Published: · Modified: by Nicole Addison · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments
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Delicious weeknight dinners have never been easier with my one pan lazy enchilada skillet. Satisfying, healthy and flavorful, it's a recipe the whole family will approve.
If you've been keeping up with me on Instagram, you would have seen me post about my trip to Mexico a couple of months ago. After trying so much amazing authentic Mexican food, I was inspired to recreate some of my favourite meals at home.
Besides shrimp tacos, my family and I got super into enchiladas. In Mexico, the enchiladas are infused with such a unique smokiness and subtle spice that pairs so well with the cheesiness and fresh ingredients. It's so delicious, and I highly recommend trying traditional cuisine if you're ever visiting.
My lazy enchiladas are inspired by all the amazing enchiladas I ate on my trip. Traditional enchiladas usually involve tortillas stuffed with meats, cheeses and veggies, however I wanted to make an easy one pan version that I could whip up in under 30 minutes. This recipe is by no means authentic, as I use many different techniques and untraditional ingredients. But in my opinion, it still captures those enchilada-inspired flavors and makes for a cozy meal.
For those of you looking for an authentic enchilada recipe, try out this one!
Why This Dietitian Loves This Recipe
This is why I love my lazy enchiladas and why you need to make it too:
- Balanced with protein, healthy fats and fibre. Most weeknights it can get tiring trying to plan a balanced meal, so it comes in handy to have all the food groups already built into a recipe. We've got protein from the ground chicken, fats from the cheese and avocado, and lots of fiber from our veggies and tortillas.
- Made in one pan. Weeknight friendly meals = less dishwashing.
- High in vitamin A. Vitamin A is an antioxidant that supports eye health, cell growth, and our immune system. This recipe contains foods rich in vitamin A like bell peppers, zucchini and cheese.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Yellow onion
- Ground chicken
- Ground cumin
- Chili powder
- Paprika
- Salt and pepper
- Zucchini
- Bell peppers
- Whole wheat tortillas
- Enchilada sauce
- Cheddar cheese
For serving:
- Avocado
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Green onions
- Chili flakes
Instructions
In a large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add garlic and onions. Cook until fragrant.
After 5 minutes, add ground chicken and cook, stirring often until no longer pink in colour.
Once cooked, add spices, zucchini and bell peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
Cut tortillas into strips and add directly into the skillet. Top with enchilada sauce and half of the shredded cheese, stir and bring to a low boil. Once simmering, add the lid and reduce the heat to low. Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, top with the remaining cheese and place in the oven to broil at 500F for about 5 minutes (or until cheese is golden)*.
To serve, top with avocado, plain Green yogurt, chili flakes and green onion.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: Use a gluten-free tortilla (e.g. corn tortilla) and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
To make vegan: Swap the ground chicken for a vegan ground "meat" substitute or even use cooked lentils. Use dairy-free cheese.
To make dairy-free: Use a dairy-free cheese.
To make nut-free: This recipe is naturally nut-free, however ensure all ingredients are nut-free.
Missing an ingredient? Try these:
- Greek yogurt: Swap for sour cream.
- Ground chicken: Use ground meat of choice like beef or turkey.
- Enchilada sauce: I use a store-bought sauce for convenience, however you can make your own. If you have salsa or taco sauce, this also works although it may slightly change the flavor profile.
Equipment
- Oven safe skillet
Storage
Once cooked, my lazy enchiladas will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Top Tip
Use a large skillet for best results. This ensures everything can fit in one dish and avoids transfer to another dish before broiling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which enchilada sauce do you prefer?
Honestly, use whatever you like. I recommend the Old El Paso sauce for families, as it's milder in spice. The Whole Foods 360 brand is a good organic option, and if you're on a budget try the La Victoria sauce.
Is this a full meal on its own?
Yes, it definitely can be! We've got protein, veggies and fibre. If you are looking to round out this lazy enchilada with even more veg action, pair it with broccoli, cauliflower, or another veggie of choice!
Can I leave out the tortillas and just use this as a burrito filling?
Yes, that's another creative way to enjoy this recipe. Less of a lazy/deconstructed enchilada, but still delicious.
How do you pick a tortilla brand?
I usually pick whatever whole wheat options are on sale at the grocery store. I'm not picky about brands, but try to choose on that has at least 5g of fibre per tortilla.
More Weeknight Recipes
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Thistofu satay stir fryis the easiest clean-out-the-fridge meal that will quickly become a weeknight hit!
