Name: Creamy Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 15 ounces pure pumpkin puree (can, (we like Libby's)); 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander; 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 cup chicken broth (or water, plus additional as needed); 1 cup Greek yogurt; 1 sweet potato (medium, cut into 1/2 inch cubes); 2 cups boneless and skinless chicken breasts (cooked and shredded); 4 ounces diced green chilies (can); 1 1/2 cups Mexican style cheese (shredded, reduced-fat); 8 corn tortillas (8 inch); 1/4 cup cilantro (finely chopped)

Pumpkin isn't just for lattes: These pumpkin enchiladas are amazing!

If you’re only using pumpkin to make copycat Pumpkin Spice Lattes or pumpkin pies and cakes, then you’re seriously missing out. Those things are amazing, don’t get me wrong, but these Creamy Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas will absolutely blow your mind. If you’ve never had pumpkin outside of sweet drinks and desserts, you might be surprised to find out that this winter squash is not actually sweet!

The first time I ate plain pumpkin, I was blown away. I really expected it to taste super sweet (like a sweet potato). As it turns out, it’s only slightly sweet, with a mild flavor that’s similar to butternut squash or acorn squash. That means you can use pumpkin for savory dishes, like this Creamy Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas recipe.

There’s something seriously fantastic about the combination of these ingredients. The chicken gets a boost of flavor from the homemade, creamy pumpkin enchilada sauce, and the sweet potatoes bring some sweetness to the dish. And, because no enchilada recipe is complete without some spice, we added diced green chiles to kick things up a notch. You end up with flavorful chicken wrapped up in corn tortillas and smothered in a slightly-spicy, slightly-smoky sauce. Say no more!

Choose Your Pumpkin Puree Wisely

First of all, make sure you pick up a can of 100 percent pumpkin puree. You definitely don’t want a pumpkin-spiced puree, otherwise your enchiladas might taste a little funny! In addition to adding spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice, cans of pumpkin pie puree also have a ton of added sugar. Since our enchilada sauce isn’t supposed to be sweet, you don’t need any of those extra calories!

Once you’ve found your can of real pumpkin puree, take a peek at the ingredients list. The only thing that should be listed there is pumpkin. If there’s anything else on that list at all, put down the can and look for something else. It’s definitely a bonus if the pumpkin used is organic, too, because organic foods have less toxins than conventional foods.

If you’re looking for the best brand of canned pumpkin for your Creamy Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas, Cook’s Illustrated did a taste test a few years back. Libby’s 100% Pure Organic Pumpkin was the clear winner because of its smooth consistency and prominent pumpkin flavor. Since it has clean ingredients and it’s made from organic pumpkins, it gets our seal of approval!

What’s With The Cinnamon?

You might notice we snuck in a secret ingredient in these Creamy Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas: cinnamon. Even though cinnamon is mostly used in sweet recipes like cakes, pies, and muffins, it’s actually a traditional Mexican ingredient. Adding a pinch of cinnamon to this dish isn’t enough to make it taste sweet, but it’s just enough to deepen the flavors of the other spices.

Now that you know our secret, you can start adding a pinch of cinnamon to your favorite Mexican recipes. Your friends and family will wonder how you coaxed so much flavor out of your food! You can tell them your secret, or you can keep it to yourself–we won’t judge.

4.72 from 7 votes