A Traditional and Delicious Mexican Dish — Enchiladas con Chile Rojo

Every time I go to a Mexican restaurant, I have to order enchiladas. Not only does this dish come in many different styles, but it is  also customizable depending on the person. You can add any toppings you’d like, and the fillings are endless!

Enchiladas originated in Mexico and dates back to the time of the Aztecs. Originally, the dish was a simple corn tortilla wrapped around fish, but nowadays there are many different ways to enjoy enchiladas. Some sauces include salsa roja, many variations of mole, cheese sauces or even green enchilada sauce. 

They can be filled with chicken, beans, cheese, potatoes or a combination of them all. Traditional enchiladas use corn tortillas, but if you’re a fan of flour tortillas, they can be used as well. The tortillas are filled, and rolled up. Then, topped with the sauce of your choice along with a helping portion of cheese and baked to perfection to create a creamy and cheesy dish. 

Today, I am going to make chicken enchiladas con chile rojo, which is a chili based sauce and usually the default option when eating out. 

If you’d like to make this recipe for yourself, follow the steps below!

Recipe

For Sauce

1. Remove all seeds from chiles and soak in water.
2. Add chiles to a pot of boiling water, and cook until tender. Let cool.
3. Add all sauce ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth.
4. Using a strainer, strain sauce until no clumps are present. (tip: add hot water or chicken broth while straining to smooth sauce out)

To Assemble

1. Add enough oil to a small pan to coat the bottom.
2. When the oil is ready, add tortillas and fry for 10-15 seconds on each side. (this prevents the tortillas from tearing before you roll them.)
3. Dip the tortillas in the sauce, add chicken and cheese and roll. Repeat for all tortillas.
4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and add tortillas to a baking dish.
5. Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas, and add cheese.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.

To serve

1. Add toppings of your choice (you can add avocado, crema, queso fresco or any of your favorite toppings!)
2. Serve and enjoy!

Ingredients

For Sauce

• 2 chile anchos
• 15-20 chile guajilos
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp tomato bullion
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 onion

To Assemble

• Corn tortillas
• Oil, for frying
• Shredded cheese
• Shredded chicken