The Enchinchillada

Classic chicken enchiladas rojas, corn tortillas rolled around chile-braised chicken and baked under a blanket of melted cheese. Served with fresh guacamole, cool crema, and a lime wedge so every bite gets a little zip.

Serves 6 · as served on Bluesky ↗

The red sauce is where this one earns its keep — guajillo and ancho chiles toasted till the kitchen smells like a real taqueria, then soaked, blended smooth, and simmered down thick enough to cling to a tortilla instead of sliding off. I fry the corn tortillas quick in a little oil before dipping so they roll instead of cracking, that's the part nobody warns you about. Shredded chicken gets tossed right in that sauce before rolling, so the seasoning runs clear through and not just on top. Cheese goes on heavy and gets a proper long bake till it's bubbling gold at the edges. Fresh guacamole, a good zigzag of crema, a scatter of cilantro, and a lime wedge on the side round it out — daily care, just like the label says. Made a tray just like this for my sister-in-law Donna's baby shower and there wasn't a scrap left on the platter.

Ingredients

Fresh

• 3 piece garlic cloves
• 1 piece white onion (divided)
• 3 piece avocados (ripe)
• 2 piece limes (one juiced, one cut into wedges)
• 1 bunch cilantro (chopped, divided)
• 1 piece jalapeno (minced)

Fridge

• 1½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 cup shredded Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese
• ½ cup crema or sour cream (thinned with a splash of water)

Pantry

• 4 piece dried guajillo chiles (stemmed and seeded)
• 2 piece dried ancho chiles (stemmed and seeded)
• 2½ cup chicken broth (divided)
• 12 piece corn tortillas
• ½ cup vegetable oil (for softening tortillas)

Spice rack

• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• salt

Directions

1. Place the chicken thighs in a pot with half the white onion, one garlic clove, a big pinch of salt, and enough water to cover. Simmer until cooked through, then shred and set aside. ⏱ 20 min
2. Toast the guajillo chiles and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat, thirty seconds a side until fragrant, then soak them in the hot chicken broth until soft. ⏱ 15 min
3. Blend the softened chiles with their soaking broth, the remaining garlic, remaining onion, the cumin, and the oregano until smooth, then strain into a saucepan and simmer until thickened enough to coat a spoon. ⏱ 10 min
4. Toss the shredded chicken with about a third of the red sauce so it's seasoned all the way through.
5. Warm the vegetable oil in a skillet, quickly dip each corn tortilla to soften it, then dip it straight into the red sauce so both sides are coated.
6. Fill each tortilla with the sauced chicken, roll snug, and lay seam-side down in a greased baking dish.
7. Pour the remaining red sauce over the top, scatter on the shredded cheese, and bake at 375°F until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is golden at the edges. ⏱ 20 min
8. While that bakes, mash the avocados with the lime juice, the jalapeno, half the cilantro, and a pinch of salt for the guacamole.
9. Plate the enchiladas, zigzag the crema across the top, scatter the remaining cilantro, spoon on the guacamole, and finish with a lime wedge on the side.

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