Name: Chicken Enchiladas Rojas
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; 8 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed; 2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed; 1 medium white onion, half roughly chopped, half thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, peeled; 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; 2 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying; 18 corn tortillas; 1 cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese; ½ cup Mexican crema or sour cream thinned with a little milk; ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro; Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the chicken

Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Add half of the chopped onion and 2 garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken, let cool, then shred the meat, discarding skin and bones. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid.
Prepare the chile sauce

While the chicken cooks, toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes, turning occasionally until they become fragrant. Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for 20 minutes until softened. Drain chiles and place in a blender with the remaining chopped onion, remaining garlic cloves, oregano, cumin, and 1 cup chicken broth. Blend until smooth.
Cook the sauce

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Strain the chile mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the pan, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Add the remaining chicken broth and simmer for another 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Season with salt to taste.
Prepare the tortillas

Heat about ¼ inch of vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, briefly dip each tortilla in the hot oil for about 5 seconds per side until softened but not crisp. Drain on paper towels. Alternatively, you can warm the tortillas in the microwave, wrapped in damp paper towels, for about 1 minute.
Assemble the enchiladas

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Dip each tortilla in the chile sauce, coating both sides. Place a small portion of shredded chicken down the center of each tortilla, then roll up. Arrange the rolled enchiladas seam-side down in a large baking dish.
Bake and serve

Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, making sure they're fully covered. Bake for 15 minutes until the sauce is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Top with sliced onion, crumbled cheese, drizzled crema, and sprinkled cilantro. Serve immediately.

Chicken Enchiladas Rojas

Ingredients

Instructions

Nutritional Information