Hi! Does anyone remember this delicious recipe originally from 2012? I do. They’re one of my favorite enchilada recipes EVER and I’m super excited to bring them back to life with new photos & a video just in time for #AKPumpkinWeek.
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Anyway this recipe has been just waiting for you, begging to be cooked. FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK. I mean, now that it’s October, I feel like I can really break out the fall baking recipes, healthier comfort food, and oh my goodness… all of the delicious treats involving brown butter just scribbled on my chocolate-stained notebook.
Sometimes I just crave comfort; warm; ooey-gooey goodness that would make me sink into a food coma in a very good way. But what was it going to be?
It’s a bit obvious, but I’ll say it anyway: These black bean chicken enchiladas drenched in a PUMPKIN SOUR CREAM SAUCE. Oh hello deliciousness. Honestly, I can’t believe it’s been 6 years since I originally made this recipe! WAY TOO LONG.
Ingredients in pumpkin enchiladas
I can’t even begin to explain how delicious and comforting these savory pumpkin enchiladas are. The enchiladas are both sweet and savory and completely worth the time it takes to put them together. Here’s what you’ll need to make them:
- Olive oil: for cooking down some garlic, onion & jalapeño as part of the enchilada filling.
- Onion & jalapeño: for a little veggie mix. Be sure to de-seed your jalapeño or omit if you’re sensitive to spice.
- Cooked chicken: one of the great parts about this recipe is that you can use already-cooked chicken and throw it right in. Easy!
- Black beans: we’re using a full can of black beans for a delicious boost of protein and fiber.
- Pumpkin puree: because they’re pumpkin enchiladas! You’ll use a full can of pumpkin puree to make the incredible pumpkin sour cream sauce. You can also make your own pumpkin puree with this tutorial.
- Tomato sauce: the tomato sauce combined with the pumpkin puree gives it that sauce-y enchilada flavor.
- Sour cream: for an amazing creaminess in the sauce.
- Chicken broth: you’ll want a bit of low sodium chicken broth or water to thin out the sauce a bit.
- Garlic: gotta have that garlic in the filling and in the sauce.
- Spices: we’re using chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper in the sauce for the perfect enchilada flavor.
- Tortillas: I like to use soft corn tortillas (which also keeps this recipe gluten free) but feel free to use flour tortillas if you’d like.
- Shredded cheese: the layers of melted cheese are seriously irresistible. I like using shredded Mexican or colby jack cheese, but I think a spicy cheese would be delicious.
While I was retesting the recipe the other week, I think I was already drooling by the time I warmed up corn tortillas and stuffed them with some shredded chicken, black bean, cheese, and the pumpkin sour cream sauce. After all these enchiladas combine my two favorite things: pumpkin and hispanic food. YUM.
How to make pumpkin enchilada sauce
Now you might be wondering about this pumpkin sour cream sauce magic, and you should be! It’s a bit sweet, a hint of spice, and all things good in life. It’s basically your favorite homemade enchilada sauce with a delicious fall twist. This is going to be one delicious enchilada journey. To make it:
- Combine pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, sour cream, water/broth, garlic, chili powder, cumin and cayenne in your food processor or blender.
- Puree until smooth! You can also do this in a large bowl.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as-needed. Done!
Tips for preparing enchiladas
- Warm your tortillas in microwave for about 20 seconds so they are easier to roll. You can splash a little water on them before microwaving to make them more pliable.
- Fill them with just about 1/4 cup of the black bean chicken mixture so that they stay together and don’t burst at the seams.
- Remember to place them seam-side down so that the filling stays inside.
- Arrange them tightly next to each other in your pan to help them stay together.
Customize your pumpkin enchiladas
- Add your favorite toppings: I enjoy topping mine with a bit of sour cream and avocado which helps to cool the little bit of heat that these bring.
- Make them vegetarian: If you’re vegetarian, simply leave the chicken out and add another can of black beans.
- Make them dairy free: feel free to use your favorite dairy free sour cream and shredded cheeses.
- Keep them gluten free: just be sure to use corn tortillas instead of flour if you want to keep them gluten free.
Make these black bean chicken enchiladas ahead of time
These healthy black bean chicken enchiladas can be made one day ahead and placed covered in the fridge. Simply bake for 10-15 minutes longer once you are ready to cook them. Easy!
Have leftovers? Warm one up for breakfast and throw a fried egg on top. No regrets.
