Straightforward Hen Enchiladas with Crimson Sauce — Restaurant High quality

Straightforward Hen Enchiladas with Crimson Sauce will delight your total household. Tacky, make-ahead, and so satisfying — no restaurant required!

Say hi there to certainly one of my very favourite household dinner recipes that’s not solely straightforward to assemble, however so scrumptious that I make a double batch every time I pull the recipe out.

Hiii, Straightforward Hen Enchiladas with Crimson Sauce!

Between my husband, three children, and myself, we simply end a full recipe, so the double batch turns out to be useful for having tasty leftovers for lunches later within the week.

This luscious hen dinner recipe is a STAPLE in our home!

Watch Tips on how to Make Them

Restaurant-Type Hen Enchiladas

The key to attaining restaurant-style hen enchiladas at house is to make use of selfmade purple enchilada sauce. Really, no store-bought sauce compares and, fortunate for you and me, selfmade purple enchilada sauce takes lower than 10 minutes to make with pantry staples.

Plus the sauce freezes superbly so you may multiply the recipe then inventory the freezer with pre-made, able to rock, selfmade enchilada sauce!

Components Wanted

For the Crimson Enchilada Sauce:

• Oil: vegetable oil or one other neutral-flavored cooking oil like avocado oil or canola oil is used to toast the dried seasonings.
• Flour: use a measure-for-measure / 1:1 gluten free flour versus a single-ingredient flour like coconut or almond flour. You should use all-purpose flour in the event you don’t must eat gluten free.
• Chili powder: use delicate chili powder to maintain this dish delicate/medium, or go together with scorching chili powder to spice issues up.
• Onion powder: lends onion taste with out having to chop an onion.
• Dried oregano: use dried oregano leaves vs floor dried oregano.
• Garlic powder: provides garlic taste with out having to peel then mince garlic.
• Cumin: for a touch of smoky taste.
• Tomato paste: provides that signature purple coloration and wealthy taste to the enchilada sauce.
• Hen broth: to create the sauce.
• Salt: a pinch to amplify all of the flavors.

For the Hen Enchiladas

• Shredded hen: prepare dinner then shred hen breast for the enchilada filling utilizing any technique you want. I’ve made this recipe utilizing all the things from Roast Hen (Costco Rotisserie Hen is a simple possibility!) to Crock Pot Salsa Hen, or shredded sauted or poached hen. Be happy to make use of hen thighs, or a combination of shredded thighs and hen breast.
• Corn tortillas: I like Mission model Tremendous Gentle Corn Tortillas, which are available in yellow or white corn — both is okay. You should use flour tortillas in the event you favor the style / texture and don’t must eat gluten free.
• Shredded Mexican cheese mix: is a mix of cheeses that soften and stretch just like the cheese does inside restaurant enchiladas.

The Tortilla Debate: Corn or Flour?

Even when I didn’t have Celiac Illness and must eat gluten free, I’d nonetheless use corn tortillas to make Hen Enchiladas. They develop into delicate and creamy draped with the selfmade purple sauce. Mmm!

Whereas corn tortillas are liable to cracking after rolling (try my suggestions under for serving to to stop this) you’ll by no means be capable of inform as soon as the enchiladas are lined in purple sauce and shredded cheese.

That stated, if the feel of corn tortillas simply isn’t for you, you should utilize your favourite flour-style tortilla on this recipe.

Greatest Cheese for Hen Enchiladas

Whereas cheese isn’t as central to this hen enchilada recipe as it’s to Cheese Enchiladas, I nonetheless suggest you employ a Mexican-style shredded cheese mix which is stuffed inside every enchilada with shredded hen, and sprinkled on high of the enchiladas earlier than baking.

These blends comprise the proper mixture of cheeses that each stretch and soften when scorching. Listed here are two blends to look out for (although there are heaps extra!):

1. Monterey Jack cheese, Asadero, Queso Quesadilla
2. Oaxaca and Asadero

What to Serve with Hen Enchiladas

Truthfully one of many explanation why I like making Hen Enchiladas for dinner is as a result of I can serve it with a easy facet salad and name it a day — or somewhat, dinner. That stated, these different recipes pair very effectively with enchiladas:

Okay, let’s get you some Hen Enchiladas!

Tips on how to Make Straightforward Hen Enchiladas

Step 1: Make the selfmade Crimson Enchilada Sauce

Warmth vegetable oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium warmth then whisk in flour and prepare dinner for 1 minute.

Add seasonings and spices then proceed to whisk till they’re toasted and aromatic however not burnt, ~30 seconds.

Lastly, whisk in tomato paste till easy then slowly pour in hen broth whereas whisking to create a easy sauce.

Improve the warmth to medium-high to deliver the sauce to a simmer, then flip the warmth right down to medium and proceed to simmer whereas stirring till the sauce has barely thickened, 1-2 minutes. Pour the sauce right into a glass measuring dish — ideally with a lip — then let the sauce cool barely. The sauce will proceed to thicken because it cools.

• Tip: make the purple enchilada sauce as much as 5 days forward of time. Retailer in an hermetic container within the fridge (glass really helpful as plastic will stain) then re-warm earlier than utilizing.

Step 2: Roll the Hen Enchiladas

Scoop 1/2 cup enchilada sauce into the underside of a 9×13″ nonstick sprayed baking dish then unfold it into a fair layer.

Subsequent, wrap half the tortillas in a moist paper towel then microwave for 30 seconds to heat them up — this helps forestall the tortillas from cracking. Don’t fear in the event that they nonetheless crack for the reason that enchiladas might be lined in sauce and cheese anyway.

