Chicken, Pumpkin, and Bean Enchiladas

Chicken, Pumpkin, and Bean Enchiladas made with pumpkin puree instead of tomatoes for the enchilada sauce.

Fall is approaching, and winter squash is beginning to appear in farmers' markets and grocery stores. Of course, what would the fall season be without pumpkin recipes?

The recipe for these pumpkin and chicken enchiladas takes the tomato sauce you would normally use to make the enchilada sauce, and substitutes pumpkin puree instead. These enchiladas are super easy to make, and surprisingly tasty. You need to try them.

I served these enchiladas without telling anyone that the sauce was actually pumpkin puree (for scientific purposes). Everyone loved them (phew!) and went back for seconds.

I bought a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and shredded some of it for the filling. For the cheese, I used pepper Jack, but cheddar, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella would work just fine. The recipe calls for exactly one 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree and one can of red kidney beans.

You don't have to fry the tortillas. Just soften them in the microwave before filling them.

The pumpkin sauce for these enchiladas is spicy and smoky tasting. You partially mash the kidney beans before stirring in the sauce to make a hearty and nutritious enchilada filling. Top these enchiladas with cheese and pico de gallo, and you'll fall in love with the flavors.

This month, the Foodie Extravaganza Group is posting recipes with pumpkin, hosted by Lynda of Reviews, Chews, and How-Tos. After my recipe, check out the rest of the recipes, sweet and savory, containing pumpkin.

Enchiladas, pumpkin

Enchiladas

Mexican

Yield: 4 servingsAuthor: Karen Kerr

Chicken, Pumpkin, and Bean Enchiladas

ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 jalapeño, finely diced
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree 
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 4 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese
• 8 six inch white corn tortillas, softened
• Pico de Gallo, about 3/4 cup, and cilantro and scallions to taste. 

instructions

1. Heat your oven to 400 degrees F and spray a 2 quart baking dish with spray oil. 
2. In a 3 or 4 quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion and jalapeño for 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree, water, chili powder, salt, and cumin and heat through. 
3. Add the beans to a large bowl and roughly mash them with a fork or potato masher. Add half of the pumpkin mixture, chicken, and 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese. 
4. Divide the bean and chicken mixture into 8 portions. Spoon each portion into a tortilla, roll it up, and place it into the baking dish, seam side down. Pour the rest of the pumpkin sauce over the rolled up enchiladas. 
5. Bake the enchiladas, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, remove the cover, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. 
6. Spread the top of the enchiladas with pico de gallo and scallions. 
7. Serve with sour cream, lime wedges, and additional salsa. 

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2018/10/chicken-pumpkin-and-bean-enchiladas.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories, adapted from an old Better Homes and Gardens recipe

• No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies from Caroline’s Cooking
• Butter Roasted Pumpkin Seeds from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Vegan Malaysian Red Pumpkin from Sneha’s Recipe
• Pumpkin Saffron Rice from Palatable Pastime
• Roasted Kabocha (Japanese Pumpkin Fries from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Low-Carb Pumpkin Pecan Scones with Cinnamon Glaze from Reviews, Chews & How-Tos
• Chicken, Pumpkin & Bean Enchiladas from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Apple Pumpkin Bundt Cake (Vegan) from Veggie Fun Kitchen
• Coconut Curry Roast Pumpkins from Food Lust People Love
• DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte with Almond Milk from Hardly a Goddess
• 15 Minute Ravioli with Pumpkin Cream Sauce from Faith, Hope, Love & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

Foodie Extravaganza is a monthly food fest, where a group of bloggers all create and share a recipe around one of the monthly food "holidays." Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you!