Check out this recipe
One Pan Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
This one pancreamy lemon chicken pastais the easy meal you've been looking for. It's made using healthy vegetables, is packed with flavourful herbs and topped with melted cheese. Plus it's ready in under 45 minutes!
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The perfect weeknight meal. Nourishing, plant-based, packed with nutrients and SO yummy. This easyveggie Italian ratatouillerecipe is one of those meals that hits the spot JUST RIGHT.
Check out this recipe
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make these lazy enchiladas, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me onInstagram- @nourishedbynicor leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
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5 from 10 votes
One Pan Lazy Enchilada Skillet
Delicious weeknight dinners have never been easier with my one pan lazy enchilada skillet. Satisfying, healthy and flavorful, it's a recipe the whole family will approve.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: 30 minute meals, one pan
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 cup yellow onion diced, about ½ of 1 medium onion
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 cups zucchini diced, about 2 small zucchinis
- 1.5 cups bell peppers diced, about 1 bell pepper
- 2 whole wheat tortillas 10 inch
- 2 cups red enchilada sauce 500 ml
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded, divided
For topping:
- 1 avocado diced
- Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Green onions diced
- Chili flakes
Instructions
In a large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add garlic and onions. Cook until fragrant.
After 5 minutes, add ground chicken and cook, stirring often until no longer pink in colour.
Once cooked, add spices, zucchini and bell peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
Cut tortillas into strips and add directly into the skillet. Top with enchilada sauce and half of the shredded cheese, stir and bring to a low boil. Once simmering, add the lid and reduce the heat to low. Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, top with the remaining cheese and place in the oven to broil at 500F for about 5 minutes (or until cheese is golden)*.
To serve, top with avocado, plain Green yogurt, chili flakes and green onion.
Notes
*If you do not have an oven safe skillet, feel free to just mix in the remaining cheese of transfer to an oven safe casserole dish prior to broiling.
*I have included an estimation of the nutrition information for this recipe below. However, always remember a recipe is so much more than just nutritional content and these numbers do not need to dictate your food choices. Please don't forget that both your body and soul need nourishment! The owner of this website is not liable for this estimation.
Nutrition
Calories: 585kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 1460mg | Potassium: 1299mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 3368IU | Vitamin C: 99mg | Calcium: 287mg | Iron: 4mg
Did you know....rating and sharing recipes is one of the best ways you can support your favourite food bloggers? If you make this recipe, I would love if you clicked the stars below to leave a rating and/or sharing a photo on social media by tagging @nourishedbynic or using the hashtag #nourishedbynic!
More Healthy-ish Lunch and Dinner Recipes
- Spicy Feta Chicken Burgers
- Loaded BBQ Chicken Flatbread
- Fresh Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa
- Baked Feta and Sausage Couscous
Reader Interactions
Comments
Brandon Pilon
This one I need to try!! Looks so easy to make!Reply
Kerri
Great recipe! Made it tonight and everyone loved it, from my Dad to my 10 month old. Thanks for an easy & delicious one for the busy days!Reply
Nicole Addison
Hi Kerri,
Thank you so much for the comment!! I’m so happy everyone enjoyed this one!
Nicole
Reply
Gina
Awesome for a weeknight meal. Only thing that might take a while for a newbie like me is chopping the veggies, but minimal! I like how the few ingredients come together to make a filling meal. Will definitely keep it in rotation.Reply
Diane
Loved this recipe! My husband doesn't like many vegetables but he agreed to try it and even he liked this dish. I appreciate one pan dinners, and this was delicious!Reply
Emily
Love this recipe! I make it pretty much once a week.Reply
Brittney
Absolutely my new favorite recipe! So easy with little mess and we always have enough for leftovers!Reply
Sam
This will now be a weekly meal for us! So good!!Reply
Madeline
This recipe worked well for my family of 6! I used ground beef and served the tortillas on the side. Went well with avocado and yogurt, and I even had some with eggs for breakfast the next day. Thank you for sharing!Reply
Eliza
Made this for a group of people and they all loved it! Easy crowd pleaser and even easier to throw together! A perfect weeknight staple.Reply
Karyn
Another winning dish! So quick and delicious! Got the enchilada sauce from a nearby Latin market and it was a little short of 500ml so topped it up with some leftover Rao's tomato sauce I had on hand. Will definitely make again!Reply
Erin
Made this for dinner tonight, and it was so, so good. Weirdly, I don't love straight up enchiladas, but I could eat casseroles like this all day. Quick, filling, and I know the leftovers will reheat beautifully.
Reply
