Easy Chicken Enchiladas: Add a Bit of Spice Back in Your Life!

• 1 ½ cups of shredded chicken
• 2 cups of enchilada sauce (your choice)
• 8 tortillas
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• 2 ½ cups of mixed shredded cheese
• Optional toppings: Diced onions, chopped cilantro, lettuce, cheese, sour cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
2. Combine ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, shredded chicken, and a bit of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add more salt and pepper as needed.
3. For corn tortillas, cover the tortillas in a damp towel. Heat in the microwave for one minute, flipping halfway through. For flour tortillas, microwave them for one minute, flipping part-way through.
4. Fill each tortilla with the chicken and shredded cheese. Roll each tortilla tightly and place them side-by-side in a large baking dish.
5. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top of the tortillas. Top with shredded cheese, and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven when the cheese is melted and bubbling.
7. Serve and top with the toppings of your choice!

For the enchilada sauce, you can buy it in the grocery store or make your own. These enchiladas will also keep in the fridge for up to four days. Alternatively, you can also freeze them.

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How Do These Yummy Chicken Enchiladas Improve Your Mood?

The magic of these enchiladas all comes down to their high protein and chicken content.

Yes, you read that right! Here’s the thing: A lot of people do not get enough protein each day. However, this meal can help you make your quota while also enhancing your mental well-being. So, how exactly do chicken enchiladas do this? Let’s dig a bit deeper!’

1. Ample Protein Helps Balance Blood Sugar Levels.

Protein can help regulate blood sugar levels by slowing the absorption of carbohydrates. When we only have carbohydrates as a meal, our blood sugar levels often spike and then drastically fall as our body attempts to find balance again. 

Yet, with protein, such as the chicken and cheese in these enchiladas, carbohydrates enter the bloodstream much slower, meaning you don’t experience any spike. So, how does this translate into how you feel? 

Well, our hormones regulate our blood sugar levels.

Insulin helps lower blood sugar levels, and cortisol helps raise blood sugar levels. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone; Thus, we don’t want this hormone to be too high! Hormones also tend to impact one another, so keeping them balanced via blood sugar regulation is key.

In turn, hormones impact our mood. For instance, high cortisol often leads to anxiety and stress. You might feel overwhelmed, frustrated easily, and very irritable or on edge. We’ve all been there! Keeping your blood sugar stable and, consequently, your hormones stable can help you feel better.

2. Cheese Contains Tryptophan, a Precursor for Serotonin.

Don’t be too shy about loading up on the cheese here!

Cheese (especially high-quality cheese with fewer ingredients and less processing) contains the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan contributes to the production of serotonin. In fact, there’s loads of evidence indicating how this amino acid can help reduce depression and anxiety symptoms. 

Cheese, depending on the type (cheddar is relatively high in this nutrient!), also contains Omega-3s, which contribute to improved brain health and function. This can further lead to improved mental well-being, even enhancing memory, learning, and blood flow to the brain.

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3. They Taste Delicious!

Okay, this is definitely a non-scientific point.

But… Good food is one of the simple pleasures of life! The key is to find good food that also packs some nutritional punch, so your body gets what it needs. Enchiladas can offer a mix of comfort along with lots of good stuff for your body and mind. What’s not to love?

You Can Also Make These Ahead of Time!

In other good news… Don’t feel you need to wait until the tiresome workday is long gone to bake these.

As mentioned above, they refrigerate and freeze well, so you can definitely prepare ahead of time, making life that much easier. 

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Credit:LauriPatterson