These Mexican chicken enchiladas are made with juicy shredded chicken wrapped in corn tortillas, lots of cheese, and smothered in homemade red enchilada sauce, topped with crumbled cheese. This is the best I've ever had.
Chicken Enchiladas Recipe (Enchiladas Rojas)
Homemade Mexican chicken enchiladas, or "Enchiladas Rojas", are an insanely flavorful dish that you can easily make at home, and everyone loves them.
I've enjoyed authentic chicken enchiladas in Mexican restaurants, and I've had them a few different ways, as there are many ways to make them. You can fill them with different meats or beans, melt cheeses inside or over the top, try different sauces.
This is how I like to make my chicken enchiladas.
What You'll Love About My Enchiladas
These chicken enchiladas are smothered in homemade enchilada sauce that adds a more authentic flavor.
It is packed with deliciousness, as it is made from dried Mexican peppers, which are, in my opinion, the best things on the face of the planet. You can easily make ahead of time.
The chicken is juicy-tender and the cheese perfectly melty.
I can't get enough of these enchiladas! The sauce really makes the whole dish.
Top it all with crumbly white cheese and BOOM, a dish you are going to love, my friends.
Let's talk about how to make these chicken enchiladas, shall we?
Chicken Enchiladas Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- FOR THE RED ENCHILADA SAUCE
- Dried Mexican Chilies. I'm using ancho peppers, guajillo peppers, and fiery chiles de arbol.
- Fresh Onion and Garlic.
- Water and Salt.
- FOR THE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
- Vegetable Oil. For cooking.
- Cooked Shredded Chicken.
- Shredded Cheese. Use Mexican Manchego cheese, a Mexican cheese blend, or use any good melty cheese like cheddar, pepper jack, Monterrey jack
- Corn Tortillas.
- For Serving. Crumbly queso fresco, fresh chopped cilantro, spicy chili flakes, crema or sour cream (if desired).
How to Make Chicken Enchiladas Rojas - The Recipe Overview
Make the enchilada sauce first by lightly dry toasting the dried peppers (stemmed and seeded) in a hot pan, then covering them in a bowl with hot water.
Soak them for 20 minutes to 30 minutes, until they become very soft. Add them to a food processor or blender, but reserve the soaking water.
Cook onion and garlic, then add to the food processor along with a bit of salt, then process to form a thick paste.
Add a bit of the soaking liquid and process to a rich and savory enchilada sauce. You can strain it for a smoother sauce.
Simmer the enchilada sauce to develop the overall flavors.
When you're ready to make your chicken enchiladas, mix 1 cup of the enchilada sauce with the shredded chicken in a large bowl.
Warm the tortillas to make them pliable - I like to do this in a pan with a bit of oil - then dip each tortilla into the warmed enchilada sauce.
Assembling the enchiladas is easy. Fill them with the saucy shredded chicken mixture and shredded cheese. Roll the tortillas up and set them into a baking dish, seam side down.
Spoon a bit of enchilada sauce over the top.
Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melty inside. Top with remaining enchilada sauce.
BOOM! Done! Garnish with crumbly cheese, fresh herbs and spicy red chili flakes. Chow down, my friends! It doesn't get any better than this. Easy chicken enchiladas, right? So good!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The Tortillas. Chicken enchiladas are best with corn tortillas, in my opinion, for texture and flavor. However, you can make them with flour tortillas. They are still quite delicious this way!
- The Chicken. You can use any leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken for this recipe, or cook it yourself. One of my favorite ways to make shredded chicken is in a large pot that just simmers and simmers. Check out my recipe for The Juiciest Shredded Chicken Recipe for a truly juicy chicken. You can use chicken thighs or chicken breast.
- Enchiladas Suizas. You can also melt some cheese over the top of the enchiladas for Enchiladas Suizas, which are a nice variation. Use 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cheese for each. Just top them with cheese, set them onto a large baking dish, preheat the oven, then bake them at 350 degrees F. for a few minutes until the top cheese is melted through. Baked chicken enchiladas, my friends! Delicious.
- Other Fillings. Try other fillings as well, like other pulled pork, chorizo, beef, potatoes or refried beans. Or a combination.
- Easy Enchilada Sauce. If you're looking for a super QUICK enchilada sauce recipe made with chili powder, try this one - Quick and Easy Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe. So much better than anything you'll find in grocery stores.
Patty's Perspective
The depth of flavors in these enchiladas from that red enchilada sauce is out of this world. I literally kept saying OMG after every single bite. I couldn’t even believe I have only chosen the green sauce my entire life because of my love for tomatillos. Where have these red enchiladas been all my life?
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Chicken Enchiladas in an airtight container in the fridge may allow you to store the leftovers for up to 3-4 days. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate the dish promptly.
Try My Other Popular Recipes
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.
