Chicken Enchiladas in Red Sauce Recipe
Enchiladas are rolled tortillas baked in sauce – a bit like a Mexican version of oven-baked crêpes. In Mexico they often appear at family dinners because it’s easy to prepare a big tray and everyone can help themselves to a portion. The red sauce made from tomatoes and dried peppers gives a deep, slightly smoky flavour that’s different from the tomato sauces known in Europe.
Chicken enchiladas in red sauce combine the homely comfort of a baked casserole with the intense, slightly smoky flavour of chipotle and smoked paprika. This dish is made for sharing – one big tray in the middle of the table and everyone cuts themselves a portion full of sauce, cheese and juicy chicken. The deep tomato-and-pepper sauce tastes completely different from typical European pasta sauces, so enchiladas bring a breath of authentic Mexico into your kitchen.
Chef's tips
Cook the chicken only until it’s just white inside – if overcooked it will become dry and even the sauce won’t save it; it’s best to check the thickest piece by cutting it with a knife. When blending the sauce, add the stock gradually until you reach the consistency of thick cream – if it’s too thin it will run off the tortillas, and if it’s too thick it will dry them out in the oven. Be sure to warm the tortillas in a pan so they don’t crack when rolling and so they absorb the flavour of the sauce better.
How to serve
Serve the enchiladas straight from the oven with a dollop of sour cream, fresh coriander and lime wedges for squeezing – the acidity beautifully enhances the smoky character of the sauce. Also put a simple red cabbage salad with lime or a mixed salad with corn on the table to add freshness. It’s a great dish for an evening board-game night or a homemade “Mexican dinner” instead of ordering burritos.
Ingredients
- chicken breast skinless, cut into large pieces - 500 g
- corn tortillas medium-sized - 10 pieces
- onion sliced into feathers - 1 piece
- garlic chopped - 3 cloves
- canned tomatoes chopped - 400 g
- smoked dried paprika you can use sweet smoked paprika powder - 1 teaspoon
- chipotle chili in adobo sauce chopped, with a little of the sauce - 1 piece
- chicken stock for cooking the chicken and the sauce - 250 ml
- yellow cheese grated, e.g. cheddar or gouda - 150 g
- vegetable oil for frying - 2 tablespoons
- ground cumin adds a characteristic Mexican aroma - 0.5 teaspoons
- fresh coriander chopped for sprinkling - 10 g
- 18% sour cream for serving - 80 g
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Place the chicken in a pot, cover with stock, season with a pinch of salt and simmer over low heat for 15–20 minutes, until the meat is completely white inside. Remove, let cool slightly and shred into fibres with two forks.
- Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and fry for 4–5 minutes over medium heat until it softens and becomes slightly translucent but does not brown. Add the garlic and fry for 1 more minute, stirring.
- Add the canned tomatoes, smoked paprika, chopped chipotle, cumin and about 100 ml of the chicken cooking stock to the onion. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce slightly thickens.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If the sauce is very thick, add a little more stock – it should have the consistency of thick cream.
- Put the shredded chicken in a bowl and add 3–4 tablespoons of the sauce, mixing so the meat is lightly coated.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a baking dish.
- Briefly heat the tortillas in a dry pan, 20–30 seconds on each side, until they become pliable. Place a portion of chicken on each tortilla, roll up and arrange in the dish side by side, seam-side down.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the rolls, sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese melts and is lightly browned at the edges.
- After removing from the oven, let the dish rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkled with fresh coriander.
Storage
Store baked enchiladas covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven, covered with foil so they don’t dry out, or in the microwave. If freezing, cool completely first, then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
