The Best Red Sauce Chicken Enchiladas
These easy and flavorful enchiladas are seriously the best red sauce chicken enchiladas on the planet. Simple pantry ingredients for a fantastic result!
I have to admit that when it comes to enchiladas (and actually, usually pasta, too), I’m often team white sauce.
These white sauce green chile chicken enchiladas are some of my favorite enchiladas ever. There was even a time in my life when I thought red sauce chicken enchiladas really didn’t deserve my time or attention.
All that changed when I made these red sauce chicken enchiladas. {Now’s the time to say: I’m sorry for my enchilada narrow mindedness.}
Wow, they are so good. Like, life changing good. And delicious enough to get me to admit that I’d be just as happy to see these on the table as I would my favorite white sauce enchiladas. I know. This is huge.
Everyone is allowed their personal enchilada opinions. And we can still be friends if you are team white sauce forever. But if you’ve been looking for the best red sauce chicken enchiladas, I can assure you, these are the ones.
Flavorful without being fussy
Even though they are made from-scratch, they don’t take all day to make. And they don’t require any hard-to-find ingredients. Pantry staples. Fantastic results.
The cooking process is simple and relatively quick as you build layers of flavor.
First, onions and jalapeños cook together until tender (I give some notes in the recipe about spiciness – even with the jalapeño, it’s not an overly spicy dish). Chili powder, a bit of sugar, cumin and garlic are added, and the mixture cooks for just a minute or two. Your house is going to start smelling amazing.
Add tomato sauce and water to that delectable spice/onion mixture. You are basically making your own homemade enchilada sauce. It is crazy delicious.
The chicken nestles right into the sauce and cooks, covered, for a few minutes until tender and juicy. Don’t overcook the chicken! It’ll be tough and rubbery if you do. And you’ll be sad and then I’ll be sad. Chicken usually doesn’t take quite as long to cook as some people think. For thicker chicken breasts, you’re probably looking at 12 minutes or so and a few minutes less for thin cut chicken.
Can beef sub in for chicken?
That’s a great question. I have never tried it in this recipe (probably because I’m a devout fan of these slow cooker shredded beef enchiladas), but I’m guessing it will work just fine. Beef will need a longer cooking time, and the cut of meat will be important to ensure tenderness and not toughness. You could probably use ground beef, too – just cook it in a skillet on its own instead of in the sauce.
After the chicken cooks, pull it out with tongs and let it rest on a plate or in a dish for a few minutes while you strain the sauce.
You’re going to use both the sauce and the onion mixture, so don’t discard either. Press on the solids to get as much flavorful sauce into the bowl as you can.
The onion mixture gets tossed with the shredded chicken, cilantro and cheese. It may not look like much, but it is so, so good. Seriously, at this point, it’s almost beyond my self-control not to eat this entire bowl before it is even rolled up in enchiladas.
Which makes me think it would be fantastic in burritos, quesadillas or even on a salad.
Corn tortillas vs Flour tortillas
You can use either corn or flour tortillas in these enchiladas. I use both and love both. It really does boil down to taste preference. The corn tortillas don’t get quite as soft while baking – they retain more of an al dente, firmer texture.
If using corn tortillas, it’s really important to warm them slightly before using – either in a skillet or in the microwave (I cover with a damp paper towel so they don’t dry out). Otherwise, they have a tendency to crack. My favorite corn tortillas are the Tortilla Land ones that you quick skillet-cook before using. They aren’t dry like a lot of store bought corn tortillas and don’t crack as much (especially if they are warm).
But flour tortillas work equally as well. I like to use 6-inch tortillas or thereabouts for these enchiladas.
Twelve little enchiladas packed in a dish all ready to get smothered in sauce and cheese. Talk about a good life.
The strained sauce goes over the top followed by the cheese. I use a blend of Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar. You guys know I have to go here: if you can, grate the cheese from a block vs buying pre-shredded. It will melt worlds better (pre-shredded cheese is coated with a powdery substance that makes it melt less well).
I feel like right now would be a good time to post a selfie in my t-shirt that says: I Shred My Own Cheese, Dang It, And So Should You. (Not a joke, I legit have a shirt that says that thanks to a hilarious friend who dropped it by after my last diatribe about grating your own cheese.)
Those glorious saucy, cheese-smothered enchiladas get baked for 20-30 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Yum.
Let them rest just a few minutes and then dig in. They are fabulous served with lime wedges, avocados, fresh cilantro, sour cream, salsa. Or…just plain and simple. The flavor is out of this world delicious.
Enchiladas certainly aren’t the prettiest things to eat. They’re a little messy. A little down to earth. A little all over the place. Kind of like me, come to think of it.
But man, they sure are delicious.
