Why are the simplest dishes always the most delicious? This is exactly how I feel about these enchiladas. They are easy, quick to make, use only a few ingredients and happen to be – hands down – my favorite thing to eat EVER.
The enchiladas themselves are very simple. They are a filled with delicious mixture of chicken, sautéed onion, chopped green chiles, black beans and shredded cheese. That is it! BUT where these enchiladas really get you is the sauce!
Your store-bought red enchilada sauce days are over my friends. This homemade red sauce is a breeze to make, calls for simple ingredients, and is SO delicious. Another plus? As if I need to convince you more, is that you can make one large batch at a time, use what you need and freeze the rest. Just let the sauce come to room temperature overnight in the refrigerator when you need to use it again.
The sauce can also be customized for your preference of spice level. I consider this sauce pretty mild, but if you are wary about the heat, begin with 4 tablespoons chili powder and add more from there once the sauce has reached a simmer. If you want it even spicier I would recommend adding in a few shakes of Tabasco, the hot sauce really adds an extra kick and blends perfectly with the sauce flavors. Play around with the spice level and do what tastes good to you!
- Enchiladas Ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded into small pieces
- salt and pepper
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 16 small flour tortillas
- 3 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese
- 1½ cups homemade red enchilada sauce
- Red Enchilada Sauce Ingredients:
- 4 Tbsp. canola oil
- 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 8 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. cumin
- ½ tsp. oregano
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- Red Enchilada Sauce Instructions:
- Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir together over the heat for one minute. Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano). Then gradually add in the stock, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until thick.
- Use immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to two weeks. You can also freeze any leftovers as well.
- Chicken Enchilada Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare your enchilada sauce, if making homemade. See recipe below.
- In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add green chiles and season with salt and pepper and saute for another 6-8 minutes. Add in shredded chicken then remove from heat and set aside.
- To assemble the enchiladas, you will need tortillas, enchilada sauce, beans, chicken/onion/green chili mixture and cheese. Lay out a tortilla, and spread one tablespoon of sauce over the surface of the tortilla. Add beans in a line down the middle of the tortilla, then add in a spoonful of the chicken mixture and top with a sprinkle of cheese. Roll up tortilla and place in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Then spread the remaining enchilada sauce on top of the tortillas (more sauce the better!) and sprinkle on the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately!
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