Light but filling, this Chicken Zucchini Enchilada is a delicious low-carb, veggie-packed way of enjoying enchiladas. Made with zucchini instead of traditional tortillas and stuffed with shredded chicken, everyone will be reaching for seconds.
This low-carb Chicken Zucchini Enchilada casserole is packed with healthy goodness! They’re perfect for when you’re craving the flavors of enchiladas but don’t want to eat anything too heavy. It’s especially perfect for Spring/Summer when zucchini is in season.
Zucchini is in season in the summer so if you’ve got a ton on hand, you should also make my Baked Southwest Zucchini Boats, Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp, and Spicy Baked Zucchini Fries. They’re so easy to make and your family will love them.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Zucchini Enchiladas Recipe
- It’s full of flavor. Seasoned perfectly, you’ll love how flavorful this enchiladas casserole is!
- It’s packed with nutrition. Instead of using tortillas, zucchini is used instead, which has vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, and more! Definitely a more nutritious option.
- It’s easy. Thanks to shortcuts like rotisserie chicken and store-bought enchiladas, this zucchini enchiladas recipe comes together in next to no time.
What You’ll Need
- Olive oil: You can also use another oil of your choice.
- Aromatics: I use garlic and onions to add more flavor to the enchiladas
- Seasonings: I use a mixture of red chili powder, ground cumin, ground black pepper, and salt.
- Rotisserie chicken: To make things easier, shredding a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken cuts down on the amount of work you have to do.
- Red enchilada sauce: Homemade or store-bought is fine!
- Lime juice: Lime juice adds a nice hint of brightness to the dish.
- Zucchini: This is one of our main ingredients. Instead of using traditional tortillas, peeled zucchini is used instead.
- Mexican style cheese: This is usually a blend of Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla, and Asadero cheeses.
- Jalapenos: Sliced avocado to serve
- Avocado: Sliced, to serve
- Cilantro: To garnish
How To Make Zucchini Enchilada with Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Cook the aromatics: Heat a skillet over medium heat; add oil. Once the oil is heated, add garlic and onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
- Add the spices: Add the red chili powder, ground cumin, ground black pepper and salt, cook for a minute.
- Add the shredded chicken and sauce: Add the chicken and mix it well until the spices are coated. Stir in 1 cup of enchilada sauce, cook for 4-5 minutes until everything comes together. Squeeze a half lime, remove the skillet from heat, and set aside.
- Cut the zucchini: Trim the ends of the zucchini and peel them into thin slices using a vegetable peeler or mandolin slicer.
- Make the zucchini enchilada: Take 3 even slices and place them slightly overlapping to one another. Add a spoonful of chicken filling and roll the zucchini slices gently. Place the rolls on a 9×13 casserole dish. Repeat the same with the remaining fillings.
- Top with sauce and cheese: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the zucchini rolls and spread the shredded cheese on top.
- Bake and serve: Bake the enchilada for 20 minutes until the cheese has melted. Serve the zucchini enchilada while it is still warm topped with jalapenos and avocado slices.
Tips and Notes
- This recipe yields exactly 12 zucchini rolls.
- If the zucchini has lots of moisture, pat them with a paper towel before using them for rolling.
- You can also use the combination of cheddar and mozzarella cheese instead of Mexican style cheese if you cannot find it.
- I really recommend using a mandolin to get evenly sliced zucchini. Be sure to use the guard that comes with it to keep your fingers safe.
- Avoid overstuffing the zucchini rolls or they’ll be difficult to roll and burst/unroll as it bakes.
FAQs
While I don’t recommend making this too far ahead of time, you can prepare parts of the casserole ahead of time. You can slice the zucchini beforehand and place a paper towel in between the slices to absorb the moisture. Be sure it’s in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also make the filling ahead of time too and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. If you are making homemade enchilada sauce or cook the chicken yourself, you can do so up to 3 days ahead of time.
I do not recommend freezing this zucchini enchilada bake. Since zucchini has high water content, it does not freeze or thaw well. They will end up super soggy.
Look for a bright green zucchini that’s not too large (the larger ones taste more watery). The zucchini should feel firm and not have any nicks on the skin. The skin should also be shiny. Also, I recommend choosing zucchinis that are similar in size so you end up with evenly sliced zucchinis.
More Low Carb Recipes You’ll Love
- Cauliflower Pizza Casserole
- Creamy Sundried Tomato Chicken Thighs
- Creamy Parmesan Chicken Recipe
- Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Chicken Zucchini Enchilada recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it and share it with your friends and family!
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Chicken Zucchini Enchilada
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. garlic minced
- ½ medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 tsp. red chili powder
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken shredded
- 1 ½ cup red enchilada sauce
- ½ whole lime squeezed
- 3 whole medium sized zucchini
- 2 cups Mexican style cheese shredded
- 1 whole fresh jalapenos sliced to serve
- ½ whole avocado sliced to serve
- chopped or whole cilantro for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat; add oil. Once the oil is heated, add garlic and onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
- Add the spices; red chili powder, ground cumin, ground black pepper and salt, cook for a minute.
- Add the shredded chicken and mix it well until the spices are coated. Stir in 1 cup of enchilada sauce, cook for 4-5 minutes until everything comes together. Squeeze a half lime, remove the skillet from heat and set aside.
- Trim the ends of zucchini and peel them to thin slices using a vegetable peeler or mandolin slicer.
- Take 3 even slices and place them slightly overlapping to one another. Add a spoonful of chicken filling and roll the zucchini slices gently.
- Place the rolls on a 9X13 casserole dish. Repeat the same with the remaining fillings.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the zucchini rolls and spread the shredded cheese on top.
- Bake the enchilada for 20 minutes until the cheese has melted.
- Serve the zucchini enchilada while it is still warm topped with jalapenos and avocado slices.
Notes
- This recipe yields exactly 12 zucchini rolls.
- If the zucchini has lots of moisture, pat them with a paper towel before using them for rolling.
- You can also use the combination of cheddar and mozzarella cheese instead of Mexican style cheese if you cannot find it.
- I really recommend using a mandolin to get evenly sliced zucchini. Be sure to use the guard that comes with it to keep your fingers safe.
- Avoid overstuffing the zucchini rolls or they’ll be difficult to roll and burst/unroll as it bakes.
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