One after the other, place a heat tortilla onto a clear, dry floor like a plate or slicing board then unfold shredded hen evenly throughout the middle. Prime with a sprinkling of shredded cheese then roll the tortilla and place seam-side down within the baking dish.

Repeat with the remaining components, warming the second batch of tortillas when wanted.

Step 3: Cowl with sauce and cheese then bake.

Pour the remaining purple enchilada sauce over the tops of the corn tortillas, taking care to ensure there are not any uncovered components as they’ll develop into robust and dry after baking.

You may not want to make use of all of the purple enchilada sauce to utterly cowl the hen enchiladas.

Sprinkle extra shredded cheese on high then cowl the baking dish with a bit of nonstick sprayed foil and bake within the oven for half-hour at 350 levels, or till the cheese on high has melted and the enchilada sauce is effervescent.

Let the enchiladas cool for 10 minutes earlier than scooping onto plates and serving.

I MEAN. Inform me this wouldn’t perk up any ho hum weeknight?!

Let the Hen Enchiladas sit and funky for 10-Quarter-hour then serve with any/all toppings and facet dishes.

Tips on how to Retailer and Reheat Leftovers

Though my husband makes it his private mission to try to devour each final drop of Hen Enchiladas every time I make them, as I discussed, I are inclined to make a double batch so we are able to reheat leftovers for lunches later within the week. Right here’s how:

• To retailer: Switch leftover enchiladas into an hermetic container with a lid then refrigerate for 3-4 days. I like to recommend a glass storage container because the purple sauce can stain plastic.
• To reheat: Reheat individual-sized parts within the microwave till scorching.

Tips on how to Make-Forward

I like having this casserole within the fridge able to bake. Right here’s how:

1. Assemble the casserole up till the purpose of masking the enchiladas with purple sauce. Cowl the enchiladas with plastic wrap then refrigerate individually from the sauce.
2. When it’s time to bake, re-warm the sauce then pour it over the enchiladas and bake in line with recipe instructions.

Tips on how to Freeze

Hen Enchiladas additionally freeze effectively — freeze them earlier than baking, vs after. Right here’s how:

• To freeze: Make sure the enchilada sauce is COLD, in any other case the tortillas can take up the nice and cozy sauce, then assemble the hen enchiladas in line with recipe instructions. Cowl the baking dish in plastic wrap, then foil, after which freeze for as much as 3 months.
• To bake: Thaw the hen enchiladas within the fridge then take away the plastic wrap, get better with foil, and bake in line with recipe instructions.

Extra Tasty Tex-Mex Recipes

Straightforward Hen Enchiladas with Crimson Sauce

Description

Straightforward Hen Enchiladas with Crimson Sauce will delight your total household. Tacky, make-ahead, and so satisfying — no restaurant required!

Components

• 4 cups shredded hen (see notes)
• 16 corn tortillas, Mission GF Tremendous Gentle Corn Tortillas really helpful
• 8oz shredded Mexican cheese mix
• chopped cilantro for garnish, optionally available
• For the Crimson Enchilada Sauce:
  • 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 Tablespoons gluten free flour mix (or all-purpose flour if not gluten free)
  • 3 Tablespoons chili powder, delicate or scorching
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 cups hen broth

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 levels then spray a 9×13″ baking dish, or two smaller baking dishes, with nonstick spray and put aside.
2. For the Crimson Enchilada Sauce: warmth the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium warmth then add the flour and prepare dinner whereas whisking for 1 minute. Add the seasonings — chili powder by cumin — then whisk till toasted and aromatic, 20-30 seconds. Add the tomato paste then whisk till the combination combines right into a thick paste, 30 seconds.
3. Slowly stream within the hen inventory whereas whisking to create a easy sauce then flip the warmth as much as medium-high and convey the sauce to a simmer whereas stirring slowly and continually with a spatula. As soon as simmering, flip the warmth again right down to medium then simmer for an extra 1-2 minutes or till the sauce has barely thickened (sauce will proceed to thicken because it cools). Pour right into a glass measuring dish with a lip/spout then cool barely earlier than utilizing. Will be made as much as 5 days forward of time — see notes.
4. Meeting: unfold 1/2 cup enchilada sauce into the underside of the ready baking dish then put aside.
5. Wrap half the tortillas in a moist paper towel then microwave for 30 seconds to heat them up — this helps forestall the tortillas from cracking. Don’t fear in the event that they nonetheless crack for the reason that enchiladas might be lined in sauce and cheese anyway.
6. One after the other, place a heat tortilla onto a clear, dry floor like a plate or slicing board then unfold ~2 Tablespoons shredded hen throughout the middle. Unfold ~1 Tablespoon shredded cheese on high then roll the tortilla and place it seam side-down within the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining components, warming the second batch of tortillas when wanted. Reserve the additional shredded cheese.
7. Pour the enchilada sauce on high of the tortillas (could not want all of it) making certain they’re utterly lined — any uncovered spots of tortilla will develop into robust and exhausting after baking.
8. Sprinkle the reserved shredded cheese on high then cowl the baking dish with a bit of nonstick sprayed foil and bake for half-hour or till the cheese on high has melted and the enchilada sauce is effervescent. Let the enchiladas cool for 10 minutes earlier than scooping onto plates and serving.

Notes

• You will have roughly 1-1/2lbs hen breasts cooked then shredded to equal 4 cups of cooked, shredded hen.
• The purple enchilada sauce may be made as much as 5 days forward of time. Retailer in an hermetic container within the fridge (glass really helpful as plastic will stain). Heat earlier than utilizing.
• I take advantage of delicate chili powder within the enchilada sauce to maintain it on the low finish of the warmth scale — perhaps a 3 on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being extraordinarily spicy. Use scorching chili powder to spice issues up.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Woman Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

Pictures by Ashley McLaughlin