This hen enchiladas recipe is full of taste, with shredded meat, cheese, and a zingy pink enchilada sauce. The proper simple dinner!
Right here’s a crowd-pleasing dinner recipe to place in your rotation: hen enchiladas recipe! It’s arduous to seek out somebody who will flip down this Tex Mex favourite. Every enchilada is filled with shredded hen and cheese, then drowned in a zingy pink sauce and baked till heat and gooey. It’s additionally extraordinarily versatile for varied diets: you’ll be able to simply make half the pan vegetarian or use corn tortillas for gluten-free. Everybody wins right here, and whipping up an enormous pan makes dinnertime magic.
Components in hen enchiladas
This hen enchiladas recipe is a play on the Tex Mex dish, which is in flip a riff on the traditional Mexican enchilada. The primary reference to the trendy enchilada dates again to 1885 in Mexico, however the custom of rolling a tortilla round fillings has been round because the Aztec instances.
There are a number of variations between Mexican enchiladas and Tex Mex model; typically Mexican enchiladas use corn tortillas and are fried vs Tex Mex which use flour tortillas and are baked. This rendition is Tex Mex in model, and we honor the nice custom of Mexican cooks and cooks who introduced us the mighty enchilada. Right here’s what you’ll want for this hen enchiladas recipe:
- Shredded hen: Make home made shredded hen for greatest taste, or go fast and straightforward with store-bought.
- Pink enchilada sauce: For quick enchiladas, we suggest discovering an excellent store-bought sauce, however it’s also possible to make home made enchilada sauce.
- Onion and inexperienced chiles: These veggies add nuance to the flavour.
- Cumin, oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper: This mix of spices makes well-seasoned hen.
- Colby jack cheese: We like Colby jack for taste, however it’s also possible to use Mexican mix cheese or cheddar.
- Tortillas: We use flour tortillas for this Tex Mex variation, however you should use corn tortillas as nicely, that are extra conventional in Mexican-style enchiladas and a gluten free choice.
Learn how to shred hen
The quickest approach to hen enchiladas is with bought shredded hen, but it surely’s received one of the best taste while you make it home made! It takes about 10 minutes to boil. The easiest way we’ve discovered to make shredded hen is to butterfly it, boil it, after which pull it into strips utilizing your arms. Right here’s the best way to make shredded hen (or click on the hyperlink):
- Butterfly the hen in order that it cooks evenly. Place your hand excessive of every hen breast and use a pointy knife to rigorously slice the breast horizontally, leaving the sting intact so it will possibly open up like a e book. Open up the breast then minimize alongside the fold to separate the 2 halves.
- Boil for 7 to 10 minutes. Place 1 pound hen in a pot with 6 cups water, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and seasonings (or use hen broth and half the salt). Boil for 7 to 10 minutes till the middle is not pink and the inner temperature is 160°F.
- Tear the hen into shreds. As soon as the hen is cool sufficient to the touch, use your fingers to tear the hen into shreds.
Use an excellent pink enchilada sauce
This is perhaps a scorching take, however for hen enchiladas we like to purchase the enchilada sauce. Many individuals swear by home made, however it will possibly take a little bit of time and go away you with some mess. In the event you’re going to make home made, it’s best to make it upfront. However we love an excellent bought pink enchilada sauce! Listed below are some choices:
- Bought pink enchilada sauce: There are many incredible enchilada sauce manufacturers on the retailer, and plenty of of them are minimally processed. Each model is totally different, so experiment to seek out one you like. We like Siete Meals enchilada sauce.
- Selfmade, made upfront: Or, make a batch of our Selfmade Pink Enchilada sauce! It’s best to make it upfront to make sure fast prep.
Flour tortillas vs corn tortillas
What are one of the best tortillas for hen enchiladas? Corn tortillas are conventional in Mexican-style enchiladas, and flour tortillas are utilized in Tex Mex enchiladas. Right here’s what to know concerning the variations:
- Corn tortillas are gluten-free. Some manufacturers have a tendency to separate while you go to roll them! To fight this, discover the very best quality corn tortilla model you’ll be able to. Then brush it with oil and cook dinner it 15 seconds per aspect earlier than assembling. This makes it simpler to roll.