How to freeze enchiladas
Another thing that’s great is that these can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge (or freezer!) until you are ready to cook them. Everyone LOVES them. I LOVE them. And I know you’ll LOVE them too! To freeze:
- Bake first, then freeze. You can either bake it first, then cool to room temperature, slice into servings, place in freezer safe containers and then freeze. Or you can bake it, bring to room temp, and then freeze the entire pan. Just make sure you double wrap it so the enchiladas do not dry out. This is assuming you are freezing the entire pan. Once ready to reheat, thaw it out. Then bake, covered at 350 degrees F for 30-45 minutes or until heated through.
- Freeze before baking: To freeze before baking, simply assemble the enchiladas as written in the instructions, then double wrap with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Once ready to bake, thaw out then bake according to instructions.
See how to make the pumpkin enchiladas
More pumpkin recipes to try
Vegetarian Spinach Pumpkin Lasagna
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Peanut Butter Chicken Soup
Nourishing Yellow Chickpea Pumpkin Curry with Coconut Brown Rice
The Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls You’ll Ever Eat
I hope you love thee delicious black bean chicken enchiladas with pumpkin sour cream sauce! If you make them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
Spicy Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sour Cream Sauce
Incredible black bean chicken pumpkin enchiladas with a sweet and spicy pumpkin enchilada sauce. These savory pumpkin enchiladas are packed with protein and make the best weeknight dinner. The perfect way to use up extra pumpkin this fall!
Ingredients
- For pumpkin sour cream sauce:
- 1 (15 ounces) can pumpkin puree
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup low fat sour cream
- 1/3 cup water or low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon red cayenne pepper (use less or omit if you don't like spicy things)
- Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
- For filling:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-3 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast
- 1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- 12 soft corn tortillas (you can also use 6 inch flour tortillas)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican or colby jack cheese
Instructions
-
Begin by making the pumpkin sour cream sauce: In your food processor or blender combine pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, sour cream, water/broth, garlic, chili powder, cumin and cayenne; puree until smooth. You can also do this in a large bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and add 3/4 cup of pumpkin sauce to the bottom; use a spatula to spread out evenly. Set pan aside.
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Place shredded chicken in large bowl and add 3/4 cup of the pumpkin-sour cream sauce to it. Set aside.
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Next make the filling: Heat large non-stick pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion, jalapeno and minced garlic and cook 3-5 minutes or until onions begin to soften.
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Remove from heat and transfer into the bowl with the chicken, then add in the black beans and 1 cup of the pumpkin sauce. Stir to coat the filling.
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Next warm tortillas in microwave for about 20 seconds so they are easier to roll. You can splash a little water on them before microwaving to make them more pliable. Then, place about 1/4 cup mixture on each tortilla. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cheese in each tortilla. Roll each tortilla and place seam side down in baking pan. Pour remaining pumpkin sauce on top of all the tortillas and then sprinkle remaining 1 1/4 cup cheese on top.
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Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and edges of tortillas begin to turn golden brown. Top with sour cream, avocado, or cilantro. Makes 6 servings -- about 2 enchiladas each (12 total).
Recipe Notes
If you are having a hard time rolling the corn tortillas, try dipping them in the pumpkin sour cream sauce first before you fill them. It should help to make them easier to roll!
How to bake first, then freeze. You can either bake it first, then cool to room temperature, slice into servings, place in freezer safe containers and then freeze. Or you can bake it, bring to room temp, and then freeze the entire pan. Just make sure you double wrap it so the enchiladas do not dry out. This is assuming you are freezing the entire pan. Once ready to reheat, thaw it out. Then bake, covered at 350 degrees F for 30-45 minutes or until heated through.
How to freeze before baking: To freeze before baking, simply assemble the enchiladas as written in the instructions, then double wrap with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Once ready to bake, thaw out then bake according to instructions.
107 comments
OMG! If it wasn't 104 degrees in So Cal, I would make this tonight. Going to have to wait for cooler weather but can't wait!
May be next year when it cools off.
Pumpkin sour cream sauce?! This sounds amazing.
I want to put it on everything; it’s absurdly good.
Pumpkin sour cream sauce?! This sounds amazing.
I want to put it on everything; it’s absurdly good.
Cant wait to try this!
What time is dinner? Sounds delicious
looks like great recipes!
The pumpkin sauce sounds amazing! Making this today!
Delícia, delícia!
Delícia, delícia!
I’m loving this fun twist on enchiladas for a fall-themed recipe!
Thanks Lori! They’re delicious!
I’m loving this fun twist on enchiladas for a fall-themed recipe!
Thanks Lori! They’re delicious!
I loved that you added the pumpkin twist in the sour cream!
