Red Enchiladas Recipe (Authentic Mexican Enchiladas Rojas with Chicken)
Authentic red enchiladas recipe: corn tortillas dipped in a homemade guajillo and ancho chile sauce, filled with chicken and topped with queso fresco.
This red enchiladas recipe makes enchiladas rojas the way they are cooked in Mexican homes: corn tortillas softened in hot oil, dipped in a smooth sauce of dried guajillo and ancho chiles, rolled around shredded chicken and finished with crema, crumbled queso fresco and raw onion. No canned sauce, no thick blanket of melted cheese, just deep, earthy chile flavour.
The name explains the dish. Enchilar means "to season with chile", so an enchilada is literally a tortilla "chilied" in sauce, and rojas means red. Eating tortillas rolled around food and dipped in chile goes back to the Aztecs, and recipes for enchiladas appear in Mexican cookbooks as early as 1831. Today every region has its own version, from green enchiladas with tomatillo to the potato and carrot topped enchiladas potosinas.
The flavour comes from the chiles. Guajillo gives a bright red colour and a mild, slightly tangy heat, while ancho, the dried poblano, adds sweetness and notes of raisin and cocoa. Toasting them for a few seconds wakes up their oils; soaking and blending with garlic, onion, tomato and a pinch of cumin and Mexican oregano turns them into a velvety sauce. Frying the blended sauce in a little oil, a step called sazonar, darkens and deepens it.
The tortilla technique matters just as much. A quick dip in hot oil makes the tortillas flexible and seals them so they hold up in the sauce instead of tearing. Then they go into the warm sauce for a moment before rolling.
Swaps are easy. Use leftover roast chicken or shredded pork instead of poaching chicken, or fill the tortillas with crumbled queso fresco and onion for a simple vegetarian version. Sour cream thinned with lime replaces Mexican crema, and feta works in place of queso fresco. For more heat, add one or two chiles de árbol to the sauce. Use 100% corn tortillas; flour tortillas get soggy.
Serve red enchiladas with Mexican rice, refried beans, shredded lettuce, sliced radishes and pickled jalapeños. A cold agua de jamaica or a light Mexican beer is perfect alongside.
Watch how it is made on our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/shorts/aaumsdXQs18
Watch how it is made
Ingredients
- 6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 plum tomatoes
- 1 white onion (half for poaching and sauce, half finely chopped to serve)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 0.25 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oreganoSubstitute: regular dried oregano
- 500 ml chicken broth (use the poaching liquid)
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 600 g boneless chicken breasts or thighsSubstitute: 3 cups leftover shredded chicken
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 corn tortillas
- 120 ml neutral oil, for frying tortillas
- 150 g queso fresco, crumbledSubstitute: feta
- 120 ml Mexican cremaSubstitute: sour cream thinned with lime juice
- 100 g shredded lettuce
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
Method
- Poach the chicken. Put the chicken, bay leaf, a quarter of the onion, one garlic clove and a pinch of salt in a pot, cover with about 1 litre of water and simmer until cooked through. Shred with two forks and keep the broth.
- Toast the chiles. Press the guajillo and ancho chiles onto a dry hot pan for 10 to 15 seconds per side until fragrant and blistered. Do not let them burn or the sauce turns bitter.
- Soak the chiles. Cover the toasted chiles and the tomatoes with hot water and simmer gently until the chiles are soft and the tomatoes are cooked.
- Blend the sauce. Drain and blend the chiles and tomatoes with the remaining onion and garlic, cumin, oregano, salt and 500 ml of the chicken broth until very smooth. Strain through a sieve for a silky sauce.
- Fry the sauce. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a wide pan, pour in the sauce carefully (it splatters) and simmer, stirring, until slightly darker and thick enough to coat a spoon. Season with salt.
- Season the filling. Toss the shredded chicken with 4 tbsp of the red sauce and a pinch of salt.
- Soften the tortillas. Heat the remaining oil in a small pan and dip each tortilla for 3 to 5 seconds per side until soft and pliable but not crisp. Drain on paper towels.
- Dip, fill and roll. Dip each tortilla in the warm sauce, place on a plate, add a line of chicken, roll up and lay seam side down. Allow three enchiladas per person.
- Top and serve. Spoon more hot sauce over the enchiladas, then add crema, queso fresco, chopped onion, lettuce and radishes. Serve immediately so the tortillas stay tender, not soggy.
The two keys to great enchiladas rojas are gentle chile toasting and quick-fried tortillas: burnt chiles make the sauce bitter, and tortillas that skip the oil dip will break in the sauce. Make the sauce up to 4 days ahead; it also freezes well for 3 months. If you prefer a baked version, place the rolled enchiladas in a dish, cover with sauce and bake at 180°C for 10 to 15 minutes, adding the fresh toppings after baking. Taste the sauce before frying it and add a pinch of sugar if your chiles are very bitter.
Frequently asked questions
What chiles are used for red enchiladas?
Guajillo chiles are the base for colour and gentle heat, and ancho chiles add sweetness and body. Chiles de árbol can be added for extra spice.
What is the difference between enchiladas rojas and enchiladas verdes?
Enchiladas rojas use a sauce of dried red chiles, while enchiladas verdes use a sauce of green tomatillos and fresh green chiles such as serrano.
Why do my enchiladas fall apart?
The tortillas were not softened in hot oil first. A quick 3 to 5 second fry per side makes them flexible and helps them stand up to the sauce.
Can I make red enchilada sauce ahead of time?
Yes. It keeps for 4 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer. Reheat it before dipping the tortillas.
Are red enchiladas spicy?
They are mildly spicy. Guajillo and ancho chiles are more earthy than hot. Add chiles de árbol if you want more heat.
Should enchiladas use corn or flour tortillas?
Authentic Mexican enchiladas use corn tortillas. Flour tortillas absorb too much sauce and turn mushy.
