Enchiladas Rojas
Mexico's Warm Embrace
Enchiladas are Mexico on a plate: tortillas bathed in chile sauce, filled with whatever your heart desires, baked to perfection. This dish has pre-Hispanic roots and has evolved into a thousand regional variants, but they all share the ability to make you feel at home, no matter where you are.
recipe.ingredients
- 12 corn tortillas
- 14 oz shredded chickenOr fresh cheese for vegetarian version
- For the red sauce:The soul of the dish
- 6 guajillo chiles, seeded
- 2 ancho chiles, seeded
- 2 large tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/4 onion
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- For serving:The finishing touch
- 7 oz fresh cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup Mexican sour cream
- Thinly sliced onion
- Oil for frying
recipe.nutrition
Per serving
420
recipe.calories
24g
recipe.protein
38g
recipe.carbs
22g
recipe.fat
recipe.history
Enchiladas date back to Mayan times when corn tortillas were rolled and dipped in chile sauce. The name comes from 'enchilar' - to season with chile. Over centuries, each Mexican region developed its own version: verdes in central Mexico, suizas in Mexico City, potosinas in San Luis Potosí.
recipe.preparation
- 1
Lightly toast the chiles in a dry comal or skillet until aromatic (careful not to burn them). Soak in hot water for 20 minutes until soft.
- 2
Roast the tomatoes, garlic, and onion on the same comal until slightly charred. This adds smoky depth to the sauce.
- 3
Blend the drained chiles with roasted tomatoes, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, and a cup of soaking water. Should be a smooth sauce.
- 4
Strain the sauce and cook in a pot with a little oil for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Adjust salt and add water if too thick.
- 5
Heat oil in a skillet and briefly pass each tortilla through (5 seconds per side) to soften. They shouldn't become crispy.
- 6
Dip each tortilla in the hot sauce, fill with chicken, roll and place in a baking dish. Cover with more sauce.
- 7
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15 minutes. Serve with cream, crumbled cheese, and sliced onion.
recipe.modeChef
Restaurant-quality Mexican enchiladas
The best enchiladas have secrets that Mexican grandmothers guard jealously.
- Add a piece of Mexican chocolate (1 square) to the sauce for body and complexity without tasting like chocolate.
- Fry the sauce in pork lard instead of oil for an incomparable authentic flavor.
- Tortillas must be nixtamalized corn; flour tortillas are heresy for enchiladas.
- Gratinate with shredded Oaxaca cheese in the last 5 minutes for those irresistible cheese strings.
recipe.tips
- •If the chiles are too spicy, add more tomato or a tablespoon of sugar to balance.
- •Enchiladas taste better the next day; the flavor intensifies with rest.
- •You can prepare the sauce days in advance and freeze it perfectly.
- •For enchiladas suizas, substitute the red sauce for green sauce and gratinate with manchego cheese.
recipe.specialTrick
The secret to enchiladas that don't fall apart is passing the tortillas first through hot oil and then through the sauce, never the reverse. The layer of fat protects the tortilla and prevents it from absorbing too much liquid and breaking.
recipe.faq
Yes! Assemble them, cover with sauce, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add the cheese just before baking.
Queso fresco for topping, Oaxaca cheese for melting. Never use cheddar - it's not traditional.
Replace chicken with sautéed vegetables (zucchini, corn, mushrooms) or just fresh cheese. The sauce is naturally vegetarian.
Pass tortillas through hot oil first to create a protective barrier. Don't oversoak in sauce, and bake immediately after assembling.
