Tuesday Recipe: Pumpkin, Bean and Chicken Enchiladas

Once again, my skepticism with a pumpkin recipe impacting one of my fave genres of food turns to OH MY GOODNESS! THIS WORKS!

Hubby & I love TexMex! We could eat it 3, 4, 5 times a week! So, when somebody wants to mess with it, we're like, "Naw." But, this is #PunkinChunkin month when I like to try a pumpkin or pumpkin pie spice twist on sweet and savory dishes. Better Homes & Gardens Special Interest Publications issued the PUMPKIN edition for America's pumpkin addiction

After reading several articles online about the ancient Hispanic culture and the pumpkin, I figured the two have made a beautiful life, together. Who was I to think my Mexican food and my orange squash don't work in the same recipe?

I used a blend of the cute little Sugar Pie Pumpkin and the Japanese Kabocha Pumpkin to measure enough cooked pumpkin for this recipe. The Kabocha is a brighter, sweeter flavor -in my opinion- compliments the cumin seasoning, fresh cilantro and soft corn tortillas! It just works!

Pumpkin, Bean & Chicken Enchiladas

2-4 tsp Olive Oil (enough to sauté onion and jalapeño)
1 small Onion, chopped
1-2 Jalapeños, seeded & finely chopped
1 3/4 cups Cooked Pumpkin -OR- 1 (15 oz) can 100% Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/2 cups Water
1-2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp ground Cumin

1 can Black Beans or Kidney Beans, rinsed & drained & smooshed!
2 Chicken Breasts, cooked & shredded -OR- 2 cans of (12.5 oz) Chicken Breast
1/2 cup shredded Cheese (your preferred)
Cilantro, chopped
6-8 Corn Tortillas, softened in microwave 30 seconds between paper towels) I purchased the "Super Soft" White Corn Tortillas at Walmart and bypassed the microwave.

• Heat oven to 400*. Lightly coat square/rectangle baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• In medium skillet, heat onion and sauté onions & jalapeños until tender and onions are opaque.
• Stir in pumpkin and water, chili powder, cumin and heat through. If needed, add enough water (up to 1/4 cup) to your desired consistency. 
• 
  
• While this mixture is heating...Turn beans (already rinsed & drained) into a large bowl and slightly smoosh with the back of a fork.
• Add HALF of the pumpkin mixture, all the chicken and cheese and cilantro. Reserve the other HALF of pumpkin mixture to pour over the tortilla rolls, once assembled.
• 
  
• Assemble tortillas: Onto a soft(ened) tortilla, spoon about 1/3 cup bean, pumpkin & chicken mixture; roll up tortillas and place seam sides down in prepped baking dish. Pour the remaining half of pumpkin mixture over all of the assembled tortillas. COVER DISH with lid or foil.
• 
  
• Bake, covered, 15 minutes. The lid or foil keeps the tortillas and pumpkin mixture
  
  from drying out.
• Sprinkle with additional cheese, if desired, and Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes more or until heated through.
• Serve with extra cilantro, salsa or limes.

Note: I thinned the left-over filling with a little of the pumpkin mixture and poured into an oven-safe dish coated with non-stick spray. Then, topped with the remaining pumpkin mixture and crunched up tortilla chips on top with extra cheese. Made a great TexMex Lunch Bowl for later!

GO PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD! 

I'd love to hear how your enchiladas turned out and what you thought of them or how you changed the recipe to make it your own!