Description
This Chicken Enchiladas recipe features tender shredded chicken wrapped in warm corn tortillas, smothered in a rich, homemade guajillo-ancho chili enchilada sauce with a hint of chocolate, then baked to perfection with melted Monterey Jack cheese. Garnished with fresh lettuce, radish, red onion, avocado, and crumbled cotija cheese, this dish offers a vibrant combination of smoky, spicy, and creamy flavors perfect for a satisfying Mexican-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Enchilada Sauce
- 4 dried guajillo chiles (stems and seeds removed)
- 2 dried ancho chiles (stems and seeds removed)
- 1 arbol chile (stems and seeds removed, optional for heat)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (hot, 180-200°F)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Enchiladas
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (or turkey, beef, shredded pork)
- 8 large yellow corn tortillas (or 12 taco-sized, flour, cassava flour, or gluten-free tortillas)
- 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Garnishes
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 2 radishes (sliced)
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion
- 1 avocado (sliced)
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
Instructions
- Toast Chiles: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the dried guajillo, ancho, and arbol chiles to the dry skillet. Toast them, stirring often until they become fragrant and lightly charred but not burnt. Then, transfer the toasted chiles to a large heat-proof bowl.
- Soak Chiles: Pour the hot (180-200°F) low-sodium chicken broth over the toasted chiles in the bowl. Cover and let the chiles soak for 20 minutes to soften.
- Blend Sauce: After the chiles have softened, add the chiles along with 1½ cups of the soaking liquid, minced garlic, semisweet chocolate chips, kosher salt, and dried oregano into a blender. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth, creating a rich enchilada sauce.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the enchiladas.
- Prepare Baking Pan: In a 9×13-inch baking dish, pour enough of the enchilada sauce to coat the bottom evenly. Spread the sauce to create a thin layer on the base.
- Mix Chicken Filling: In a large bowl, combine the shredded cooked chicken with enough enchilada sauce to lightly moisten the chicken, ensuring the flavors are well incorporated.
- Warm Tortillas: Microwave the corn tortillas for 30-60 seconds until they become pliable and easier to roll without breaking.
- Assemble Enchiladas: Lay one warmed tortilla flat, spoon some of the chicken filling down the center, then sprinkle with crumbled cotija cheese. Roll the tortilla tightly and place it seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat this process with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the assembled rolled tortillas. Then sprinkle the shredded Monterey Jack cheese on top.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the enchiladas from the oven and garnish with shredded lettuce, sliced radishes, diced red onion, sliced avocado, and additional crumbled cotija cheese before serving.
Notes
- To deepen the sauce’s flavor, avoid burning the chiles while toasting; they should be fragrant and lightly charred.
- For a spicier sauce, include the optional arbol chile or add more to taste.
- Warming the tortillas makes rolling easier and prevents them from splitting during assembly.
- Feel free to substitute chicken with turkey, beef, or pork according to preference.
- For gluten-free enchiladas, use certified gluten-free tortillas.
- The sauce can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
