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the filling down the center of each tortilla. Top with a few tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese.
Roll the tortillas tightly and place them seam-side down on a cutting board or plate.
Prepare the skillet or baking dish:
Spread a thin layer of the salsa verde across the bottom of your skillet.
Arrange the rolled tortillas seam-side down in the dish. You may need to fit them snugly!
Top and bake:
Pour the remaining salsa verde evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese and the crumbled cotija cheese.
Bake for ~15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. If you really want the top to be crispy, turn the oven onto broil for the last 3-5 minutes.
Garnish and serve:
Top with your favorite garnishes, such as pickled red onions, avocado slices, cilantro, hot sauce (I like yellowbird), or more cotija cheese.
Serve warm and enjoy!
SWAPS, TIPS & TRICKS
Short on time? Just make these into tacos! You can skip steps 4 and 5 if you want to just make and serve these as tacos. Or, you could serve half as tacos and make the other half as enchiladas to have as leftovers for something a little different the next day.
Swaps for peppers or zucchini: For the filling, you can use anything you want! You could try pinto beans, mushrooms, sweet potatoes etc. I’ve just found personally I love the zucchini and pepper paired together!
Tortillas: You can use any tortillas you like, but I think the Coyotas 6 inch tortillas work the best and hold together the best. The Siete chickpea flour tortilla would be my second choice, as it holds together a little better than the almond flour one.
If you want to make homemade green enchilada sauce: Roast 1 onion, 1 poblano, 1 jalapeño, and 5-6 tomatillos in the oven for 30-40 minutes at 425. Transfer mixture into a blender and add 3 cloves garlic, 1 cup bone broth or veggie broth, 1/2 cup cilantro chopped (leaves and stems), juice and zest of 1 lime, and 1 tsp kosher salt and puree. Taste test and adjust seasoning.
Storage: These keep super well in the fridge for 3-4 days or the freezer for up to a month (but I bet they’ll be gone before then).
Nutritional Info
Per serving, makes 4-6 servings
Calories: 470
Carbohydrates: 45g
Fiber: 9g
Net carbs: 36g
Protein: 22g
Fat: 24g
Sodium: 1948mg
Sugar: 5g
