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Chicken Enchilada Casserole with Spiralized Butternut Squash

Amy Lawrence
This Healthy Chicken Enchilada Casserole with Spiralized Butternut Squash is made with a homemade enchilada sauce. It's loaded with lots of healthy vegetables and has a slightly sweet and spicy (but not too spicy) flavor that the whole family will love!
Weight Watchers Points: Blue: 3 Smart Points; Green: 4 Smart Points; Purple: 3 Smart Points per 1 cup
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Mexican/American
Servings 8
Calories 364 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb. of cooked chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces, or use rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breasts shredded for less points
  • 4 dried ancho chiles
  • 2 dried guajillo chiles or do all ancho if you prefer very mild
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce - leave out if you want mild take one out of the chiles in adobo sauce, freeze the rest, see note at bottom of recipe)
  • 1 c. chopped onion 1 large red or white
  • 1 T. cumin
  • 1/4 t. - 1 t. of chipotle powder use the lesser amount if you like it mild
  • 6 oz. can tomato paste
  • spray from olive oil mister
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 t. kosher salt
  • 2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 15 oz can corn (optional), drained
  • 1 small can 4 oz diced green chiles - mild, not drained
  • 4 oz sharp white cheddar shredded
  • 1 large butternut squash - about 4 cups - spiralized

Instructions
 

  • In a dry pan or wok, toast the seeded chiles for a few minutes, be careful not to let them burn. Remove from pan.
  • Place chiles in a bowl, add 2 c. boiling/hot water. Place a bowl or plate on top to keep them submerged for about 20-30 minutes.
  • In the meantime, spray the pan or wok with a bit of oil from your olive oil sprayer. Add onions and saute for a few minutes.
  • Add minced garlic and brown for about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
  • While still waiting on chiles to rehydrate, spiralize the butternut squash.  To do this: first, cut off the bulbous end of a butternut squash. Cut off the top. Microwave remaining squash for 2 minutes. Allow to cool. Peel squash and spiralize. Set aside. For complete instructions on spiralizing squash with pictures, check out this post!
  • Transfer onion/garlic mixture to a food processor. Add 1 chipotle pepper from the adobo sauce, 1 t. salt, cumin, chipotle powder, tomato paste. Add in chiles from the hot water (save the chile water).
  • Process mixture until smooth. Add 3 T. of the reserved water. Process again.
  • In a large bowl, add cooked chicken, enchilada sauce, beans, corn, green chiles. Combine well.
  • Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with olive oil spray.  Add spiralized butternut squash, chicken mixture and top with cheese. Cover with foil.
  • Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes or until hot. Remove foil and allow to sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

Notes

  • I hate wasting food so when I use a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, I take one out and plop the rest on parchment paper and freeze. Then when I need just one, I take it out of the freezer.
  • To learn more about how to spiralize noodles, check out How to Peel and Spiralize Butternut Squash.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 364kcalCarbohydrates: 58.9gProtein: 25gFat: 6.7gSaturated Fat: 1.5gCholesterol: 58.7mgSodium: 578.4mgFiber: 17.2gSugar: 18.6gVitamin A: 423.4IUVitamin C: 42.8mg
Keyword Ancho chiles, enchilada casserole, homemade enchilada sauce
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