Easy Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce Recipe
These Easy Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce are a flavorful and comforting Mexican-inspired dish. Tender shredded chicken is rolled inside warm corn tortillas, topped with a homemade red enchilada sauce and melted Mexican cheese, then baked to perfection. Perfect for a family dinner or meal prep, this recipe combines simple pantry ingredients with bold spices for a delicious, saucy casserole everyone will love.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
For the Enchiladas:
- 4 cups shredded chicken (see notes)
- 16 corn tortillas (Mi Rancho Thincredible Corn Tortillas recommended, see notes)
- 8 oz shredded Mexican cheese blend
- Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)
For the Red Enchilada Sauce:
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 Tablespoons gluten free flour (or all-purpose flour if not gluten free)
- 3 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Prepare baking dishes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish or two smaller dishes with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Make the Red Enchilada Sauce – Measure spices: In a small bowl, combine chili powder, dried oregano, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, and cumin. Stir to mix thoroughly.
- Cook flour: Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Toast spices: Add the spice mixture to the hot oil and flour mixture. Whisk for about 30 seconds until the spices are fragrant. Switch to a spatula and add the tomato paste, mashing it into the mixture to form a thick paste.
- Add broth: Return to whisking and slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking to ensure a smooth sauce. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, stirring gently but constantly.
- Simmer sauce: Once simmering, reduce heat to medium and let the sauce thicken for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before using.
- Coat baking dish with sauce: Pour 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Set aside.
- Warm tortillas: Wrap half of the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds to make them pliable and reduce cracking. Repeat warming for the second half as needed.
- Stuff tortillas: On a clean, dry surface, place one warm tortilla. Spread approximately 2 tablespoons of shredded chicken in the center, top with about 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese. Roll the tortilla tightly and place it seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat for all tortillas, reserving extra cheese.
- Top with sauce: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas, covering completely to prevent tortillas from becoming tough during baking.
- Bake: Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top. Cover the dish with foil sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce bubbles around the edges.
- Cool and serve: Remove from oven and let the enchiladas cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.
Notes
- For shredded chicken, use cooked chicken breasts or thighs, shredded by hand or with forks.
- Using corn tortillas specifically like Mi Rancho Thincredible helps prevent cracking and provides authentic flavor.
- Warming tortillas before stuffing makes them easier to roll without breaking.
- The sauce will thicken further as it cools; adjust thickness with additional broth if needed.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, ensure the flour used to thicken the sauce is gluten-free.
Keywords: Easy chicken enchiladas, red enchilada sauce, baked enchiladas, Mexican dinner, shredded chicken enchiladas, gluten free enchiladas
