Chicken Tinga Enchiladas

If you're a fan of the Tinga Tostadas from a few weeks ago then you can easily use that Tinga flavor to make a wicked batch of enchiladas.

I used chicken for this batch but feel free to get creative with the protein choice as it's the Tinga sauce that's the star attraction here.

You've also got choices on how you put your enchiladas together.  Hungry stomachs will sometimes make all the decisions for you, but it's good to keep the other options in mind for days when you have time to experiment.

A traditional batch of enchiladas will give the tortillas a quick fry before rolling them up, then baking them for a few minutes and adding the sauce at the end.

Frying the tortillas gives them a tasty bump in flavor and creates a barrier that prevents them from absorbing too much sauce and getting mushy.  It also makes them more pliable and easier to roll up.

That's your first option and that's how we're making them today.

Option #2 skips the tortilla frying.   You can just warm up the tortillas in the oven, roll up the enchiladas, drench them in sauce and give 'em a few minutes in the oven.

This Express version can be just as tasty, but sometimes the tortillas will absorb so much sauce that they get mushy.   This seems to happen more often with cheaper, store-bought tortillas.

So which method is better?  Or more accurately, how hungry are you?

I use both methods and recommend an occasional experiment to find out which one fits your palate best.   Check out this Ancho Enchiladas recipe to see a tasty example of Option #2.

But we're going old school today and that means giving the tortillas a quick fry in a thin layer of oil.

You don't need much oil, maybe 1/4" or so, and once it's up to frying temp (usually just over medium setting on my stove) then give the tortillas about 5-10 seconds per side in the hot oil, or until they are just starting to crisp up.   Tongs work well here as it's better to be far away from the sizzling hot oil.

Once fried you can set the tortillas aside to drain on some paper towels.

I also brined the chicken breast for this batch, but that's definitely optional -- you can cook the chicken however you see fit as the Tinga flava trumps everything.

Brining gives the chicken a welcome bump in flavor, but it does add another half hour to the recipe.   Simply dissolve 1/4 cup Kosher or sea salt in a quart of water, add the chicken breast, and brine in the fridge for 30 minutes or so.

Note that a single chicken breast is usually enough for 7-8 enchiladas, or two hungry peeps.

Since we are roasting the tomatoes and tomatillos for the Tinga sauce, I went ahead and baked the chicken breast along with the veggies.   Everything on this baking sheet needs about 20 minutes in the oven.  New to tomatillos?  Read this.

I'll put full details for the Tinga sauce in the recipe box down below, but basically you are just adding the roasted tomatoes and tomatillos to a blender along with an onion-garlic mixture and some chipotles in adobo.

Combine well and then simmer over medium heat, adding the following ingredients:

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
pinch of cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup stock (optional)

The stock will thin out the sauce and add an additional layer of flavor for the enchiladas, but you can consider it optional.  I used this homemade chicken stock.

Be sure to give the Tinga sauce a final taste for seasoning.  You can always add more adobo sauce if you want more heat.  More info on working with chipotles in adobo. 

And now we're going to set most of the Tinga sauce aside in a bowl, but retain about 1/2 cup worth to combine with the shredded chicken.

Grab one of your (fried) tortillas and fill with:

the chicken mixture
plenty of cheese -- I used Jack
some finely diced raw onion
some awesome Pickled Serranos (optional)

Roll tight and place seam side down in a baking dish.  If you're not frying the tortillas you can add a thin layer of  Tinga sauce to the baking dish to prevent sticking.

Continue until you've used up all the chicken mixture -- that was 8 enchiladas for this batch.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted.

It will be tempting to drench them in the Tinga sauce before baking them, but when frying the tortillas I usually wait until after the bake -- this lets the enchiladas get slightly crispy in the oven.

Once baked, goop on the Tinga sauce and serve immediately.

You can garnish with your choice of Crema, Cotija cheese or Queso Fresco, and freshly chopped cilantro.

You should have plenty of Tinga sauce so feel free to slather it on each serving.

Yum!

It's such an easy way to make some quick enchiladas as the Tinga sauce is exploding with flavor and that will give you lots of flexibility on the innards and cooking style.

Okay, keep the two options in mind the next time you're craving enchiladas:

Option #1 fries the tortillas and adds the sauce at the end.  Frying the tortillas gives you a bump in flavor and prevents the tortillas from absorbing too much sauce.

Option #2 skips the frying and simply warms up the tortillas in the oven (or microwave) before rolling them.  I usually add the sauce for the bake when using this option.

Of course, a lot of it will depend on how much time you have (and your mood!) but both are good options to have in your arsenal.

Buen Provecho.

Scroll down for the recipe box, and feel free to use the comments section below if you have questions or want to leave feedback on this recipe.  For up-to-date recipes follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram. 

Our latest recipe is a batch of these delicious Calabacitas.