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Chicken enchiladas with red sauce are made with soft, savory corn tortillas, shredded chicken, warm, flavorful red sauce from scratch, and topped with Mexican crema and cheese.
Why you’ll love these chicken enchiladas with red sauce:
The homemade red enchilada sauce is really what sets this recipe apart. It doesn’t take a long time to make but it makes all the difference in these enchiladas. Made with simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Warm, flavorful, and authentic red sauce from scratch!
The chicken filling is extremely simple and can be made with whatever you have on hand, such as a rotisserie chicken.
Topped with tons of cheese, Mexican crema, cilantro, and other flavorful toppings of your choice, these are the perfect authentic red chile enchiladas!
Ingredients:
HOMEMADE RED SAUCE:
- Oil – Helps sauté the onion and bloom the spices, which deepens the overall flavor of the sauce.
- Onion – Adds a natural sweetness and savory base that balances the spices.
- Tomato Sauce – The foundation of the enchilada sauce, giving it a rich, smooth texture and classic flavor.
- Chicken Broth – Thins the sauce slightly.
- Chili Powder – Brings that signature enchilada flavor with a mild heat and smoky undertones.
- Cumin – Adds warmth and earthiness, a key flavor in authentic enchilada sauce.
- Mexican Oregano – Slightly citrusy and more robust than regular oregano, it enhances the overall flavor profile.
- Garlic Powder – Infuses the sauce with a subtle garlic flavor that blends seamlessly.
- Salt – Balances and enhances all the flavors in the sauce.
ENCHILADAS:
- Shredded Chicken – Tender, juicy chicken makes this dish hearty and satisfying. Rotisserie chicken works great for convenience.
- Mexican Cheese Blend – Melts beautifully and adds a creamy, slightly tangy flavor.
- Cheddar Cheese – Brings a sharper, richer flavor that complements the mild Mexican blend.
- Corn or Flour Tortillas – The base of the enchiladas. Corn tortillas offer a more traditional flavor, while flour tortillas are softer and easier to roll.
- Toppings – Avocado, Jalapeño, Cilantro, Sour Cream or Mexican Crema.
How to make homemade enchilada sauce:
- Sauté the onions over medium heat for 7-8 minutes in a pot and make them soft. Use whatever standard oil you have, I would recommend canola oil or olive oil for its mild flavor. Make sure that they are completely softened before adding the rest of the sauce ingredients.
- Add tomato sauce, the base of the enchilada sauce. Also add chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, Mexican oregano, garlic powder, and salt. These spices pull the sauce together and really help to give it a warm and authentic flavor. If you want to adjust the heat and spice of the enchiladas, adjust the chili powder. I love to use a mix of two different chili powders — mild chili powder and ancho chili powder. You can also use chipotle powder if you want a smoky flavor.
- Cook the sauce for 20 minutes until it starts to thicken and reduce. Then you will puree the sauce either with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender. I love to use my vitamix blender to get the smoothest sauce.
How to make red chicken enchiladas:
You can use either corn or flour tortillas to make these Red Chicken Enchiladas. Corn tortillas are more authentic and widely used in Mexico. People who are on a gluten-free diet love to use them in enchiladas. You may also use flour enchiladas which tend to have a milder flavor and a slightly softer texture. If you use corn tortillas, soften them before rolling them into enchiladas by wrapping a stack of corn tortillas in a damp paper towel or tea towel and heat in the microwave for 60 seconds.
Bring on the cheese! Ooey gooey melted cheese is heavenly in these Red Chicken Enchiladas. Mexican cheeses, sharp cheddar, or monterey jack work wonders in these enchiladas.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):
You might be drowning your enchiladas with sauce, which could cause them to be too soggy. Just try to cover the enchiladas with sauce (you can still be generous!) and not coat them or completely soak them.
Your corn tortillas may be too dry, causing them to tear or fall apart. You can wrap them in a damp paper towel or clean kitchen cloth and microwave for 60 seconds, which can help hydrate the tortillas a bit. You can also spray with a little bit of water right before wrapping them.
No, the sauce should cover the bottom of the dish and prevent the tortillas from getting stuck to the pan. No need to grease the pan! My favorite pan to use is my Emile Henry 9×13 baking dish!
I use a mix! I generally use both Mexican blend and cheddar cheese, but I also have loved trying this with Monterrey jack or another sharp cheddar, white or orange. I would just not recommend doing only cheddar because it could be too oily.
What sides go with these Enchiladas?
Spanish Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice
Homemade Restaurant Style Salsa
More Enchilada Recipes:
Storage:
Fridge:
Store in a covered container for up to 3–4 days. Keep toppings separate.
Freezer:
Freeze (without toppings) for up to 2–3 months in an airtight container.
Reheat:
Warm in the oven at 350°F until heated through, or microwave in short intervals. Add extra sauce if needed to keep them from drying out.
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Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce
Ingredients
Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons Oil
- 1 Onion chopped
- (1) 15-ounce can Tomato Sauce all-natural, no spices added
- 1 1/4 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder may use a mix of different types of chili powders
- 2 teaspoons Cumin Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- Salt to taste
Enchiladas:
- 4 cups Shredded Chicken from a rotisserie chicken or 4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 2 cups Mexican Cheese Blend
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese
- 10-12 Corn or Flour Tortillas
Garnish:
- Mexican Crema
- Cilantro
- Avocado
- Jalapenos
Instructions
- In a medium pot, saute onion in oil over medium heat until onion is soft, about 7-8 minutes.
- Stir in tomato sauce, chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, Mexican oregano, and garlic powder.
- Cook for 20 minutes until it starts to thicken and reduce. Carefully puree in a blender or with an immersion blender.
- If cooking chicken, place chicken in a pot. Generously season with salt and pepper. Add enough water to cover the chicken by 2 inches. Bring to a gentle boil and then reduce heat and cover. Let cook for approximately 10 – 12 minutes or until no longer pink. Set aside to cool and shred.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- If using corn tortillas, heat in microwave for 60 seconds by wrapping stack of tortillas with a damp paper towel or tea towel. This helps to make the tortillas more pliable and easy to roll up.
- Pour 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce over shredded chicken to season it.
- Pour another 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in bottom of baking dish. Place chicken in center of each corn or flour tortilla and top with shredded cheese. Roll up and place seam down in a pan. Repeat. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over enchiladas and remaining 2 cups of shredded cheese.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Top with sour cream or Mexican crema, cilantro, avocado, and jalapenos (if desired)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Happy Cooking, my friends!
Three out of three grandsons loved these enchiladas! It was definitely worth making the sauce!
These were excellent! Can these be frozen after being baked?
HI Sandy! You can definitely freeze these enchiladas in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
These enchiladas were amazing !! Definitely a new fav! The homemade sauce was incredible and so easy to make as well
Made these last night….amazing! The enchilada sauce was the bomb!
This is absolutely delicious!! I made it with ground lean beef and I will never buy enchilada sauce again! It is amazing! I did quickly fry the corn tortillas, 10 seconds on each side and drained on paper towels. I put the shredded Mexican cheese, a little on top of each ground beef and when I was finished put the remainder on top with the 2 cups of sharp shredded cheese. Yum!!!!