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Easy Red Sauce Enchiladas

October 2, 2016 By Patrick 60 Comments

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This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas.  Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make.  Sound too good to be true?

Don’t let the simple ingredient list deceive you.   The combo of roasted tomatoes, cumin, and chipotles in adobo creates a where-have-you-been-all-my-life flavor that is far superior to anything you can get at your local Mexican joints.

This is Recipe #4 of our free Mexican Cooking guide that details 27 droolworthy Mexican recipes you can make from a simple, inexpensive pantry list. Click here to read it or go to the Survival Guide tab at the top of this page. Let me know what you think!

This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas. Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make. Sound too good to be true? mexicanplease.com

Red Sauce Enchiladas Recipe

First things first.  If you have enchilada sauce in a can somewhere in your pantry, start by placing that can at the very bottom of the nearest trash receptacle.

Then get three tomatoes roasting in the oven at 400F.

This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas. Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make. Sound too good to be true? mexicanplease.com

And saute 1/2 an onion and 3 garlic cloves in a dollop of oil.  You can chop roughly as all of this is going in the blender eventually.

This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas. Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make. Sound too good to be true? mexicanplease.com

You’ve got options for the chicken.  Rotisserie chicken will work if you want to streamline this recipe even further, or you can poach a chicken breast for 15-20 minutes in simmering water.  That’s what I did for this batch.

Okay, in about 10-15 minutes the tomatoes will be roasted ‘enough’.

This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas. Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make. Sound too good to be true? mexicanplease.com

Add them to the onions along with 3 chipotles in adobo, 1 Tablespoon adobo sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 1 cup stock, and some freshly ground pepper.

This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas. Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make. Sound too good to be true? mexicanplease.com

If you’re new to chipotles in adobo you can find them in the Latin goods section of most grocery stores.

This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas. Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make. Sound too good to be true? mexicanplease.com

1-2 Tablespoons of chili powder would be a viable substitute for the chipotles in adobo, but I think it’s worth it to keep a few cans of the chipotles in adobo on hand for recipes like this one.   They create a rich, complex flavor that is hard to duplicate.

After the mixture comes to a uniform temp (2-3 minutes), add it to a blender and combine well.  Return to saucepan and simmer on mediumish heat.

This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas. Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make. Sound too good to be true? mexicanplease.com

Take a taste for seasoning.  For this batch I added another pinch of salt and another pinch of oregano.

Also note that using 3 chipotles in adobo creates some real heat.  If you want a less spicy dish you can dial back and use only 1 or 2 chipotles.

After warming up the tortillas (I used the oven for a couple minutes), add a dollop of the enchilada sauce to a plate.  Dredge a tortilla in it and flip.  This ensures you have some of the delish sauce inside each enchilada.  Fill with chicken, cheese, and a few bits of raw onion.

This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas. Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make. Sound too good to be true? mexicanplease.com

Roll tight and place on a baking dish.  You can line the bottom of the baking dish with some enchilada sauce to prevent sticking if you want.

Cover the enchiladas with the remaining sauce and give ’em a jiggle so the sauce seeps in between them.

This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas. Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make. Sound too good to be true? mexicanplease.com

Bake at 400F for 8-10 minutes, or until you can’t wait anymore.

You’ve got lots of choices for garnish.   Of course, it’s tough to beat some Mexican Crema and a sprinking of Cotija cheese.  (What is Cotija Cheese?)

red-sauce-enchiladas-with-crema-and-cotija-sheetpan

Mexican Rice and a basic Guacamole also work really well with the flavor of this dish.

This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas. Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make. Sound too good to be true? mexicanplease.com

So good!

Please oh please give these Red Sauce Enchiladas a try if you’ve never made your own enchilada sauce before.  By keeping just a few ingredients on hand you’ll always have the option of eating the best Mexican food in town in less than 30 minutes.

Buen Provecho.

This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas. Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make. Sound too good to be true? mexicanplease.com

This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas. Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make. Sound too good to be true? mexicanplease.com

Easy Red Sauce Enchiladas

This is my go-to recipe for red sauce enchiladas. Fast, incredible flavor, and stress free to make. You might even have all the ingredients on hand already.
4.39 from 18 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 690kcal
Author: Patrick Calhoun | Mexican Please

Ingredients

  • 3 tomatoes
  • 1/2 onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 3 chipotles in adobo
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
  • 1 cup stock (or water)
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • oil
  • 1 chicken breast
  • 8-10 corn tortillas
  • Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
  • Crema (optional)
  • Cotija cheese (optional)
  • Basic Guacamole (optional)

Instructions

  • Start by roasting 3 tomatoes in the oven at 400F.
  • If you are poaching the chicken, cover the chicken breast with cold water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and let cook until the chicken is no longer pink inside, approx. 20 minutes. You can also add salt, onion, and cilantro to the simmering water for a hint of additional flavor.  Once cooked, set aside to cool and then shred using two forks. 
  • Saute a roughly chopped 1/2 onion and 3 whole, peeled garlic cloves in a dollop of oil over medium heat.
  • Add the roasted tomatoes to the onions and garlic, along with 3 chipotles in adobo, 1 Tablespoon adobo sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 1 cup stock (or water), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes and then add it to a blender.  Blend well and return to the saucepan.  Taste for seasoning. ( I added additional pinches of salt and oregano to this batch).  Let simmer for 5-10 minutes on mediumish heat.
  • Meanwhile, heat up 8-10 corn tortillas.  I covered them with damp paper towels and nuked them for 60 seconds. 
  • Add a dollop of the enchilada sauce to a plate. Dredge a tortilla in the sauce and flip.  Fill with shredded chicken, chunks of cheese, and some bits of finely chopped raw onion.  Roll tight and place on a baking dish seam side down. You can line the baking dish with enchilada sauce to prevent sticking.
  • Continue rolling the enchiladas until all the chicken is gone. A single chicken breast will make 7-9 enchiladas.  Cover the enchiladas with the remaining sauce and give them a jiggle.
  • Bake at 400F for 8-10 minutes
  • Serve immediately with your choice of Crema, Cotija cheese, Arroz Rojo, and Guacamole.

