This Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce recipe is made with a homemade enchilada sauce and tortillas stuffed with delicious chicken and cheese!
CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH RED ENCHILADA SAUCE RECIPE
Ever since I shared my recipe for CREAMY WHITE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS, I've had a lot of requests for a red sauce version. Of course, I still keep it simple to make but I definitely had to make sure I made a homemade enchilada sauce!
TIPS FOR MAKING ENCHILADAS ROJAS:
- Traditional Enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. Corn Tortillas need to be heated up before they are rolled or else they will tear. You can warm them up in the microwave or you can gently heat them in a pan on the stovetop with a little oil in the pan. Or, place some enchilada sauce in a pan over medium heat and dip the corn tortilla in the enchilada sauce to soften it up and then fill with chicken mixture.
- This is a great recipe for leftover chicken or turkey. You can also purchase a cooked rotisserie chicken and cut and shred the chicken. This adds a lot of flavor to the recipe.
- This enchilada recipe is also amazing with my CROCK POT MEXICAN SHREDDED BEEF RECIPE. Give it a try - it is outstanding!
- Your favorite store bought red enchilada sauce can be used but I think you will love this version homemade enchilada sauce.
- A Mexican blend of cheeses can be used in place of the cheddar cheese.
- If cilantro isn't your thing, just leave it out.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
butter
chili powder
garlic powder
onion powder
ground cumin
cornstarch
chicken stock
tomato sauce
granulated sugar
kosher salt
shredded cooked chicken
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
fresh cilantro
flour or corn tortillas (fajita size)
Toppings of your choice: Sour Cream, Diced Tomatoes, Chopped Cilantro, Guacamole, Sliced Jalapeños
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH RED SAUCE:
In a medium-sized sauce pot melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin whisk to combine and “fry” in the butter until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Whisk in the cornstarch and cook an additional minute. Slowly pour in the chicken stock while whisking constantly until combined. Whisk in the tomato sauce, sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally until thickened, set aside. 
In a large bowl, add the shredded chicken, 1 cup of the cheddar, the sour cream, cilantro, and ¼ cup of the sauce. Stir to combine, set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, pour in 1 cup of the sauce, making sure to cover the bottom of the dish.
To the side, lay out the tortillas and evenly distribute the filling among them, using about ¼ cup of the filling per tortilla.
Roll the tortilla around the filling and place it in the baking dish seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
Pour the remaining sauce on top and smooth it out to make sure all of the tortillas are covered in the sauce.
Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the dish is bubbly.
Let them cool for about 10 minutes in the dish and serve with your favorite toppings.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES? GIVE THESE A TRY!
CREAMY SHRIMP ENCHILADAS
ONE POT ENCHILADA RICE
3-INGREDIENT MEXICAN RICE
BISQUICK ENCHILADA BAKE
GREEN ENCHILADA CHICKEN & RICE
EASY TATER TOT ENCHILADA BAKE
CREAMY SWISS ENCHILADAS
INSTANT POT BARBACOA
ONE PAN TACO RICE DINNER
EASY LAYERED TACO BAKE
THE BEST MEXICAN CORNBREAD
THE BEST MEXICAN LASAGNA
CROCK POT WHITE QUESO DIP
THE BEST CHICKEN SPAGHETTI
POLLO LOCO
CROCK POT CHICKEN FAJITAS
CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH RED SAUCE
Ingredients
For the enchilada sauce:
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the filling:
- 1 pound shredded cooked chicken
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided use
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 10 (6-inch) flour or corn tortillas (fajita size)
- Toppings of your choice: Sour Cream, Diced Tomatoes, Chopped Cilantro, Guacamole, Sliced Jalapenos
Instructions
- In a medium-sized sauce pot melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin whisk to combine and “fry” in the butter until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute.
- Whisk in the cornstarch and cook an additional minute. Slowly pour in the chicken stock while whisking constantly until combined.
- Whisk in the tomato sauce, sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally until thickened, set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the shredded chicken, 1 cup of the cheddar, the sour cream, cilantro, and ¼ cup of the sauce. Stir to combine, set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, pour in 1 cup of the sauce, making sure to cover the bottom of the dish.
- To the side, layout the tortillas and evenly distribute the filling among them, using about ¼ cup of the filling per tortilla.
- Roll the tortilla around the filling and place it in the baking dish seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Pour the remaining sauce on top and smooth it out to make sure all of the tortillas are covered in the sauce. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the dish is bubbly. Let them cool for about 10 minutes in the dish and serve with your favorite toppings.
Nutrition