Chicken Enchiladas Recipe (Enchiladas Rojas)
Ingredients
FOR THE RED ENCHILADA SAUCE
- 4 dried ancho peppers stemmed and seeded
- 4 dried guajillo peppers stemmed and seeded
- 4 dried chiles de arbol stemmed and seeded (optional, for spicy)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- Water as needed
FOR THE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil divided
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups shredded Mexican Manchego cheese Or use a Mexican cheese blend or any good melty cheese
- 8 corn tortillas
- FOR SERVING: Crumbly queso fresco, fresh chopped cilantro, spicy chili flakes
Instructions
FOR THE ENCHILADA SAUCE
- Dry toast the dried chili peppers in a heated pan over medium heat. Toast them a couple minutes per side, until they start to puff up slightly. Cool, then set them into a heavy bowl with enough hot water to cover them.
- Soak for 20 minutes, or until they become very soft. Remove them and place them in a blender or food processor. Reserve 1 cup of the dark soaking water.
- In the same heated pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook the onion 4-5 minutes, or until it becomes translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute, until fragrant.
- Add the onion and garlic to the food processor along with sea salt, then process to form a paste.
- Pour in the reserved soaking liquid 1/4 cup at a time and process to form a sauce to your desired consistency. You can add more fresh water if needed.
- Strain the sauce, if desired, then pour into a saucepan or pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes to develop the flavor.
FOR THE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS ROJAS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 C).
- Mix 1 cup of the enchilada sauce with the shredded chicken in a large bowl.
- Heat a separate pan to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook the tortillas a few seconds in the oil until they become pliable.
- Dip each tortilla into the warmed enchilada sauce, then fill each with shredded chicken and shredded cheese. Roll the tortillas up and set them into a baking dish, seam side down. Spoon a bit of enchilada sauce over the top.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melty. Top with remaining enchilada sauce.
- Garnish with crumbly cheese, fresh herbs and spicy red chili flakes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 4/29/24 to include new information and photos. It was originally published on 7/31/20.
Kathy says
Hi Mike I have dried peppers from a few years ago when I last made enchiladas.How do I know if the dried chilies are still
useable? They look fine and smell fine. From you mouth to my hands
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Kathy. Dried peppers will last for years when stored in a dark place, like a pantry. They can lose potency, but are still usable. If you see any moldy growth or odd discoloration, toss them, but they usually long a LONG time.
Tony says
Hi Mike, followed your recipe for both the Enchilada and shredded chicken , only substitute was flour tortilla vs corn . Final result was fantastic , also wrapped 3 up for a second dinner put in oven with the cheese and remaining enchilada sauce . Was perfect
Great recipe
Mike Hultquist says
Nice! Thanks so much, Tony! Very happy you enjoyed it! =)
Michelle says
These were spicy (but not too spicy) and had really good flavor. I only had enough sauce for 6 enchiladas… maybe I didn’t add enough water while making the sauce in the food processor. A lot of work but worth the effort.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed them, Michelle. Thanks.
Michelle McLellan says
I need to make these about a week ahead; will they freeze well?
Mike Hultquist says
Michelle, yes. I would freeze them in oven baking dish so you can just cook them straight from frozen. Let me know how it goes. Enjoy!
Jérémie says
My opinion is that this is a great enchilada lesson. Very simple, but very effective.
Sorry sir.. but I had to add a (very tiny) habanero pepper to the pan, after the garlic (beautiful).
Very very nice recipe, dear Mike!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks much, Jérémie! Yes, a bit of habanero for me as well, sir! Very nice.
Elizabeth says
I was missing my sister in laws enchiladas after moving away. These are super close. Xoxo
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome. Thanks, Elizabeth. =)
Dan says
This recipe is fantastic. Never going back to enchiladas with the bland red sauce from a can. These are well worth the extra effort. Also the leftovers were still amazing the next day, maybe even better. My long neglected food processor can finally justify its existence because I will be making these often.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Dan. Totally agreed! This is the best way to go! SO good. Glad you enjoyed it.
Chris Hall says
These were so good.
Love your website: recipes, chili background, and gardening tips. With COVID-19 I have had more time to cook and your website has been my favorite resource. Thank you Mike.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Chris. Glad you are finding recipe you enjoy. I appreciate it.
Pat Corbley says
Made this for the family last night... Huge hit. My 2 year old ate an entire enchilada!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice! I love to hear it, Pat.
Glenn says
Mike I substituted halibut for the chicken and it was amassing. I’ve made this several times and everyone raves about them. I used flour tortillas in place of the corn but both were great. Thank you for such an authentic recipe.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I love the switch up, Glenn! I'll have to try this with halibut. Glad you enjoyed it!
Christine Letsinger says
Best enchiladas that I have ever had! Can’t wait to try more recipes from this site!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Christine! Super happy you enjoyed them! It's a great recipe for sure. I hope you find many more you like!
Gerald Hayes says
So good. I added a chopped Jalapeño to the onion. Served with some homemade Mexican style rice. It all just evaporated!
I tried to strain the sauce but it was too thick so I didn't bother.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Gerald! Glad you liked it!!