Lightened-Up Chicken Enchiladas

I do not claim to be an amazing chef, but I believe I've created some healthy alternatives to some favorite dishes over the years. I've always loved to eat, but was hit with the harsh reality in college that I cannot eat whatever I want. My roommates and I decided to try to take some of our favorite recipes and tweak them to make them a little healthier.  Some were a major fail (chocolate chip cookies sans butter and sugar...gross!), but others turned out just as good, if not better than the original. I will be sharing some of those recipes each week.

One thing you'll quickly learn about my cooking is that I use whatever I have in my pantry or refrigerator. I personally enjoy this because each time I make a dish, it's always a little different depending on what I have. Yesterday, I made some chicken enchiladas filled with sauteed squash, zucchini, green bell pepper, corn, tomatoes and vegetarian refried beans.

The ingredients, minus the chicken. No one wants to see raw chicken.

The first step is to marinate the cubed chicken pieces in a little olive oil, salt, pepper and lime juice. Next, brown the chicken and add the vegetables in to cook. At this time, I usually put the beans on the stove with a little cheese and enchilada sauce. Once everything is cooked, I spoon the mixtures into corn tortillas. Roll them and place them into a baking dish. Top the filled tortillas with enchilada sauce (I use a can of green and red sauce) and some cheese.

Before they were cooked. Looking delicious already.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes and then broil on high for a few minutes until the top is slightly crispy.

Almost ready...

Garnish with some cilantro, jalapenos, pico de gallo and lime juice. Enjoy 1-2 enchiladas with a crisp salad and zero guilt.

Stop drooling and go make some. You're welcome.

*I also made some homemade tortilla chips. Cut a few corn tortillas into triangles. Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Broil on high until chips are slightly browned and crispy. Better, cheaper and healthier than any bag of chips you'll find at the grocery store.

The fresh sea salt is the key ingredient.

A quick shout out to the birthday boy, Walter.  He turned 1 yesterday. He claimed it was his best birthday yet!

Walter enjoyed a little bite of chicken.