Enchiladas Rojas (Red Enchiladas)

I’ve been sitting on this post for three months now. I tested the enchilada sauce back in August, and it just seems like I kept forgetting that I had this recipe in the queue, so yesterday when I was creating a new tab on the website and saw the pictures, I told myself I’d finally post it today!

One of the questions I get asked a lot is, can I have this picture as a wallpaper for my phone? So I created a wallpaper tab so you can grab images optimized for your phone. I’ll be adding them here.

Today we’re making enchiladas. I like to grab a rotisserie chicken when I’m making these because it cuts down on the prep time, and I typically like to make the sauce way ahead of time because the longer you let it sit, the more the flavor develops. If you have the time, make a double batch and freeze half of it, so you always have some in your pantry.

I love enchiladas because the sauce has so many faces! There are so many versions out there, and I personally feel like that is what makes food exciting. Everyone gets to adapt recipes and make them their own with whatever they have available to them!

My version of the enchilada roja sauce is sweet with notes of cinnamon and brown sugar, and smoky, from the ancho chiles and the chipotle. I like to make enchiladas the way my mom made them for me growing up, dipping the tortilla in the sauce and then frying it. If you’d like to bake them, simply pop the tortillas in the microwave for a few seconds, add some shredded chicken, roll them up then place them in a baking dish, top them with the enchilada sauce and shredded cheese then bake at 350 till the cheese is nice and bubbly.

I have a few Instagram giveaways coming up in the next two weeks (like a Lagostina stainless steel dutch oven, a Krups air fryer, aaaaand a Philips Pasta maker) so if you don’t follow me on Instagram already, you can follow me here.

Stay warm y nos vemos pronto!

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5 from 1 vote

Enchiladas Rojas

Makes 4 Cups Enchilada Sauce Makes 20 Enchiladas

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Calories 0kcal

Author Esteban Castillo

Ingredients

• For the Enchilada Sauce
• 2 oz Guajillo Peppers Approx 8 medium peppers, stems and seeds removed
• 1 oz Ancho Chiles approx 2 medium peppers, stems and seeds removed
• 1/4 Yellow Onion
• 5 Garlic Cloves
• 4 Cups Chicken Stock
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 1 1/2 Medium Chipotle Peppers , in adobo
• 2 Teaspoon Chipotle Pepper Adobo
• 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 
  
• For the Enchiladas
• Tortillas
• 2 1/2 Cups Chicken shredded
• 
  
• Garnish
• Crema Mexicana
• White Onion chopped
• Cilantro Chopped
• Queso Cotija

Instructions

• For the Sauce:
• Start by placing your dried chiles, yellow onion, and garlic cloves in a large bowl, and covering them with boiling water. Let sit for 15-18 minutes until the peppers are fully rehydrated.
• After the peppers have rehydrated place in a blender, then add yellow onion, garlic cloves, chicken stock, vegetable oil, chipotle peppers, adobo, brown sugar and cinnamon. Blend until smooth, then strain into a small saucepan. Bring your sauce to a simmer, then reduce the flame to low and let cook 15 minutes. Taste your sauce for salt, and adjust. If your sauce sits out and starts to separate, just give it a whisk.
• To Assemble
• Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium-low heat. lightly dip your tortillas in the sauce, then place in the skillet and fry for about 2 minutes on each side. Add some of the shredded chicken, then roll your enchiladas and plate. Pour a little bit of the sauce over your rolled enchiladas, and top with crema Mexicana, chopped onion, chopped cilantro and queso cotija.