My husband would eat Mexican everynight since we live in Houston. I am certainly going to try these on him.
My husband would eat Mexican everynight since we live in Houston. I am certainly going to try these on him.
My mom taught me that dipping your tortillas in the sauce before stuffing them, kept the tortillas from drying out and cracking. I am making these tonight!
I just made them. Perfectly spiced and delicious! Thanks Monique 🙂
I made these yesterday…not easy with a fussy baby who doesn’t like to be put down, but I managed. I can’t get over how.freaking.good these are…I made double the recipe, and I’m glad I did. We had it for dinner with brown rice last night, lunch and dinner today, and will have them for lunch tomorrow, and I’m already sad thinking about the pan being empty. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I made these yesterday…not easy with a fussy baby who doesn’t like to be put down, but I managed. I can’t get over how.freaking.good these are…I made double the recipe, and I’m glad I did. We had it for dinner with brown rice last night, lunch and dinner today, and will have them for lunch tomorrow, and I’m already sad thinking about the pan being empty. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
OMG! This is so good!
OMG! This is so good!
Loved the black bean & pumpkin enchiladas. One minor flaw, the directions never state to have you pour remaining sauce over & cheese over top before baking. Looks like that step got missed. Obviously figured it out, but might want to change.
Loved the black bean & pumpkin enchiladas. One minor flaw, the directions never state to have you pour remaining sauce over & cheese over top before baking. Looks like that step got missed. Obviously figured it out, but might want to change.
THese were amaaaazing! What a fantastic combination!
Please please please make a cookbook, I will buy ten million of them!
Made these this evening, everyone LOVED them. I must be doing something wrong though, I had enough to make 32!
I have found many recipes worthy of saving to try in the future. This is the first time I have commented e en before trying. Sounds marvelous. I’ll let ou know the results when I make. Thank you for posting!
Omg these are amazing! I made a couple of minor changes. I roasted a pumpkin and used that as my purée. I also used canned tomatoes instead of tomato sauce. I had half a can of corn in the fridge so I added that to the black bean mixture. Then I BBQed the enchiladas! I Kind of burned the bottom cuz it was my first time bbqing but I just cut away the burnt bits and it was still delicious.
Do you know the calorie count?
Okay….if these taste as good as they smell in the oven right now, it's gonna be one great football day tomorrow!!!
I love the pumpkin sour cream sauce… it has to be one of the best I have ever tasted. It would work so for so many dishes, over burritos, etc. Love the enchiladas.
I love the pumpkin sour cream sauce… it has to be one of the best I have ever tasted. It would work so for so many dishes, over burritos, etc. Love the enchiladas.
I’m not sure if I commented on these before, but these are seriously the best enchiladas I have ever made and ever eaten! Sometimes I change up the filling a little, but I can never do without this sauce. It’s AMAZING. I have tried a few other enchilada recipes but this is by far my favourite and for a while I was making it every week. Thank you so much for sharing this marvelous recipe with the world!
Just made these last night and they were wonderful! This is my first savory dish I’ve ever made from Ambitious Kitchen. I’ve made several of the bread/muffins/granola bars/oatmeal recipes, but never an actual savory dinner! My husband, son, and I loved them! As I was filling them, the corn tortillas kept breaking so I ended up frying each of the tortillas in oil for about 5 seconds before filling them, and that made them much more pliable. I’m sure frying them made them more unhealthy, but I don’t care! The flavor of these things were so yummy!! And like others have said, that pumpkin sauce is really great. I omitted the jalenpeno and red pepper flakes because I’m a wimp with spicy food, but i added every other ingredient as written, and this was a great recipe! Will definitely make again!
SO happy you loved them! They’re such a fun flavor combo!
Just made these last night and they were wonderful! This is my first savory dish I’ve ever made from Ambitious Kitchen. I’ve made several of the bread/muffins/granola bars/oatmeal recipes, but never an actual savory dinner! My husband, son, and I loved them! As I was filling them, the corn tortillas kept breaking so I ended up frying each of the tortillas in oil for about 5 seconds before filling them, and that made them much more pliable. I’m sure frying them made them more unhealthy, but I don’t care! The flavor of these things were so yummy!! And like others have said, that pumpkin sauce is really great. I omitted the jalenpeno and red pepper flakes because I’m a wimp with spicy food, but i added every other ingredient as written, and this was a great recipe! Will definitely make again!
Just came across this recipe on pinterst, I have all the ingredients, except I have flour tortillas, not corn, will the work?
Yes, definitely!
What tortilla should I use?
Hi Dawn! I typically use small corn tortillas 🙂
What size flour tortilla did you use?
