CABBAGE WRAPPED CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
When I was really crunching down on my diet for the wedding, I cut carbs. I cut carbs real good. Obviously a wedding diet can be unsustainable and a bit cray-cray, but now I just try to cut carbs here and
there. These Cabbage Wrapped Enchiladas were on the menu at last once a week leading up to the big day.
This cabbage enchilada recipe definitely made the cut for pre-wedding and is still on the team post-wedding. It is that tasty! You honestly don’t even miss the tortilla! Everything in moderation right? But don’t expect for one second I was about to deprive you of all the goodness in these enchiladas. There is some melty-cheesy action going on as well!
This 5-ingredient dinner recipe uses two genius hacks to make dinner healthy and get it on the table in under an hour. First, swap in cabbage leaves for tortillas to cut the carbs and get an extra serving of vegetables. Second, use prepared ingredients—spicy refried beans and enchilada sauce—to add tons of flavor without a long ingredient list.
First off, we’re getting rid of the corn tortillas all together and using cabbage leaves instead. It’s a wonderful way to get more cabbage in your diet and they’re a great substitute for tortillas. The cabbage leaves are sturdy enough to hold all the filling, but also pliable enough to roll and bend without ripping or tearing.
To get them ready for filling and rolling, simply cut off the stem of a large head of cabbage and carefully remove the leaves one by one so as not to tear them in the process. Give the leaves a little rinse to remove any dirt and blanch them in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute, until the leaves have softened and are pliable. To stop the cooking process, place the leaves in ice water immediately after blanching for 20 seconds and then place on a paper towel to drain and dry.
Once the cabbage leaves are blanched and ready, it’s time to fill them just like regular enchiladas.
INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
TO PREPARE THE CABBAGE ROLLS
TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN FILLING
TO ASSEMBLE THE ENCHILADAS
there. These Cabbage Wrapped Enchiladas were on the menu at last once a week leading up to the big day.
This cabbage enchilada recipe definitely made the cut for pre-wedding and is still on the team post-wedding. It is that tasty! You honestly don’t even miss the tortilla! Everything in moderation right? But don’t expect for one second I was about to deprive you of all the goodness in these enchiladas. There is some melty-cheesy action going on as well!
This 5-ingredient dinner recipe uses two genius hacks to make dinner healthy and get it on the table in under an hour. First, swap in cabbage leaves for tortillas to cut the carbs and get an extra serving of vegetables. Second, use prepared ingredients—spicy refried beans and enchilada sauce—to add tons of flavor without a long ingredient list.
First off, we’re getting rid of the corn tortillas all together and using cabbage leaves instead. It’s a wonderful way to get more cabbage in your diet and they’re a great substitute for tortillas. The cabbage leaves are sturdy enough to hold all the filling, but also pliable enough to roll and bend without ripping or tearing.
To get them ready for filling and rolling, simply cut off the stem of a large head of cabbage and carefully remove the leaves one by one so as not to tear them in the process. Give the leaves a little rinse to remove any dirt and blanch them in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute, until the leaves have softened and are pliable. To stop the cooking process, place the leaves in ice water immediately after blanching for 20 seconds and then place on a paper towel to drain and dry.
Once the cabbage leaves are blanched and ready, it’s time to fill them just like regular enchiladas.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large head of cabbage
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely diced white onion, about 1/4 large white onion
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into small bite sized pieces (or pre-cooked shredded chicken)
- 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
- 1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 batch red enchilada sauce (or 2 cups store-bought enchilada sauce)
- optional toppings: chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, avocados
INSTRUCTIONS
TO PREPARE THE CABBAGE ROLLS
- Fill a large pot with hot water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. While water is coming to a boil, remove 10-12 whole cabbage leaves from a raw head of cabbage and rinse under cold water. Place 1-2 cabbage leaves in the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Remove from boiling water and transfer to a large bowl full of ice water. Remove from ice water after 30 seconds or when cool enough to handle. Continue until all the cabbage leaves have been blanched.
TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN FILLING
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add diced chicken, green chiles, onion powder, garlic powder, ancho chili powder, cumin and salt. Saute for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
TO ASSEMBLE THE ENCHILADAS
- Lay out the blanched cabbage leaves and spread some of the chicken mixture in the middle. Top with 2 tablespoons of cheese, roll them up, fold in the edges and place seam down in a large baking dish. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Pour the enchilada sauce on top of the enchiladas and bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Garnish with cilantro, diced tomatoes and avocados if desired. Remove from oven and serve immediately.