Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
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- 1/2 medium white onion – quartered
- 2 cloves garlic cloves – smashed
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 8 cups water
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (~4 n/a chicken breasts)
- 10 pieces dried guajillo chiles – stems and seeds removed
- 2 pieces dried ancho chiles – stems and seeds removed
- 1 medium roma tomato – cored
- 1/2 cups white onion – chopped (~0.5 medium white onions)
- 3 cloves garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon mexican oregano – crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil – for sauce
- 12 pieces corn tortillas – 6-inch
- 1/2 cups vegetable oil – for frying tortillas
- white onion – thinly sliced (for serving)
- mexican crema – for serving
- queso fresco – crumbled (for serving)
Instructions
1. Combine the quartered onion, smashed garlic, bay leaf, water, and chicken breasts in a pot; bring to a boil, then simmer gently until the chicken is just cooked through, 15–20 minutes (165°F at the thickest part). Transfer chicken to a plate to cool, then shred into bite-size pieces; strain and reserve 2.5 cups of the poaching liquid and discard aromatics.
2. Heat a dry skillet over medium. Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in batches, pressing with a spatula, until fragrant and slightly darkened, 30–45 seconds per side; do not burn. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak until pliable, about 15 minutes, then drain.
3. Blend the drained chiles with the roma tomato, chopped onion, 3 garlic cloves, Mexican oregano, cumin, and 2 cups of the reserved poaching liquid until very smooth, 1–2 minutes; add more liquid if needed to keep the blender moving.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium until shimmering. Carefully pour in the chile puree (strain if not very smooth) and cook, stirring, until it darkens and thickens slightly, 5–7 minutes. Stir in the remaining 0.5 cup reserved poaching liquid and the kosher salt; simmer 5 minutes more until the sauce is velvety and just pourable. Keep warm over low heat.
5. In a wide skillet, heat 0.5 cup vegetable oil over medium until shimmering.
6. Working one at a time, fry each corn tortilla flat in the hot oil just until pliable and lightly blistered but not crisp, 5–10 seconds per side; drain briefly on paper towels, then dip each into the warm sauce to coat both sides, letting excess drip back into the pan.
7. Fill and roll: Place a sauced tortilla on a plate, add about 0.25 cup shredded chicken in a line across the center, roll into a tight cylinder, and set seam side down on a warm serving platter. Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken.
8. Spoon additional sauce over the enchiladas to coat lightly. If desired, warm the platter in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to heat through without drying; the sauce should be steaming and the tortillas supple.
9. Finish and serve immediately: top with thinly sliced onion, drizzle with Mexican crema, and sprinkle with crumbled queso fresco.
Chicken enchiladas are tender corn tortillas rolled around juicy shredded chicken and bathed in a vivid red chile sauce. The flavors are bright and layered: the gentle fruitiness of guajillo and ancho chiles, a hint of tomato, and the herbal lift of oregano and cumin. Cool, creamy garnishes like Mexican crema and queso fresco balance the warm, lightly spicy sauce, while thinly sliced onion adds fresh crunch.
Enchiladas trace their roots to pre-Hispanic Mexico, where tortillas were dipped in chile sauces and folded or rolled. Today, they appear across the country in countless regional styles—rojas (red), verdes (tomatillo-green), mineras, potosinas, and suizas among others. While many U.S. versions are baked under a blanket of melting cheese, in Mexico enchiladas are typically assembled quickly on the stovetop: tortillas are lightly fried, dipped in sauce, filled, and served right away with simple garnishes.