Would this sauce work on roasted spaghetti squash with leftover chicken? I just made enchiladas, but this sauce looks soooo yummy. Thank you in advance.
Absolutely!
Thanks for the quick response! I made the pumpkin cream sauce (sauteed some onions and garlic first, and also added a bit of white wine, & parm (for those who could have it)) and used it to top the spaghetti squash and leftover green chili chicken. Thumbs up all around! I can’t make to make your enchiladas now!
I am making these now and so can’t wait to dig in! They look so delicious! Only thing I did maybe wrong was win the pumpkin sour cream mixture. I put less than half of it with shredded chicken and then put a thin layer on bottom of pan. When finished rolling tortillas, I realized I had quite a bit of the pumpkin sour cream mixture left. Any suggestions on what I could use the extra for. (maybe add to the recipe directions to pour the remaining pumpkin mix on bottom of pan and/or add more to chicken), because I did think the rest would be added somewhere at the end of directions. 😉 Thank you so much for the recipe!
Hi Dawn! I hope you enjoyed these! Noted on using the rest of the sauce – I’d suggest adding it to the chicken!
Sounds great— making it tonight!
Hope you enjoyed!
Hi Monique – I just stumbled upon your site and all your recipes look amazing. Going to make enchiladas for dinner tonight but I am wondering about the tortillas in all that sauce – don’t they get soggy? I would use flour tortillas as I am not fond of corn.
Hi Paula! I’m glad you found Ambitious Kitchen! Flour tortillas will get a bit softer than corn ones, but baking them in the sauce makes them hold up well!
Thanks Monique – they were delicious!
Hi Monique – I just stumbled upon your site and all your recipes look amazing. Going to make enchiladas for dinner tonight but I am wondering about the tortillas in all that sauce – don’t they get soggy? I would use flour tortillas as I am not fond of corn.
Hi Paula! I’m glad you found Ambitious Kitchen! Flour tortillas will get a bit softer than corn ones, but baking them in the sauce makes them hold up well!
Thanks Monique – they were delicious!
This is just what I am looking for! All the ingredients look tasty and delicious. And thanks for adding the video. It will help me a lot to make the recipe perfectly.
That pumpkin sour cream sauce sounds amazingly delicious!!!
That pumpkin sour cream sauce sounds amazingly delicious!!!
It’s incredible!!
I made these for dinner last night – they were delicious! I don’t eat meat, so I replaced chicken with a lot of spinach and it tasted great. Thanks for another win. I’m going to make your Mom’s lentil loaf this week – I forgot about that one. Please do recipe “reminders” from older posts, I forget about the good ones sometimes!
Perfect! These are great with extra beans, too. So glad you re-discovered my mom’s lentil loaf! More “reminders” to come from some of my famous older ones 🙂
I made these last night and they were SO good! I used vegan sour cream and added chopped spinach to the chicken/ bean mixture. I also barely put any cheese on top (and none inside) and they were still DELICIOUS!
So happy to hear that, Jen!
Monique these were delicious! I made them last night for a friend and they were a huge hit! I added some quinoa to them because I had it on hand and I happened to use this pumpkin chipotle marinara instead of tomato sauce and it worked so well! I also subbed Greek yogurt for the sour cream because it’s what I had. My friends and sisters loved it and I’m definitely going to serve it up before Halloween!
I’m so glad! Your swaps sound perfect, too.
Monique these were delicious! I made them last night for a friend and they were a huge hit! I added some quinoa to them because I had it on hand and I happened to use this pumpkin chipotle marinara instead of tomato sauce and it worked so well! I also subbed Greek yogurt for the sour cream because it’s what I had. My friends and sisters loved it and I’m definitely going to serve it up before Halloween!
I’m so glad! Your swaps sound perfect, too.
Oh boy, these are fantabulous! I used organic canned chicken and about half the spices because we are wimpy over here. I got 16 generously filled enchiladas so I am putting the small pan in the freezer. This would be amazing using leftover turkey!!
Perfect! And YES such a great idea using leftover turkey. Glad you loved these!
Oh boy, these are fantabulous! I used organic canned chicken and about half the spices because we are wimpy over here. I got 16 generously filled enchiladas so I am putting the small pan in the freezer. This would be amazing using leftover turkey!!
Perfect! And YES such a great idea using leftover turkey. Glad you loved these!
Ok you have done it again!!!! This is the second recipe that I have used (turkey tacos was the first). This was amazing!!!! I am a Mexican food lover and this hit every spot. Keep up the good work!!!!
