Recipe video above. If you like your enchiladas plump, juicy, saucy and full of flavour, this is the recipe for you! Homemade from scratch, the foundation of this recipe is a double duty Enchilada Spice mix.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Chicken enchiladas, Enchiladas
Servings: 8
Calories: 471cal
Author: Nagi
Ingredients
8tortillas, flour or corn (about 20cm/8" wide, Note 1)
1 cup (100g)cheeseshredded (Mexican cheese blend, Monterey Jack, cheddar)
Topping
1.5 cups (150g)cheese, shredded
2tbspcoriander/cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions
Enchilada Seasoning: Mix Enchilada Seasoning Spices. To be used for Filling and Sauce.
Enchilada Sauce
Make roux - Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir 20 seconds.
Add other ingredients - Add 2 tbsp Enchilada Seasoning, broth and tomato. Stir to combine.
Simmer to thicken - Increase heat slightly to medium high. Cook for 4 minutes, whisking regularly, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of thick syrup (see video). Remove from stove.
Chicken Filling
Coat chicken - Drizzle 1 tbsp oil over chicken, mix to coat. Sprinkle with Seasoning, toss to coat.
Cook chicken - Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chicken, cook 2 minutes. Turn and cook 1.5 minutes. Remove, rest 2 minutes then chop.
Saute onion - In the same skillet, add onion and garlic, cook 1 minute. Add capsicum, cook 2 minutes until onion is translucent.
Add everything else - Add refried beans, diced chicken, corn and water. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until reduces slightly. Should be thick and juicy, not watery.
Assemble and bake:
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
Roll - Lay tortilla on work surface. Spread 2/3 cup Filling on lower third, sprinkle with cheese then roll up, finishing with the seam side down (to hold it closed). Repeat to make 8.
Smear a scoop of Enchilada Sauce across base of 22 x 33cm /9 x 13" pan. Place Enchiladas in, pour over remaining Sauce, sprinkle with cheese.
Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Serve immediately, sprinkled with coriander!
Notes
1. Tortillas - I use flour tortillas as you can buy large ones that are pliable and easy to roll up without having to warm up.If you use corn or if the flour tortillas are a bit stiff, just warm them up slightly to make them pliable (10 seconds in the microwave does the trick).2. Chicken - I do this to make thin steaks so there's more surface area to coat in the spice mix!3. Refried beans - don't judge! It's a bit of a secret ingredient here, makes the burrito filling juicy and holds it together, rather than dry and crumbly (which too many burritos are!)It's essentially just mashed/pureed beans that are a staple in Mexican/Tex-Mex cooking. Sold in the Mexican section of grocery stores, also sometimes in the canned vegetables section.4. Tomato passatais often labelled "tomato puree" in the US and Canada.Tomato paste substitute - instead of using Passata, add 4 tbsp tomato paste PLUS 1 extra cup of broth/stock PLUS 1 tsp sugar.5. Storage: Cooked leftovers will keep for 4 days in the fridge.BEST way to freeze or refrigerate - keep sauce separate, then pour over and sprinkle with cheese just prior to baking. (Reason: tortillas absorb sauce) Thaw sauce then assemble (don't forget cheese!). Can bake from frozen (below).Fully assemble ahead - best way is to fully cool the sauce and the rolled up enchiladas (place them in the pan). THEn assemble. (Tortillas absorb far less sauce when both are cold). 95% as good as keeping separate.Bake from frozen - The enchiladas can be baked from frozen. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake 20 minutes at 180°C/350°F.If thawed, bake per recipe.6. Nutrition per enchilada. These are BIG and plump! I find that 1 1/2 fills me up!