Enchiladas Rojas

Total Time Prep: 55 min. Bake: 40 min.
Yield 5 servings
Test Kitchen Approved
Slathered with a well-seasoned red chile sauce, tortilla-wrapped enchiladas rojas stuffed with chicken make an exceptionally flavorful meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
  • 3/4 pound shredded rotisserie chicken
  • SAUCE:
  • Boiling water
  • 2 dried guajillo chiles
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
  • 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 10 flour tortillas (6 inches), warmed
  • 2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, divided
  • Optional toppings: Halved grape tomatoes, minced fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeno peppers, chopped red onion and cubed avocado

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook onion in oil over medium heat until tender, 4-5 minutes. Stir in flour and seasonings. Add tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Stir in chicken until coated.
  2. For the sauce, pour boiling water over dried chiles to cover; let stand 15 minutes. Drain; lightly chop.
  3. In a saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and jalapeno; cook and stir 1 minute or until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually whisk in broth. Add rehydrated chiles. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and seasonings. Puree sauce using an immersion blender.
  4. Pour 1-1/2 cups sauce into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Place about 1/4 cup chicken mixture off-center on each tortilla; top with 1-2 tablespoons cheese. Roll up and place over sauce, seam side down. Top with remaining sauce.
  5. Bake, covered, until heated through, 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes longer. Serve with toppings as desired.

Nutrition Facts

2 enchiladas: 744 calories, 39g fat (21g saturated fat), 133mg cholesterol, 2436mg sodium, 59g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 6g fiber), 40g protein.

Enchiladas rojas, or red enchiladas, are the spicy version of this popular Mexican cuisine. Savory chicken is wrapped into individual tortillas and then covered in a sauce made with Guajillo chiles, jalapenos and cumin for some heat. —Margaret Knoebel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Recipe Creator

© 2026 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC