Name: Chicken Enchiladas
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 80 min
Ingredients: 4 Lb whole chicken or 3 large chicken breast; 1/2 yellow onion; 2 garlic clove; 6 cups water; 1 Tbsp salt +more to taste; 1 Tbsp oil; 5 dried guajillo chiles; 2 dried ancho chiles; 1-2 dried chile de arbol (optional); 2 ripe tomatoes; 1 yellow onion; 2 garlic; 3 cups chicken broth; 1/2 tsp cumin; 1/4 tsp pepper; 1 tsp salt (+more to taste); 1 canola or vegetable oil; 18-20 corn tortillas; 6 oz Colby Jack cheese

Enchiladas are in my top 5 favorite Mexican dishes ever! These Enchiladas are made with my authentic red chile sauce(chile rojo), shredded chicken, and Colby jack cheese. This a highly requested meal in my family, and for good reason! keep reading for all my tips and alternative ways to serve these delicious enchiladas.

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Ingredients

For The Chicken

chicken breast: I use large chicken breast or about 1.5 lbs. Leg quarters are also a good option if you prefer dark meat.
yellow onion: Adds flavor to the chicken and broth. I like yellow, but white onion is good too.
garlic clove: Use 2 large fresh garlic cloves, slightly cracked so they release flavor.
water: Enough to cover the chicken. Adjust according to your pot size, mine takes 6 cups.
salt: I salt the broth, but the chicken doesn’t always pick up the salt so I suggest doing a taste test and then adding a little more salt to the chicken once it is shredded(if needed).

Red Enchilada Sauce

oil: Use any oil you like, but neutral oils such as canola, vegetable, or avocado work best for the sauce.
dried guajillo chiles: These are the dried form of mirasol chiles and give off a fruity, smokey, and a bit spicy flavor.
dried ancho chiles: The dried form of poblano peppers. They have a mild sweet earthy flavor.
dried chile de arbol: Ok, this one is just spicy😆, use with caution. I only use one, but if you love spicy then use 2.
ripe tomatoes: Large bright red tomatoes will give you the best results.
yellow onion: My onion was small, but if you have a large onion, just use half. You’ll need about 4 oz or ½ cup.
garlic: I highly recommend fresh garlic for this, no garlic powder or pre-minced, as it could alter the flavor.
chicken broth: From the cooked chicken.
cumin: ½ tsp for powdered, or ¼ tsp if using whole cumin seeds.
pepper: Flavor
salt: Salt crystals vary. If using something other than kosher salt, adjust to taste.

Assembly

canola or vegetable oil: for frying the tortillas.
corn tortillas: White corn tortillas work best for this recipe.
Colby Jack cheese: This cheese is not traditionally used for enchiladas, but it’s what my kids like. You can use whatever melting cheese you like, but try to avoid the pre-shredded stuff because it won’t melt as well.

How to Make Enchiladas

Before I get to the steps, I do want to warn you that this traditional way of making enchiladas is very time-consuming and a lot of work. If you don’t have the time, I suggest doing some or all of the prep work a day in advance. My kids request these over and over, but since it is a big task to prepare, I only make them a few times a year and on special occasions. When it’s all said and done, it is so worth it! They’re delish!

Cook the Chicken

Place three large chicken breasts in a stew pot with enough water to cover the chicken( about 6 cups of water), onion, garlic, and 1 Tbsp kosher salt. place it over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Reduce the flame to low and cook for 20-30 minutes or until done. While the chicken is cooking, make the enchilada sauce.

How To Make Red Enchilada Sauce

I use three types of chiles in this sauce: ancho, guajillo, and chile de arbol (for heat). If you want mild enchiladas, don’t use the chile de arbol. To enhance the chile flavor you want to toast the chiles slightly. Be careful doing this step because If the chiles get scorched your sauce will have a bitter flavor. If this happens, just add ½ tbsp of brown sugar to your sauce. This step is optional, but it gives your sauce a good depth of flavor.

Place the dried chiles on a comal(griddle) and roast on each side for 1 min, turning over various times to avoid burning them. Transfer to a plate to cool. Once cool to the touch, remove the stems and cut them open to remove the seeds.

Give them a quick rinse then place them into a saucepan and cover them in water. Place the saucepan over medium heat and allow the water to boil, then turn it off. Cover and let the chiles soak in the water.

Place a saucepan over low heat.

Dice up 1 onion, 2 tomatoes and rough chop the garlic. Add oil to the pan and allow it to heat through, then add the chopped onion and saute for 1 minute. Add the tomato and garlic. Cook for another minute, then add the cumin, salt, and black pepper. Mix well and let the spices heat through and become fragrant. Then add 1 cup of chicken broth. Mix well and remove from the heat.

Take chiles out of the water and transfer them to a blender along with the tomato mixture and 1 cup of chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Place a fine mesh strainer over the saucepan and pour in the chile sauce. Use another cup of chicken broth to wash out the blender and pour it into the saucepan as well. Use a spoon to push all the liquid through the strainer. Discard the solid bits.

Cook the chile sauce over medium-low heat for about 5-8 minutes. This will reduce the sauce, thicken it, and further enhance the flavor. This is also a good time to taste-test the sauce for salt. Add salt if necessary.

Assemble and Bake

While the sauce cooks, place a skillet over medium heat and add about 2 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, add one tortilla at a time and cook for a few seconds on each side. Remove from the oil and transfer to a plate or casserole dish. Repeat this step with the remaining tortillas, adding more oil to the skillet when necessary. Set the oven to 350°

Take one tortilla at a time, and dip it into the chile sauce, and place it into a casserole dish. Add some chicken( about a spoonful) then roll it up into a taquito. Arrange the enchilada and repeat with the remaining tortillas, sauce, and chicken.

Poor remaining sauce over enchiladas. Sprinkle with shredded colby jack cheese, or other melting cheese. Place into a 350° oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve with toppings of choice. Enjoy!

How to Serve Chicken Enchiladas

I like to serve these enchiladas with a side of Mexican rice and sauteed zucchini or nopal salad(cactus salad). I usually make a pitcher of Strawberry agua fresca if the season is right for it. Beans, corn, roasted veggies, or Mexican salad are also good sides for this dish.

If you want to serve these enchiladas the more traditional way, you can just dip the tortilla into the sauce and transfer it to a plate. Add chicken and fold over like a taco. Make 2 more on the plate (3 total), then pour a little more sauce over the enchiladas. Top with crumbled queso fresco, shredded lettuce, and diced onions. Serve immediately.

Topping choices for these enchiladas include:

Sour cream
Shredded lettuce or chopped cabbage
Chopped onion
Cilantro
Sliced radish
Red or green salsa
Pickled jalapeño slices
Avacado slices

I hope you give this enchilada recipe a try and let me know how it turns out for you in the comment section below, until the next one!

Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave your thoughts in the comment section below. Snap a picture of the recipe you made and tag me @mariasblisscorner with the hashtag #mariasblisscorner. Thank you!