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Home » Comfort Food » Pumpkin Enchiladas

Published: October 6, 2015 Last Modified: August 30, 2018 By Sara 11 Comments

Pumpkin Enchiladas

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Pumpkin isn't just for dessert! These chicken enchiladas are made with a velvety pumpkin sauce that's totally savory and an unexpected way to elevate enchiladas into a dish fit for company. #ChooseSmart Ad

These pumpkin enchiladas are flour tortillas stuffed with chicken and coated in a savory sauce. The velvety pumpkin sauce is very unique and elevates the enchiladas into a fancy meal without any extra effort!

You probably didn’t know that you can use a can of pumpkin puree to make an amazing delicious homemade enchilada sauce! This dish always gets rave reviews.

Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce Recipe | Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas | Pumpkin Sauce | Chicken Enchiladas | Best Chicken Enchiladas

Pumpkin isn't just for dessert! These chicken enchiladas are made with a velvety pumpkin sauce that's totally savory and an unexpected way to elevate enchiladas into a dish fit for company.

Every Sunday night my extended family gathers for dinner – the adults chat while the kids play hard and everyone starts off the new week on the right foot. My mom and I take turns planning the menus for the meals; we are feeding a wide variety of palates so it’s not always easy to come up with something that will appeal to everyone! Over the years we’ve created a number of dinners that the family will happily eat and this recipe for pumpkin enchiladas is one of our favorites.

Pumpkin isn't just for dessert! These chicken enchiladas are made with a velvety pumpkin sauce that's totally savory and an unexpected way to elevate enchiladas into a dish fit for company. #ChooseSmart Ad

How do you make pumpkin enchiladas?

This time of the year there are so many tempting pumpkin treats out there. I’m definitely doing my part to spread the pumpkin love and don’t worry, I’ve got more to come! That being said, the savory side of pumpkin often gets overlooked. While pumpkin does have some naturally sweet undertones, when you pair it with decidedly savory flavors like chili powder and garlic it turns into a totally different experience.

Many enchilada sauces are made with tomatoes or dried chiles which are flavorful, but don’t provide much in the way of texture – if anything most enchilada sauces are on the watery side. This enchilada sauce uses pumpkin puree as a base which creates a smooth, velvety and creamy sauce – you may never want to make regular old enchiladas again!

Pumpkin isn't just for dessert! These chicken enchiladas are made with a velvety pumpkin sauce that's totally savory and an unexpected way to elevate enchiladas into a dish fit for company.

Let’s talk about the recipe – the first step is to make the pumpkin sauce. The sauce is essentially pumpkin puree that’s heavily seasoned and blended with water to get to just the right consistency. After the sauce is made it’s time to roll some enchiladas!

You can use your choice of tortillas – I prefer flour but I’ve made this before with corn tortillas and that also works just fine. The tortillas are stuffed with shredded chicken and cheese and laid in the pan. The pumpkin sauce goes over the top with some cheese and the whole thing gets baked until the cheese has melted and the enchiladas are warmed through.

Pumpkin isn't just for dessert! These chicken enchiladas are made with a velvety pumpkin sauce that's totally savory and an unexpected way to elevate enchiladas into a dish fit for company.

I added some sliced olives, chopped tomatoes and cilantro on top for a fresh flavor to complement the richness of the sauce. These enchiladas are great as is or for a complete meal make up some mexican rice and cantina beans. I’ve written this recipe to serve 4 people, but it can easily be doubled or tripled for a crowd. You can also make a big batch and freeze some for another day – the enchiladas should be frozen separately from the sauce for best results.

Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

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Pumpkin isn't just for dessert! These chicken enchiladas are made with a velvety pumpkin sauce that's totally savory and an unexpected way to elevate enchiladas into a dish fit for company. #ChooseSmart Ad
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5 from 2 votes

Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

These pumpkin enchiladas are flour tortillas stuffed with chicken and coated in a savory sauce. The velvety pumpkin sauce is very unique and elevates the enchiladas into a fancy meal without any extra effort!
Course Main
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 595kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray
  • 2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
  • 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 tortillas I prefer flour but corn works fine too, 6 inch size
  • 2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 tomato seeded and diced
  • 1/2 cup sliced black olives
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • In a blender, puree pumpkin, chili powder onion powder, garlic powder, seasoned salt and kosher salt with 2 cups of water until smooth.
  • Pour 1 cup of the sauce into the bottom of the baking dish, spread to coat evenly.
  • Lay the tortillas on a work surface. Spoon the chicken onto half of each tortilla, dividing evenly. Sprinkle the tortillas evenly with 1 cup of cheese. Roll up tortillas and place seam side down in the baking dish.
  • Pour remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese cheese. Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Arrange the tomatoes, olives and cilantro on top and serve.

Notes

Freeze It: The sauce and enchiladas can be frozen separately for up to 3 months. To bake, thaw the enchilada sauce and pour it over the frozen enchiladas. Bake according to recipe directions and add an additional 5-7 minutes to the cook time.

Nutrition

Calories: 595kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 2134mg | Potassium: 674mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 18130IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 542mg | Iron: 4.8mg
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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ChooseSmart #CollectiveBias

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Filed Under: Comfort Food, Dinner, Everyday Meals

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    Comments

    1. Lisa says

      November 10, 2021 at 5:45 pm

      5 stars
      What an amazing flavor in this dish! We really enjoyed this recipe! Thanks

      Reply
    2. Sandra says

      July 8, 2018 at 3:17 pm

      5 stars
      These enchiladas are fun and TASTY ! The pumpkin sauce is creamy and good.

      Reply
    3. Steph @ Steph in Thyme says

      October 8, 2015 at 7:47 pm

      I am so curious about that pumpkin enchiladas sauce! Mmmm.

      Reply
    4. Maryanne @ the little epicurean says

      October 7, 2015 at 11:42 am

      I’ve been meaning to try Instacart! My mom used to make chicken enchiladas when I was kid. It’s definitely a family favorite. Love the addition of pumpkin… perfect for fall! 🙂

      Reply
    5. Tonia from TheGunnySack says

      October 7, 2015 at 7:47 am

      We love enchiladas! What a great idea to use pumpkin in the sauce!

      Reply
    6. Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama says

      October 7, 2015 at 5:46 am

      I just love this fall twist on chicken enchiladas! 🙂 That pumpkin sauce sounds delicious.

      Reply
    7. Paula - bell'alimento says

      October 6, 2015 at 5:19 pm

      I love seeing pumpkin in savory dishes. Looks so tasty.

      Reply
    8. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      October 6, 2015 at 2:28 pm

      Yes, please! Enchiladas are *always* welcome on my dinner table and yours look fabulous!

      Reply
    9. Carolyn West says

      October 6, 2015 at 9:36 am

      What a great twist on a traditional enchilada recipe. Would never have thought to add pumpkin flavors to Mexican. Perfect for a fall meal. #client

      Reply
    10. heather @french press says

      October 6, 2015 at 7:55 am

      enchiladas are a favorite in my house, and I cannot wait to try them with pumpkin. what a delicious dish

      Reply
    11. Kacey @ The Cookie Writer says

      October 6, 2015 at 6:20 am

      What?! This is awesome and really creative! I LOVE enchiladas and bet that pumpkin sauce adds a nice, deep flavour.

      Reply

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