Make-Ahead or Freezer Meal
This recipe converts great to a make-ahead or freezer meal. The enchiladas can be made and assembled up to 24 hours in advance. Cover, refrigerate, and then bake per the recipe (maybe adding a few extra minutes to account for them being a lil’ bit chilly). They can also be covered with a double layer of foil and frozen for a month or so. You can thaw them in advance of baking or bake from frozen (see the notes of the recipe for details).
Making ahead of time and/or freezing means the tortillas will probably be slightly softer after baking, but it’s not a deal breaker to us. We love them so much.
The search is over
I first posted this recipe way back in 2011, and eight years later, they’re still a huge favorite. I’ve never even branched out to another red sauce enchilada recipe since then, that’s how much I love them. Some may question my sanity at times (myself, included), but never, ever question my loyalty to recipes that become tried-and-true favorites.
I know I’m not the only one who has searched high and low for the best red sauce chicken enchiladas. If you’re in the same camp, I can’t wait for you to try this recipe.
What to Serve With This
- Mexican Chopped Salad or Mexican Street Corn Salad
- The Best Cornbread
- Garnishes such as lime wedges, cilantro, sour cream, extra cheese, or cherry tomatoes
One Year Ago: Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze
Two Years Ago: Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage
Three Years Ago: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
The Best Red Sauce Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, small diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated or brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 cans (8-ounces each) tomato sauce
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, (about 3 large chicken breasts)
- 1 cup (114 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup (114 g) shredded Monterey jack cheese
- ½ cup minced fresh cilantro
- 12 (6-inch) soft corn or flour tortillas, (fajita-size if using flour tortillas)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine the onion, jalapeno, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and oil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds or so. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a simmer.
- Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts you are using. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool slightly. Continue to simmer the sauce over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture with a spoon or spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
- Transfer the leftover onion mixture from the strainer to a large bowl and set aside. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the onion mixture in the large bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved enchilada sauce, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese and the cilantro. Toss to combine.
- Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap or damp paper towels. Microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds. Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
- Remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes, until the cheese browns. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, additional cilantro, if desired.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from Pink Parsley, originally from America’s Test Kitchen
Recipe originally posted September 2011; updated October 2019 with new photos, commentary, recipe notes.
To keep tortillas from splitting and tearing, I always microwave a stack of them between 2 damp paper towels (one on top and on bottom) and it softens them without drying this out. Hope this helps!
Made these last night and they were a hit! Leftovers were even tastier today. Love that the chicken cooks in the sauce. I omitted the jalepeno since my kids don’t love spicy and used corn tortillas. Corn tortillas are the way to go with this delicious dinner. Thanks for another staple for my family. We have now converted to red because green is normally all we eat and now I can mix it up a bit. Thanks, Mel! Great recipe!
Delicious. I usually cook green chili and sour cream chicken enchiladas. My family loves them, but I have been in the mood for red enchiladas. This recipe was awesome. We ate them. They were different than what we usually have in AZ and I loved it. I didn’t have cumin on hand, but they were great anywas. My new red enchilada favorite.
I made this recipe tonight with rave reviews from my family! I made one pan of corn and one pan of flour… my husband and daughter voted for the flour but I loved the corn..so authentic!! Thank you for this recipe, I too had stopped making enchiladas because the canned sauce was terrible. I am so excited to be able to add it back to my regular rotation for the fall and winter! I also made your buttermilk banana bread…I will let you know how we like it but it looks and smells fabulous!
Made these tonight and they were perfect. Hubby loved them. Even the pickiest eater in the world ate them. (Amazing!!!) And the 6 year old asked for seconds. I did make a few minor changes: I used green pepper instead of jalapeno, and I left the strained onions and peppers out of the chicken mixture. For me, it was perfect. I don’t like a lot of heat. But thank you, thank you for posting this. It was just what I’ve been looking for!
whenever it’s an option, i go for the christmas enchilada plate, as i like both red and green sauces equally. long live the enchilada indeed!
I made these for dinner tonight. So. Good. The roommate kept exclaiming it with every bite. I left out the garlic, used tomato puree instead of sauce (no garlic), and soy cheese, and it was fabulous! Thank you so much for the recipe! It’s a keeper!
Definitely the best enchiladas I’ve ever made. Not too spicy but packed with flavor. Corn tortillas are a must. Delish. Thanks Mel.
Made these last night and they were fantastic! I too never make enchiladas with red sauce cause I can’t find one that I like. Definitely a keeper!
I have never had a red chicken enchilada, we always do red with beef. I can’t wait to give this a try. The only enchiladas I haven’t been a fan of are the ones people make with hamburger and cream of crap soup…ick!
Good grief these look beyond fabulous! What a brilliant recipe, one of a crazy amount on your site 🙂
My suggestion for a sub for jalepenos, would be Anaheim green chilies, or pasila (not sure I have the correct spelling on that one) as they are not quite as spicy as the famed jalepeno. The same rule of thumb also goes here to lessen any heat to remove the seeds and the membrane (especially as that is where most the heat is from).
A thought about corn tortillas that crack, if the microwave method doesnt work, try lightly coating with a pastry brush each tortilla with oil-very lightly- and warm them on a skillet. I stack 2-3 at a time and turn over swapping the center ones to the heat etc. This softens them and gives them a bit of flavor as well, but not overly oily.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Many of the ingredients in other enchilada sauce recipes just aren’t readily available and/or are very expensive down here in New Zealand. I prefer to cook from scratch and I can so easily work with your recipe – though I wont be using cilantro as sadly I can’t stand the taste (my sister inherited the “cilantro enjoyment taste gene”, but not me).
I’ve bookmarked this recipe and just happen to have a packet of decent corn tortilla lurking in the freezer 😀
I can’t stand canned enchilada sauce so I usually make creamy green chile enchiladas. Made these for dinner tonight. YUMMM…they were great! My 2 year-old helped me wrap the enchiladas and she had a hard time taking a break from scarfing the shredded chicken/cheese mixture to scoop it onto the tortillas for me. And she usually doesn’t like chicken. My sauce was a little too thick because I used extra tough chicken that had to simmer for a loooong time. I should have added a little water to compensate for my extra-long simmer time. Because of that the enchiladas were a little drier than I like them, but still fantastic. Thanks for the tasty recipe!
I have been waiting for this recipe my whole life. Maybe not my whole life, but pretty darn near. I made it tonight, and WOW. I was honestly drinking the sauce from the bottom of the pan. My only mild complaint was how long it took to make. Maybe it’s because I used large bone-in breasts, but the chicken took 45 minutes to cook in the sauce. Next time I plan to use smaller breasts, and maybe even cut them in half to speed up the process. But otherwise it was just phenomenal. Thank you again for the continued tastiness!
This were so good..i could drink the sauce by itself!! very addictive flavor… Next time will make with corn, though. The flour tortillas were a little too soft.
The HEB near me has a combination flour and corn tortilla that I use. They taste like corn, but don’t break.
Sounds similar to the ones at Trader Joe’s which we love!
I made these last night and they were fantastic! I substituted green chiles for the jalapeños. It gave them a kick, without being too spicy (because we are wimps). I have been making things from your site for a few months and everything has turned out wonderfully! Thank you so much for sharing with us!
These were the best enchiladas I’ve ever made! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! You photo alone was a quick sell – gorgeous shot!
Super fabuloso! I doubled the recipe–however, I am sad to report that there is not enough for leftovers for tomorrow. I guess I am going to have to make dinner again tomorrow night. 🙂
These look and sound great! I can’t wait to try them out. Also can’t wait to try the creamy green chile ones. Yum 🙂
What can I substitute for the jalapeno? (and still have it taste like it’s suppose to but not spicy).
Marie – there really isn’t anything to sub for the jalapeno and have the sauce taste exactly the same. The sauce isn’t overly spicy – the jalapeno offers flavor but not heat, especially if you take out the seeds and membrane, but if you really don’t want to use it, simply leave it out.
These are incredibly tasty! Both my husband and I woke up thinking about them! And can’t wait for lunch to enjoy them again. If there is anything we love in our house it’s enchiladas! We made it Mexican night and made this dish with beans, salad and Sangria with limes, delicioso!
These look incredible! I’ve been searching for a great enchilada recipe!
I am always in the mood for enchiladas! They look great!
Keep the delicious recipes coming! I’ve made the Cuban street tacos several times and this recipe is going on my menu for next week. I am SO happy for all these fresh, tasty ideas.
These were wonderful! Thanks for sharing your yummy recipe.
I made these last night, and my quest for yummy red enchiladas is over! Like you, I had just about given up because of my dislike for canned sauce. Even my pickiest eater loved these, and suggested we have them more often. I loved the sauce which was perfectly delicious and didn’t drown out the other flavors. Thanks once again for a yummy dinner!
I was trying to decided from your picture but couldn’t tell for sure-do you use corn or flour tortillas when you make these?
Brittany – I’ve made them both ways but in the picture, they are flour tortillas. My husband isn’t a fan of corn tortillas. I am. So 50% of the time I make enchiladas with corn and 50% with flour. They are delicious either way.
Looks good. I will have to try this. This Texas girl loves a good enchilada!
So completely fabulous. We made these for dinner tonight and will be making them again soon. (I’m presently wondering if tomorrow is too soon.) We used Ancho pepper for the chili powder and served it with fresh corn. Also, I had pepper jack cheese instead of the Monterey Jack.
There’s just something about enchiladas that gets me every time. Love these!
