FoodieAtlas
Recipes around the World
Enchiladas are built by immersing a corn tortilla briefly in warm chili sauce so it softens and coats, filling it with meat, cheese, or beans, rolling it, and baking the rolls in more sauce until the edges crisp and the filling heats through. The sauce defines the dish: enchiladas rojas use dried ancho or guajillo chilies; enchiladas verdes use tomatillo; enchiladas suizas are topped with cream; mole enchiladas use the complex paste that takes days to prepare. The word comes from 'enchilar' — to add chili — and the preparation appears in Aztec cuisine before Spanish contact, with evidence of tortillas rolled around chili sauce being sold at Tenochtitlan markets. What differentiates restaurant enchiladas from home versions is the quality of the sauce and whether the tortilla is fried briefly in oil before being dipped — the oil prevents it from disintegrating.
In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat.
Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is golden brown.
Add the chili powder, garlic powder, salt, cumin, and oregano, stirring constantly.
Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, ensuring there are no lumps.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, 1 cup of shredded cheese, chopped onions, and chopped cilantro (if using).
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Spread a thin layer of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat or in the microwave to make them pliable.
Spoon a generous amount of the filling onto each tortilla, roll them up, and place them seam-side down in the baking dish.
Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Garnish with sliced black olives, chopped green onions, or chopped cilantro if desired.
Chili-sauce-coated filled corn tortilla rolls; sauce type (roja, verde, mole, suiza) defines the regional version.
Mexico; pre-Columbian Aztec preparation; documented at Tenochtitlan markets; formalized through colonial and post-colonial Mexican cuisine.
Corn tortillas, dried chili sauce (ancho/guajillo for roja, tomatillo for verde), filling (chicken, beef, cheese, beans), white onion, crema, cotija.
Briefly fry or heat tortillas in oil before dipping in sauce — this prevents them from tearing when rolled; the sauce should be warm, not cold, for proper coating.
Mexican rice (arroz rojo), refried beans, sliced avocado; cold Modelo or agua fresca.