When typical tacos just won’t cut it, try Chicken Enchilada—juicy shredded chicken wrapped in tortilla then topped with a spicy sauce and melted Mexican-blend cheese.
Don’t hate me when I admit that Taco Tuesdays can get a bit, well… boring. While I do like the DIY aspect that sees me load up the kitchen table with all the fixins then watch as my family actually delight in serving themselves, I now know which ingredients are their favorites. Sounds like a good thing, right? Well, it means there is no longer any sense of adventure. My kids have tried the rest, now they’re sticking with the best (at least, in their opinions). The result are tacos that, while they may be different from plate to plate, don’t really change from week to week. And I’ve pretty much loaded up my table with as many toppings as it can hold, so it’s no longer a matter of adding something new. Nope, if I want to refresh that day of the week when we go with the Tex-Mex theme, I would have to start from scratch.
That scratch has taken the form of enchiladas. The requisite tortillas are present, as is the cheese and assortment of toppings, like onions, cilantro, sour cream, and lettuce, but the tortillas are stuffed with shredded chicken, arrayed in a baking dish, and topped with enchilada sauce and melted cheese. It’s like a Mexican lasagna but not like THIS Mexican Lasagna.
If your exploration of Tex-Mex cuisine has been limited to tacos, perhaps try enchiladas. It’s much of the same and yet something else entirely!
What is in the enchilada sauce?
I’m going to side-step what the enchilada sauces at the grocery store contain. Instead I’m going to recommend this Homemade Enchilada Sauce developed right here on BB. That’s because homemade forgoes any needless ingredients, preservatives, and chemicals with really long names. Plus, you can customize it so it aligns with your preferences. Want more spice? Then add more spice. The sauce I recommend you make (perhaps a few days before you make the actual enchiladas to space out the labor) contains oil, flour, paprika, coriander, cumin, oregano, pepper, cayenne, vegetable stock, tomato paste, and apple cider vinegar. That may seem like a lot of ingredients but most can be found in your spice rack. A few dashes and a quick whisk is all it will take. For the specific amounts, click on the link.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups enchilada sauce, divided
- 8 corn or flour tortillas
- 2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
- diced onions, chopped cilantro, sour cream, shredded lettuce, cotija cheese (optional toppings)
How to Make Chicken Enchilada
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, blend the shredded chicken with 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then adjust the seasoning to your taste.
Step 3: Warm the tortillas until they’re pliable. For corn tortillas, wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for 1 minute; for flour tortillas, microwave on a plate for 1 minute, flipping halfway through.
Step 4: Fill each tortilla with the chicken mixture and cheese, roll them up tightly, and place them seam-side down in a baking dish.
Step 5: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top, and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Step 6: Serve your enchiladas hot from the oven, garnished with any of the optional toppings you like.
FAQs & Tips
Once the enchiladas have cooled in the baking dish, cover it with aluminum foil and stick it in the fridge where it will last for up to four days. If you want them around longer, you can freeze the dish. I recommend covering it in plastic then a layer of foil. It should last for up to three months. If you like, you can prep the enchiladas by putting them together in a disposable casserole dish or tinfoil pan, covering them up, then storing them in the freezer for up to three months. The change of dish allows you to move the enchiladas straight from the freezer to the oven without worrying about shattering the dish.
It really has to do with the strength of your oven and how you like to finish your enchiladas. If your oven tends to be all gung-ho about heat then you may want to apply a layer of aluminum foil to protect the cheese from burning too quickly. You could eventually remove it for the last few minutes of the cooking process to give the cheese a golden brown. If you don’t care about the finish of the cheese then keep the foil on throughout. Alternatively, if you want your cheese singed all over (or you don’t have a volatile oven), you can keep the foil off and let it do its thing.
Perhaps the biggest game-changer is frying your tortillas before filling them. In the before times, you would need to do this in oil but thanks to the air fryer, you can make a much healthier version. Crisp them up only slightly so you can still roll them. This will give them a thicker layer and keep the sauce at bay. You might also want to opt for corn tortillas, as they hold up better than flour. Also, use a paper towel to soak up any excess moisture from the chicken. Or use a roux (a mix of flour and fat) to thicken your sauce. Thicker sauces tend not to saturate your tortillas. Oh, and don’t overfill. That may cause them to break, then you’ll have a soggy mess on your hands.
Serving Suggestions
Assuming you’re having these on Taco Tuesday, I have more than a few suggestions for what to serve with them. First is the salad—Esquites Recipe (Mexican Street Corn Salad) to be exact. It’s spicy corn made with mayonnaise and cheese. Want a side that eats like a meal? Pork Tenderloin and Mexican Quinoa with Honey Habanero Dressing. It’s hearty and yet, light, thanks to the quinoa that keeps your health in mind while still delivering the flavor. And to finish off, Mexican Chocolate Cake with Mascarpone Frosting.
Chicken Enchilada
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups enchilada sauce divided
- 8 corn or flour tortillas
- 2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese divided
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional toppings
- Diced onions
- Chopped cilantro
- Sour cream
- Shredded lettuce
- Cotija cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
- In a large mixing bowl, blend the shredded chicken with 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then adjust the seasoning to your taste.
- Warm the tortillas until they’re pliable: for corn tortillas, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 1 minute; for flour tortillas, microwave on a plate for 1 minute, flipping halfway through.
- Fill each tortilla with the chicken mixture and cheese, roll them up tightly, and place them seam side down in a baking dish.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top, and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Serve your enchiladas hot from the oven, garnished with any of the optional toppings you like.