My roommate and I were literally talking yesterday about making some homemade chicken enchiladas! This recipe is so incredibly timely! I have an allergy to garlic, so making homemade sauces is critical in our house. I’m definitely going to give this one a go! All those yummy flavors should hopefully mask the absence of the garlic. 🙂
Now not only do I love you, but my husband will love you now too 🙂
I’m such a dork, but this recipe really excited me. I’ve already put the ingredients on my list.
Somewhat of an enchilada snob too, but for me it’s about the tortillas…we prefer corn to flour for enchiladas. I can’t find a corn tortilla that becomes pliable enough to be rolled. I warm them in the micro as directed, but they always split and tear on me when I roll them. Any tips??
Brenda – the few times I’ve had success with corn tortillas are the times I’ve bought them from the local Mexican grocery store. They make them fresh every day and they are fantastic. You might check out any potential local Mexican grocery stores to see if they offer the same thing.
I dredge the tortillas (corn or flour) in a bit of the the enchilada sauce (in a pie plate) and briefly cook them on each side tip slightly browned. Stack them tip they are all cooked and fill them after . Perfect every time.
Mmm! I also stumbled across your site while looking for canned ‘cream of whatever’ subsitutes. Thank goodness! I’ve got 4 little ones (2 are twins) and all your yummy posts have renewed my love (and determination) of cooking. 🙂
Just one question: do you think the jarred jalapenos would work in this? I recall seeing a previous post that used them, and if they work for multiple recipes I would totally go grab a jar, as I don’t keep fresh ones on hand . . . yet. Thanks again for everything Mel!
Hi Julia – yes, I think the jarred jalapenos would work fine in this recipe (take care of the seeds in the jarred ones – they can add more spice than if you seed the fresh jalapeno yourself). Good luck!
Hey Mel, these enchiladas look delicious! Last year I found out that I’m allergic to gluten and soy which, as you probably know, excludes me from being able to eat practically anything processed. This website has been such a blessing because I can make tasty meals for my family without using a can of cream of ???? soup or canned enchilada sauce. I just wanted to thank you so much for your recipes and hard work, and wanted to make sure you knew that our family has certainly been blessed through your efforts. Thank you!
Oh how I’d love to have these on my table tonight! Delivery perhaps?
THIS. IS. PERFECT! I was planning on making enchiladas tonight for dinner! Now I can’t wait!
I can’t wait to try this recipe!! I have a large family..will doubling the recipe work? I’ve doubled some recipes before and they don’t work out as expected. I love everything you share!
Sara Q. – I’ve never doubled this recipe but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work (it makes quite a bit of sauce so you might get away with 1 1/2-ing the sauce and doubling everything else).
These look delicious! Can’t wait to try them 🙂 I too am a red sauce snob, and I have to share this recipe I got from a beautiful old Mexican lady in our church years ago. It’s simple and we use it all the time:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup oil
4 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
Brown the flour in a plain skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. Add butter and oil, stir until absorbed. Pour in chicken broth, stir. Then and cumin and chili powder and stir until thick.
You should also try the ATK version BEEF enchiladas. They are so delicious, and reheat great, too. I’m going to try this chicken version, for sure!
Since finding your honely lime enchiladas we rarely even think about making any other type! We just might have to give these a try.
I love red enchiladas, but have never been able to do a from scratch sauce that I’ve liked. I have got to try this!!
I have been looking for a good homemade enchilada sauce recipe! How timely your post is! 🙂 I was just wondering one thing… do you thicken your sauce at all? Adding cornstarch to the 1 c. water before mixing it in? It seems like it would be so runny, otherwise… I appreciate your feedback! We love your site! Your tastes/recipes align with ours, so your website is a go-to for us! 🙂
Lindsay – I make the sauce according to the recipe and it is on the thinner side but it didn’t bother us at all. Feel free to thicken if you want a thicker sauce, though.
Hi Mel! We moved back to Texas last month and I’m still waiting for the slow boat to bring the rest of my kitchen tools, but wanted to let you know this was the first recipe of yours I’ve concocted since I was in Taiwan and I’m so excited about it! The sauce is amazing and I’m a huge red sauce enchilada fan. Thanks for the inspiration! It’s 9:30 am here in Texas, and I’ve got lunch already whipped up.
I was just thinking I need a homemade red enchilada sauce recipe. Thanks! I LOVE all your recipes!
I am a red enchilada sauce snob, too! If you love this recipe, I know I will love it. It doesn’t hurt that it is an America’s Test Kitchen recipe, either. They are such a trusted source for recipes and techniques! Thanks for sharing, Mel!
So delish looking!
I am going to be trying these this week. My hubby has been craving enchiladas and these look like they will fit the bill. I haven’t made enchiladas in years either! It’s about time, I think! Thanks for posting this one!