Ok you have done it again!!!! This is the second recipe that I have used (turkey tacos was the first). This was amazing!!!! I am a Mexican food lover and this hit every spot. Keep up the good work!!!!
Amazing! So happy to hear that Lisa 🙂
Just made these and give it five stars. I added ~3/4 Tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder to the sauce to give it a little depth and added extra cayenne to bring out the spice – hot damn, they were great! Hoping to freeze them to enjoy later, but regardless, this will definitely be a regular meal in my house.
Love that idea! I’m all about extra spice. Glad you found this recipe!
Delicioussssss. Used an acorn squash (roasted whole in oven, peeled and seeds removed after cool). Had some heirloom beans to use up and frozen corn. Wish I would have doubled the recipe to freeze one. Next time!
Delicioussssss. Used an acorn squash (roasted whole in oven, peeled and seeds removed after cool). Had some heirloom beans to use up and frozen corn. Wish I would have doubled the recipe to freeze one. Next time!
Perfect!! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
These are AMAZING!!! I have made them time and time again and the directions are spot on and truly never fail me! This is my husbands absolute favorite and constant request! I am making two batches for a big group of friends tomorrow and am trying to figure out if you can fridge them overnight and bake the next day and still taste amazing? Or even just do the pumpkin sauce one day ahead?
Thanks so much for your incredible creations:)!
So glad you love them! And yes, you can throw them in the fridge and bake the next day!
Another fantastic recipe!! I have only made Ambitious Kitchen or Eating Bird Food recipes for months now. Can’t be more in love. Seriously. My boyfriend and I are SO happy to have these leftovers for days to come. I overcooked at 25 minutes in the oven guys, so less than that would have been perfect (I made ten corn tortilla enchiladas instead of twelve!) I also used more cheese than the recipe called for. When stuffing the tortillas… I put them on a plate but scooped a little pumpkin sauce mix and put it on the plate and coated the tortilla first for a SUPER easy roll up (like the recipe suggested). I paired this with homemade Mexican rice and fell asleep happily afterwards. Well worth the long prep time (took me an hour!)
Monique never lets me down. I’m not always a huge pumpkin fan but this was one of the best recipes I’ve made in a long time! I subbed Greek yogurt for sour cream and made it into a layered casserole because I didn’t have patience for rolling enchiladas. Also I slow cooked the onions, jalepenos and chicken together for six hours because it seemed easier and I had all day. I’ll make this again and again and again.
Perfect! Love the idea of an enchilada casserole for this 🙂 So happy you loved it!
I never would have thought about using pumpkin as enchilada sauce, but this turned out absolutely delicious!! Thanks so much for the idea!
So delicious! I’m glad you loved this one 🙂
These were phenomenal! The pumpkin sauce is so well-balanced with the sour cream and spicy cayenne. Made these for friends on a Friday night and they raved about them all night. We ate all of the leftovers with a fried egg on top – yum! I had trouble rolling the corn tortillas. I tried all the tricks mentioned and other things I have tried before, but these tortillas were finnicky. I ended up just layering the tortillas and filling to make an enchilada “casserole.” Delicious nonetheless. Thank you!!
Yum love the idea of an egg on top! Corn tortillas can be tricky – feel free to use flour tortillas next time, too. Glad everyone loved these!
Anyone tried this with ground beef? Any good?
These are my husband and I’s ALL TIME FAVORITES!!! We make them when we KNOW people will be raving about them after 🙂 We are about to have a baby and want to do ‘freezer meals’ and was wondering your suggestion on when to bake these for that? and what other recipes from your blog you recommend? thank you!!!!
Love that!! You can freeze them for up to 3 months, so feel free to assemble, freeze, and cook when you’re ready. I have a section of great, freezer-friendly recipes here too! https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/freezer-friendly-recipes/ Enjoy and congrats!!
The family loved it! I did make a couple of substitutions, though. I used home-canned pork instead of chicken. I also had to sub the tortillas with Roti. (It’s what I had on hand.) It all worked out, fortunately.
I’m glad those swaps worked out well! Great dinner 🙂
Monique never disappoints with delicious, creative recipes, and this recipe is yet another success. I make enchiladas frequently and am so excited to have this new fall twist on an enchilada sauce in rotation. Do yourself a favor and make these immediately!
Absolutely! Perfect way to use up pumpkin this fall 🙂
So good! I made a few substitutions based on what I had in my fridge and pantry and it still turned out great! I used fire roasted diced tomatoes instead of tomato sauce and full fat greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Delicious and will defiantly make again!
Perfect! Glad you loved them!