• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Chef Dennis
  • Recipe Index
  • On the Road
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Chicken Recipes

    How to Make Enchiladas and Enchilada Red Sauce

    Published: Apr 30, 2015 · Modified: Jun 18, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    360 shares
    • Facebook21
    • Yummly
    5 from 2 votes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    pinterest image for chicken enchiladas

    How to Make Enchiladas:

    Being half Mexican and growing up in San Antonio I learned to love Mexican food at an early age and with Cinco de Mayo just around the corner I thought this would be a great way to celebrate my heritage.

    One of my earliest memories is my Grandmother sending me down the block to Alejandro’s to buy Red Corn Tortillas so she could make me Enchiladas. Although there was no Enchilada Red Sauce involved in her simply prepared gastronomical delight, they were no less delicious and I would eat them as fast as that sweet woman could make them.

    Truth be told I’m not sure which one of us enjoyed the process more because she loved to see me eat and would grab my pudgy little cheeks and speak to me in Spanish that I didn’t understand, but even at that age I didn’t need a translator to know she was telling me how much she loved me.

    overhead view of Enchilada Red Sauce in a pot with a wire whisk in the sauce

    I started by making Red Enchilada Sauce and I have to admit to having only made it once before many years ago. I wanted it to be smooth right from the start so instead of crushed tomatoes I bought organic tomato sauce. To that, I added basic spices most of which you may already have on hand and a little brown sugar.

    overhead view of two rows of Enchiladas (in baking dish) one row with red Sauce and the other with salsa Verde

    While getting my ingredients together to make Chicken Enchiladas, I also gathered a few extra items and made some vegetable enchiladas and a salsa verde.

    I needed to cook the salsa verde which somehow slipped my mind during the show and actually made more of salsa than a Green Enchilada Sauce. So uncooked you’ve got a great dip, and if you want more of a sauce let it simmer for about 30 minutes over low heat adding a little chicken stock to the mix.

    6 Enchiladas with melted cheese on a white platter 3 with Red Sauce and 3 with  Salsa Verde

    I used the uncooked sauce on my vegetable enchiladas and they were delicious, but not quite as flavorful as the Chicken Enchiladas. I will definitely cook the green sauce next time.

    But the end result was amazingly delicious Chicken Enchiladas and the star of the show was the homemade Red Enchilada Sauce. There are so many uses for this flavorful sauce and although I didn’t make mine very hot, you can always add extra chili peppers to the mix or hot sauce to get the level of heat up to your liking. For me, it was just hot enough and simply delicious!

    If you enjoyed this recipe you may like these:

    • Blackened Chicken Taco Bar
    • Grilled Shrimp Street Tacos
    • Grilled Chicken Fajitas Bar
    • Huevos Rancheros

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

    Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

    Red Enchilada Sauce and Salsa Verde
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 2 votes

    Enchilada Red Sauce and Enchiladas

    Homemade Enchiladas will always be one of my simple pleasures, and making your own Enchilada Red Sauce is easy to do and so much better than store bought.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 816kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    Enchilada Red Sauce

    • ¼ cup vegetable oil
    • ¼ cup all purpose flour I used Gluten Free AP
    • 2 16 ounce cans tomato sauce I used organic Muir Glen brand
    • 3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
    • 3 tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon granulated onion
    • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

    Chicken Enchiladas

    • 1 cup vegetable oil for frying tortillas
    • 12 corn tortillas or more
    • 2 cups pulled or chopped chicken meat I seasoned mine with the same seasoning used for sauce
    • 4 ounces queso fresco ( you can sub monterey jack cheddar or your favorite cheese)
    • 1 cup chopped sweet onion
    • 4 ounces shredded mexican cheese blend or monterey jack or cheddar
    • Red Enchilada Sauce from recipe above
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Red Enchilada Sauce

    • In a saucepan heat vegetable oil over medium heat, then add flour and mix well. Turn down heat slightly and allow flour/oil mixture to cook for a few minutes.
    • Add tomatoes, chicken stock, spices and brown sugar to saucepan and mix well.
    • Bring to a slight boil then reduce heat to a simmer and allow to cook for about 10 minutes.
    • Use sauce for your enchiladas and store the remainder in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or freeze for even longer storage.

    Chicken Enchiladas

    • add vegetable oil to a frying pan and allow oil to get hot
    • place corn tortillas in hot oil for about 10 seconds on each side, placing on paper towels to drain as you continue the process. Make sure to pat excess oil off of both sides and handle the tortillas gently as they will easily tear.
    • after all the tortillas have been fried you can begin assembly
    • place about 2 tablespoons of chicken in each tortilla, along with 1 tablespoon of queso fresco and as much chopped onion as you like.
    • roll the enchilada up and gently place into a baking dish. Repeat the process until completed.
    • Once all the enchiladas are in your baking dish, spoon a generous amount of Red Enchilada Sauce over the middle of the enchiladas, then top with shredded cheese.
    • Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees and serve with your favorite sides.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 816kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 2094mg | Potassium: 1117mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 2825IU | Vitamin C: 13.1mg | Calcium: 472mg | Iron: 5.2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!
    pinterest image for chicken enchiladas

    More Chicken Recipes

    • Chicken Milanese
    • Three Bean Chicken Chili
    • Slow Cooker Chicken Merlot
    • Easy Honey Garlic Chicken

    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Diane Roark

      September 25, 2015 at 1:10 pm

      Chef Dennis,

      You already know I love this red enchilada sauce. I blogged about it today with a link to your recipe.

