Enchiladas Rojas
Corn tortillas rolled around chicken and drowned in silky red chile sauce, baked until bubbly. Pure comfort, Mexican style.
Peek at the ingredients
Ingredients 9 ingredients
- 12 corn tortillas
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie works great)
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese, divided
- 1 white onion, half diced and half sliced into rings
- For the sauce: 6 dried guajillo chiles (stems and seeds removed), 2 dried ancho chiles (stems and seeds removed), 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano, 1/2 tsp cumin, 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil, for frying tortillas
- Mexican crema, for serving
- Chopped cilantro, for serving
- Salt
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Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 375F. Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for about a minute per side until fragrant and slightly darkened. Do not let them burn or the sauce turns bitter.
- 2
Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 20 minutes until soft. Drain and blend with the garlic, oregano, cumin, chicken stock, and a teaspoon of salt until completely smooth.
- 3
Pour the blended sauce through a fine strainer into a saucepan, pressing to get every bit through. Simmer 10 minutes until slightly thickened and deep red. Taste and adjust salt.
- 4
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry each tortilla for about 10 seconds per side, just until pliable. Drain on paper towels. This keeps them from falling apart under the sauce.
- 5
Spread a thin layer of sauce in a 9x13 baking dish. Fill each tortilla with chicken, diced onion, and a sprinkle of cheese. Roll snugly and place seam side down.
- 6
Pour the remaining sauce over the top, making sure every tortilla is covered. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- 7
Bake 20 minutes until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the cheese melts. Rest 5 minutes, then serve with crema, sliced onion rings, and cilantro.