- Flour tortillas usually are not gluten-free, however they’re much simpler to roll and extra sturdy normally. Additionally they get good and gooey from the enchilada sauce.
- What about grain free tortillas? There are are different forms of grain-free tortillas obtainable at many grocery shops: almond flour, cassava flour, or chickpea flour (attempt Siete model). We haven’t examined these, so tell us within the feedback under in the event you attempt them!
Learn how to assemble hen enchiladas: a number of suggestions!
The filling for this hen enchiladas recipe options shredded hen, onion and inexperienced chilies, with a combination of savory spices. When you’ve received it prepared, it’s time to assemble! It’s useful to have one other individual to assist for meeting. Listed below are a number of suggestions for a clean and speedy course of:
- Don’t overfill the tortillas. It’s simple to wish to put in manner an excessive amount of filling. All you want is ¼ cup hen and a couple of tablespoons cheese. Unfold them in a line down the middle.
- Roll them tightly and place seam aspect down. Inserting seam aspect down helps them keep rolled.
- If utilizing corn tortillas, use a sturdy model and cook dinner in oil previous to rolling. Corn tortillas can simply tear and break up when rolling them. Earlier than assembling, brush either side of every tortilla flippantly with olive oil. Warmth a big griddle to medium-high warmth, and cook dinner the tortillas in batches for 15 seconds per aspect till flippantly browned.
Favourite enchilada toppings
The perfect a part of this simple hen enchiladas recipe? Loading them up with all one of the best toppings! Listed below are a number of enchilada topping concepts:
- Bitter cream
- Guacamole
- Feta or queso fresco crumbles
- Pink onion or inexperienced onion
- Bought pico de gallo
- Cilantro
- Pickled onions
Sides to serve with hen enchiladas
As soon as we’ve whipped up a pan of hen enchiladas, we use the bake time to tug collectively a number of easy aspect dishes. Listed below are a few sides that go along with enchiladas:
This hen enchiladas recipe is…
Gluten-free with corn tortillas.
Description
This hen enchiladas recipe is full of taste, with shredded meat, cheese, and a zingy pink enchilada sauce. The proper simple dinner!
- 1 pound shredded hen, about 2 ½ cups
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 candy yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 ounces canned diced inexperienced chilies
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Contemporary floor black pepper
- 2 cups (15 ounces) pink enchilada sauce, bought or home made
- 8 ounces (2 cups) Colby jack cheese, shredded
- 10 8-inch flour tortillas (or corn tortillas*)
- For the topping: bitter cream, chopped cilantro, guacamole, pico de gallo, cotija or feta cheese crumbles, pickled pink onions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Make the shredded hen (prep upfront and refrigerate if desired).
- In a big skillet, warmth the olive oil over medium warmth. Add the onion and cook dinner till tender, stirring typically, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded hen, inexperienced chilies, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, chili powder and kosher salt. Style and add a number of extra pinches of kosher salt if desired.
- Heat the tortillas for a minute within the microwave, or in a pan for a number of seconds per aspect, in order that they’re versatile*. In a big baking dish, unfold 1 cup of the enchilada sauce.
- Fill every tortilla with a ¼ cup scoop of the filling, srpinkle with 2 tablespoons of the cheese, and roll it up. Place every enchilada seam-side down within the baking dish (there can be some leftover filling). Repeat for the remaining tortillas.
- Prime the enchiladas with the remaining 1 cup enchilada sauce and the remaining cheese.
- Place within the oven and bake for 20 minutes, till the cheese is melted. Serve garnished with bitter cream, chopped cilantro, and different garnishes as desired.
Notes
*If utilizing corn tortillas, they’ll crack simply. Brush either side of every tortilla flippantly with olive oil. Warmth a big griddle to medium-high warmth. Prepare dinner the tortillas in batches for 15 seconds per aspect till flippantly browned.
- Class: Principal dish
- Technique: Baked
- Delicacies: Tex Mex
- Weight loss program: Vegetarian
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