The Best Pollo Rojo Enchiladas (Chicken Enchiladas with Red Chili Sauce)

You are about to enjoy chicken enchiladas in a whole new way when you try this delightful recipe.

I know it may seem easier to make enchiladas from the canned sauce that you can simply buy at the store, but trust me, you can’t get the kind of flavor that we have on offer here from a can.

Making enchiladas is something that I only got into as an adult. This dish was never a staple in my house when I was growing up. But it was a staple with my roommates in our apartment in Rome when we were studying abroad.

One of my roommates was a girl from Texas, and she knew how to make enchiladas like nobody else. Since we were in Rome, enchilada sauce wasn’t an ingredient that was easy to access.

So, the first time I tasted this dish, it was made completely from scratch.

I remember the moist chicken, the spicy sauce, and the cheesy topping like it was yesterday… We all gathered around for our first meal together and this is what she brought to the table.

From that night on, we begged her to cook whenever we were all planning to eat dinner together.

When I returned from Europe, I thought I would try my hand at making the dish for myself.

I’m not gonna lie – it was a total disaster.

I didn’t look up a recipe, because I thought I had watched her make them often enough to know what I was doing. The enchilada sauce was a premade one that I bought at the store, and I definitely underestimated how much I would need.

The result was a crusty burned top, with dry chicken and no flavor.

YUCK.

Ever since then, I have made my own from scratch no matter what. I make sure to take the time to create each of the elements carefully, with delicious results.

You can try to take a shortcut and doctor up a canned option, but I’ve found there’s really nothing you can do to make this dish as rich and flavorful as it is when you make your own.

This particular recipe is my favorite when it comes to making enchiladas entirely from scratch.

Of course, when I say entirely from scratch, I’m not implying that we are going to be making the tortillas by hand, or milking a cow to make the cheese… Just so we are clear, and I am not scaring each and every one of you off from the get-go (or inciting a comment war).

The sauce is made easily with a stunning combination of spices, bringing just enough heat to linger on the back of your tongue with every mouthful.

The chicken cooks in the liquid so that it really absorbs all that flavor, and stays nice and moist.

Finally, you fill tortillas, and top the casserole with more sauce and cheese. These baked enchiladas are pure deliciousness, and they will become a staple of your weekly dinner rotation after you make them for the first time.

It’s a great way to shake up a Taco Tuesday with something tasty, or to simply celebrate getting through the week.

Just make sure that you bring out the margaritas for added refreshment!

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Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Chop Vegetables, Mince Cilantro, and Measure Remaining Ingredients

To save some money as you shop for groceries, buy a whole chicken and learn how to break it down at home to get all the essential parts you need, like boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Peel the onion and finely chop it. Say goodbye to those onion slicing tears with our tips!

Seed the jalapenos and finely chop them. For a less spicy dish, you can remove the seeds.

Peel and mince both garlic cloves. I love to use my garlic press for this.

Mince enough cilantro leaves to have a lightly packed 1/2 cup, plus 2 teaspoons for garnish.

Measure out all of the remaining ingredients as listed on the ingredients list.

Preheat oven to 450˚F. Grease a 9×11-inch ceramic or metal baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2 – Make Sauce

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Once it’s hot, add the onion, jalapeno and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine, then cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, until softened. Stir the vegetable mixture occasionally.

Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar. Cook uncovered for 30 seconds, then stir in the tomato sauce and water.

Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 5 minutes.

Step 3 – Cook Chicken

Add the chicken breasts to the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the poultry is cooked through.

This will take about 12-20 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts. The chicken should register 160˚F internal temperature on a meat thermometer.

Remove chicken from the sauce and place it on a cutting board.

Step 4 – Finish Sauce

Strain the sauce into a large bowl through a fine mesh strainer. Press the solids down with the back of a spoon so all liquid is removed.

Transfer the solids to another large bowl and set aside.

Season the sauce with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Step 5 – Shred Chicken

Shred the chicken using two forks. Stir it into the solids in the large bowl.

Add 1/4 cup of the sauce, 1 cup shredded cheese, and 1/2 cup cilantro. Stir to combine.

Step 6 – Assemble

Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels. To make them pliable, warm them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.

Place one tortilla on a clean flat work surface. Add about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture into the center and roll up the tortilla. Place it seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.

Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken. Spray the tops of the tortillas lightly with cooking spray.

Step 7 – Bake

Bake for 5-7 minutes, until the tortillas are crunchy.

Remove from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 400˚F. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas to cover the tortillas completely, then sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an for additional 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving with a sprinkle of the remaining cilantro.