      Blessings,
      Diane Roark

      Reply
    2. JC Marc

      May 20, 2015 at 1:06 pm

      5 stars
      I can’t wait to try your enchilada sauce. I always start my chili sauces with red chili powder also. However, next time I make enchilada sauce, I am going to try adding brown sugar and will use chicken sauce. I use beef stock, usually made from my meats boiled w/onions and garlic. I love to change up my sauces. Thank you for sharing and can’t wait to try this.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 20, 2015 at 7:02 pm

        It was a very flavorful sauce, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did

        Reply
    3. Velva

      May 06, 2015 at 8:47 pm

      Dennis, your enchiladas with red sauce look really good. I did not realize that enchilada sauce would be so easy to make. Thank you for sharing.

      Velva

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 06, 2015 at 9:10 pm

        There are different types using whole chiles Velva, but this is an easy and very delicious version.

        Reply
    4. Diane Roark

      May 04, 2015 at 9:32 pm

      We love the enchilada sauce in my slow cooker enchiladas. My family loved them even more. They said I need to always make homemade enchilada sauce. I was talking about white cheese dip. We always order it to dip our chips in at Mexican restaurants. I love it with jalapenos in it.
      Blessings,
      Diane Roark

      Reply
    5. mike

      May 03, 2015 at 8:58 am

      hey Chef do you do any no knead breads?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 04, 2015 at 3:08 pm

        yes I do Mike, here is the link to the post https://www.askchefdennis.com/2012/01/artisan-bread/

        Reply
    6. anna@icyvioletskitchen

      May 02, 2015 at 11:59 pm

      oh yum! i am a huge sucker for all enchiladas, everywhere. these look great.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 06, 2015 at 7:15 pm

        thanks Anna, they were delicious!

        Reply
    7. Chef Dennis Littley

      May 01, 2015 at 4:18 pm

      I’m very happy to hear you tried my sauce recipe and like it Diane. I love your crock pot enchiladas I would never have thought of making them that way.

      Are you looking for a heated cheese sauce or a cheese dip?

      Reply
    8. Larry

      May 01, 2015 at 2:28 pm

      With the food I’ve seen you cook over the years, I would never have guessed you were a Texan or a Tex – Mex, but I have certainly enjoyed eating the good stuff in SA – my daughter lives there. Your grandmothers enchiladas sounds like the ones we get from our nearby Mexican community, but I also prefer them with the sauce – yours look delicious.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 01, 2015 at 4:19 pm

        I’ve been in the Northeast so long Larry, sometimes I forget I’m a Tex-Mex , I’m hoping to start recreating a few more of my favorites

        Reply
    9. Diane Roark

      May 01, 2015 at 9:09 am

      Chef Dennis,

      I have never tried making Enchilada sauce from scratch. I love Mexican food and will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo with lots of Mexican food. I will have to try your Enchilada sauce soon. It looks like it is full of flavor with all the spices.
      sharing, pinning and tweeting this delish recipe!
      Blessings,
      Diane Roark
      recipesforourdailybread
      ouramericantravels

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 01, 2015 at 9:41 am

        Diane the sauce is really easy to make and so delicious! I was eating it by the spoonful. I hope you give it a try, and remember you can freeze what ever you have leftover.

        Reply
    10. Liz

      May 01, 2015 at 7:52 am

      A lovely recipe. Thank you and have a great weekend!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 01, 2015 at 9:42 am

        Thank you Liz, enjoy this beautiful spring weather!

        Reply
    11. Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch)

      April 30, 2015 at 4:20 pm

      I really enjoyed your childhood memory, thanks Dennis. And a big YAY for an enchilada sauce that sounds delicious without the dried chile saga. I’ve had a package of dried chiles in the pantry for months with intentions of making enchilada sauce. I will one of these days, but for now, I’ll pin this recipe. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        April 30, 2015 at 4:35 pm

        you’re very welcome Lea Ann, I’m glad you liked the glimpse into my past.

        Reply
    12. mangiabella

      April 30, 2015 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      We make A LOT of enchiladas around this house, and tacos, and stuffed sapodillas, and pots of chile. This sauce is different than our New Mexican Red Chile Sauce, but this sounds lovely and I can practically taste the flavors…sending lots of smiles!!!!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        April 30, 2015 at 4:11 pm

        Thank you Jamie, this is more of a Tex-Mex version, I’m sure your New Mexican version is every bit as delicious!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar


    My name is Dennis Littley or "Chef Dennis" as I'm known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Fan Favorites

    • Almost No-Knead Artisan Bread Recipe
    • Baked Maryland Crab Cakes Recipe
    • Chicken Parmesan Recipe
    • Best Baked Chicken Legs {Drumsticks}
    • German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich) Recipe
    • Best Tiramisu Recipe {step by step}
    • Easy Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
    • Restaurant Style Veal Parm Recipe

    Featured In

    logos of all the places chef dennis has been featured

    Popular Posts

    • Best Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
    • Authentic Guinness Beef Stew Recipe
    • Maryland Style Jumbo Lump Crab Imperial
    • Best Chicken Salad – Deli Style
    • How to Make Restaurant Style Oysters Rockefeller
    • Easy Oven Baked Beef Brisket Recipe
    • Oven Roasted Rack of Pork {Pork Rib Roast}
    • Best Meatloaf Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    INFO

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    SUBSCRIBE

    Sign Up Today and start getting my easy-to-make restaurant-style recipes!

    CONTACT

    • About
    • Contact
    © 2009-2023 · Ask Chef Dennis ·

    Proud Member of:
    Mediavine Publisher Network
    360 shares
    • 21