The Border Table · Research Edition
Chicken Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce
Roll warm corn tortillas around shredded chicken, cover them with a smooth guajillo-ancho sauce, and bake until the center is hot. A little melted cheese, white onion, and cilantro finish the plate.
Before you begin
Use chicken that is already fully cooked. If starting with raw chicken, cook it separately to 165°F (74°C) before shredding; that cooking time is not included here. Keep the cooked chicken refrigerated until assembly. Choose thin, pale white-corn tortillas that bend easily once warmed.
Make the enchiladas
- Soften the chiles. Warm a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Press each chile briefly against the pan, about 10 seconds per side, just until fragrant; do not blacken it. Cover the chiles with very hot water and soak for 15 minutes, until pliable. Drain and discard the soaking water.
- Build the sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the roughly chopped half onion and garlic for about 4 minutes, stirring, until softened without browning. Blend them with the drained chiles, 2 cups of the broth, oregano, and ½ teaspoon salt until smooth. Carefully press the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into the saucepan.
- Simmer and season. Simmer the strained sauce gently for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining ½ cup broth a little at a time until the sauce is pourable and coats a spoon; use more broth only if needed. Taste with a clean spoon and adjust the salt. Keep the sauce warm.
- Soften the tortillas. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread ½ cup sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Toss the fully cooked chicken with another ½ cup sauce. Warm the 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pass each tortilla through the warm oil for about 10 to 15 seconds per side, just until flexible, not crisp; drain briefly and keep the tortillas stacked under a clean towel.
- Roll and bake. Divide the chicken among the 12 tortillas (about ¼ cup each), roll, and place seam-side down in the dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the rolls, covering their surfaces, and scatter the cheese over the top. Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes, until bubbling and the center reaches 165°F (74°C) on a food thermometer. The time is a guide; check the temperature.
- Finish at the table. Let the dish stand for 5 minutes, then serve three enchiladas per person. Scatter the diced white onion and cilantro leaves over each plate just before serving.
What to watch for
If a tortilla cracks, warm it a little longer before rolling the next one; do not fry it until crisp. If the sauce becomes too thick to pour, stir in broth a tablespoon at a time. If a chile burns black during toasting, discard that chile rather than blending its bitter flavor into the sauce. The oven time is approximate; a thermometer decides when the center is ready.
Leftovers
Refrigerate within 2 hours in shallow containers (within 1 hour if the surroundings are above 90°F/32°C). Keep at 40°F (4°C) or below, use within 3 to 4 days, and reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C). USDA leftover guidance.
Understand it
Why warm the tortillas first?
A brief pass through warm oil makes a thin corn tortilla easier to bend before it goes under the sauce. Keep it soft, not crisp; the sauce and short bake finish the dish.
Choose the next plate
Prefer cheese at the center?
Texas Cheese Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce are a separate recipe: the filling is cheese and onion, and its sauce follows a different published source. For this plate, chicken remains the main filling.
Sources and method
How this edition was developed
This Research Edition is The Border Table’s original, untested home formula, developed by comparing published red-chile enchilada techniques. It is not a transcription or a claimed family, restaurant, or regional-origin recipe. The ingredient amounts, timing, and serving layout are editorial estimates; adjust by the visible cues and thermometer reading.
- Rick Bayless, Red Chile Enchiladas with Chicken and Melted Cheese — practitioner comparison for guajillo sauce, cooked-chicken filling, and corn-tortilla assembly; this page does not reproduce his formula.
- Pati Jinich, Miner-Style Enchiladas — practitioner comparison for briefly toasting and softening guajillo chiles before saucing tortillas; the filling and plate here are different.
- USDA FSIS temperature chart — poultry and casserole center temperature of 165°F.
- USDA FSIS leftover guidance — prompt chilling, 3-to-4-day refrigerated storage, and 165°F reheating.
Developed 7 October 2026. Tell us if something needs correcting.