Notes

Mexican oregano works really well in this dish so use that if you have some, but you will still get a great result without it.
I used a homemade chicken stock but virtually any stock (or even water) would work for this dish.
Be sure to warm up the tortillas before building the enchiladas. This makes them easier to roll. 
Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

P.S. Once you are comfortable making enchiladas in this style you can swap out some ingredients to make our Colorado Enchiladas and Enchiladas Suizas.

 

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Filed Under: Enchiladas, Main Dish, Most Popular, Most Recent

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anne

    February 2, 2022 at 6:07 pm

    5 stars
    Love this sauce. I learned the first time not to use three peppers, tad too hot for us. Also, fresh garden grown tomatoes are much better than the store bought ones I have to use this time of year. This is my go to source for trying new Mx recipes! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Patrick

      February 4, 2022 at 7:49 pm

      Thanks Anne, glad you’ve added this one to your kitchen arsenal. Cheers.

      Reply
  2. Guido

    January 1, 2022 at 10:13 am

    5 stars
    This is so great! Love how quick this is. Like a simple version of a tinga sauce! Only problem is that people expect you to share

    Reply
    • Patrick

      January 7, 2022 at 12:38 pm

      Ha yes I have the same problem 🙂

      Reply
  3. Norma Clough

    August 18, 2021 at 7:15 pm

    5 stars
    This is my go to recipe for a delicious enchilada red sauce! So happy to find the Chipotles in Adodo are now available in a jar too. Thanks for the great recipes! I’ve loved every one I’ve tried so far.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      August 20, 2021 at 2:17 pm

      Thanks much Norma, so glad you are finding some keepers on my site! Cheers.

      Reply
  4. Joe Kenady

    July 21, 2021 at 4:31 pm

    5 stars
    This is real “bang for the effort”. Easy to make and the richness and layering of flavors makes me look like a good cook. lol

    Reply
    • Patrick

      July 23, 2021 at 11:31 am

      Hey thanks Joe, that’s the idea 🙂

      Reply
  5. Carol

    April 22, 2021 at 4:29 pm

    5 stars
    Really good and tasty. I’ll be making this one again and again.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      April 23, 2021 at 12:38 pm

      Thanks Carol!

      Reply
  6. Aimee

    October 28, 2020 at 10:16 am

    5 stars
    Was so easy to make except I heated the tortilla and put the red sauce on them and then the filling but when I went to roll them the tortillas broke. Ended up using a couple flour tortilla instead.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      October 28, 2020 at 2:11 pm

      Thanks much for your note Aimee! That cracking when you roll them is usually a good litmus test for store-bought corn tortillas — seems like some brands are just less flexible and more prone to cracking. If you’re in a pinch and find you have to use that brand again, try covering them with a damp paper towel and nuking them for a minute or so — this adds some moisture back to the tortillas and will sometimes save them. Cheers.

      Reply
    • Erik M

      January 12, 2021 at 10:12 am

      simply put the tortillas (after cooking them in a non-stick pan [no oils]) in a tortilla warmer or wrapped in paper towels for 10 min. this will steam them and make them more flexible.

      Reply
  7. S Brown

    October 28, 2020 at 10:04 am

    Hi there – about to try this recipe, but I have a question . . . my first time at roasting tomatoes – do I peel them after roasting (before adding to sauteed onion)? Any other tips with tomatoes?

    Reply
    • Patrick

      October 28, 2020 at 2:15 pm

      Hey S! After roasting the tomatoes you can use them as is, no need to peel them. I also usually de-stem the tomatoes before roasting, knowing that I’ll be using any juices leftover in the roasting pan by dumping them into the sauce 🙂 Cheers.

      Reply
  8. Bobbi Burk

    October 26, 2020 at 1:12 pm

    5 stars
    Beyond excellent and super easy and restaurant quality. I did use the chipotles in adobo but added a 1/4 tsp chili powder as well. I actually had to double the recipes for a full casserole size dish but that’s only because we love left overs. One other thing is that I had chicken breasts on hand and poached them in chicken broth for extra flavor.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      October 26, 2020 at 1:59 pm

      Hey thanks much for mentioning your adjustments Bobbi, glad this one was a hit for you! Cheers.

      Reply
  9. Tim

    September 15, 2020 at 8:44 am

    5 stars
    Wow! The family devoured a double recipe in one day (teenagers). Have been told to add this to the list of favourites.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      September 15, 2020 at 2:19 pm

      Hey Tim thanks for letting me know, so glad this one was a hit with the fam! Cheers.

      Reply
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