Chicken Enchiladas Recipe (2025)

FAQs

What is the secret to good enchiladas? ›

The most important tip for avoiding soggy enchiladas is to briefly fry your tortillas in hot oil before you fill and roll. This creates a little bit of a barrier so that the tortillas don't soak up too much of the sauce and therefore start to break down.

While some recipes use flour tortillas, corn tortillas are traditional — and for good reason — are the better option for enchiladas. Corn tortillas have a distinct flavor that plays a key part of the enchilada experience, compared to flour tortillas, which are more like a blank slate.

For instance, chicken or beef enchiladas might pair exceptionally well with the depth of flavor provided by red sauce, while vegetable or seafood enchiladas might shine when complemented by the lighter, citrusy notes of green sauce.

Arrange enchiladas, seam-side down, in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with taco sauce and remaining 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake in the preheated oven, uncovered, until cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Let cool briefly before serving.

What is the best cheese to use for cheese enchiladas? Use a melting cheese like Monterey Jack, cheddar, Colby, or pepper jack. Mexican restaurants typically use queso fresco, asadero, or a combination. Use a variety of at least two to switch up the taste.

It's important to pre-cook the tortillas because not only does cooking them help soften them for rolling, cooking them in a little fat helps develop the flavor of the tortillas.

white onions are more commonly used in Mexican cuisine but yellow onions are just as good in a pinch.

To make your canned enchilada sauce taste homemade, grab some butter, a little flour, and some chicken stock. This trifecta of ingredients infuses a canned enchilada sauce with a satisfyingly thick texture and a rich, savory flavor.

Taco sauce has a similar taste profile to enchilada sauces. Like enchilada sauce, it's made with tomatoes, garlic, chilies, and various other spices and aromatics. It does have a different flavor, but the main problem with using taco sauce is that it's thicker. It's meant as a condiment rather than a cooking sauce.

Traditional enchiladas are made with less sauce but, because the tortillas are coated in sauce, it's more evenly distributed throughout the dish. And, with less sauce, it's less likely your tortillas will sog out and disintegrate.

What's a good side dish for enchiladas? ›

Rebecca, try this: Heat one cup vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until the oil bubbles immediately when you stick the edge of a tortilla onto the surface. Working one at a time, fry a tortilla, turning once, until it just starts to brown and crisp (about 10 seconds per side).

Some recipes suggest spreading a little sauce (½ cup for a 3-quart baking dish) on the bottom of the pan before adding enchiladas. This keeps the tortillas from sticking to the pan or getting tough on the bottom.

The trick to preventing your tortillas from breaking is to hydrate them. Once your enchilada filling is ready, pour some of your sauce into a saute pan and put some heat under it. You don't want to boil the stuff, just get it above room temperature. Have the pan you'll bake the enchiladas in ready and waiting too.

Unless you are baking from frozen, then you will need to keep them covered for part of the baking time so that enchiladas will cook through before drying out. If you want soft, yet not soggy enchiladas, cover for the first 20 minutes of baking, then remove the foil for the final portion of baking.