Enchiladas have always been one of my favorite meals, and these chicken enchiladas with red sauce are definitely no exception! What makes these enchiladas so special? They are made with a homemade red enchilada sauce! Don't let that scare you away--the sauce is SO easy to make and is ready in minutes.
While I may LOVE enchiladas, I cannot stand canned enchilada sauce. To me, it's super bitter and almost has a soapy flavor to it. This homemade sauce, on the other hand, is packed with simple Mexican flavors and doesn't have a hint of bitterness to it. It's exactly how enchilada sauce should be!
Looking at this ingredient list, you may think--what are green chiles doing in red enchiladas?? Now, you may be a firm believer that they only belong in green enchiladas--but I think a little crossover between both green and red enchiladas creates a tasty blend of flavors. Trust me, it's delicious!
Adapting these Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce
One of the great things about enchiladas is how versatile they are. You can customize them to your liking with any of your favorite fillings! You can trade out the beans for your favorite kind, add some jalapeños for some spice, or even change the meat!
These chicken enchiladas are also adaptable to a range of dietary needs. To make these gluten free, just switch out the all-purpose flour in the sauce for a GF flour. If you're vegetarian, switch out the chicken for a medley of beans and some sauteed bell peppers! This recipe is so easy to customize to your preferences.
No matter how you make them, enchiladas will always be a favorite. Whether you're hosting a dinner party or just making a quick and easy weeknight meal, you can't go wrong with this classic Mexican dish. Try serving them with my homemade guacamole and some chips! Next time you're looking for a flavorful and satisfying meal, give these enchiladas a try--you won't be disappointed!
If you try out these chicken enchiladas or any of my other recipes, I’d LOVE to hear about it. You can leave a comment below the recipe, or if you post a picture on Instagram, be sure to tag me! Getting any feedback on my recipes is both rewarding AND helpful as I write and edit recipes in the future.
Now get cooking, and enjoy!
Ingredients
Enchilada Sauce
- 3 tablespoon salted butter
- 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or a gluten-free flour)
- ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 ½ cup vegetable broth
Enchilada Assembly
- 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (3 ½ cups)
- 1 can (4 oz) green chiles
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cup shredded monterey cheese, divided
- 12 corn tortillas
- cilantro for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Enchilada Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, chili powder, cumin, sea salt, onion powder, cayenne, oregano, coriander, and smoked paprika. Set aside.
- In a small sauce pan, heat butter on medium-low heat until melted, don't burn. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until aromatic. Increase temperature to medium heat. Add flour and spice mix and mix all together. It will be clumpy, but keep mixing for about 2-3 minutes so that the spices cook.
- Add tomato sauce and vegetable broth and whisk until no longer clumpy. Bring to a boil, and then remove from heat.
Enchilada Assembly
- Heat olive oil on medium heat in a frying pan. Add diced onion and green chiles and cook until onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, combine onion and chile mix, black beans, shredded chicken, 1 ½ cups of monterey cheese, and 1 cup of enchilada sauce. Mix well.
- In a 13x9 glass pan, pour in ¼ cup of enchilada sauce and spread to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Cover 3-4 corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and heat in microwave for 30 seconds. Repeat with all the corn tortillas. This will help them to not rip when assembling the enchiladas.
- Assemble the enchiladas by dividing the filling between the tortillas, roll into a cylinder shape, and place in the glass pan with the tortilla seam facing down. These enchiladas should be stuffed as much as possible--there's a lot of filling!
- After the enchiladas are assembled, top with the rest of the enchilada sauce. Spread over the top and sides evenly. Top with 1 ½ cups of cheese.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the center is warm and the cheese starts to bubble. Top with some cilantro, if you'd like. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before eating. Enjoy!
Laura Callister says
These are the best enchiladas I’ve ever had!
Maddie Saxey says
Thank you, so glad you liked it!