Authentic Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Authentic chicken enchiladas are a simple yet delicious way to use up any leftover shredded chicken you may have in your fridge. If you’re a Mexican foodie like me then you probably already have the rest of the ingredients on hand as well which aren’t many.

These enchiladas are very easy to make and are inexpensive. These are nothing like the enchiladas you’ll get in Americanized mexican restaurants.

Real authentic enchiladas are covered in a sauce made with dried chilies which is also a breeze to make. The sauce I make also has a hint of chocolate in it. It may sound strange but once you try it you’ll love it!

I remember the first time I tried authentic enchiladas. It was years ago at my best friends house. Her mom made enchiladas for dinner and I couldn’t wait to try them.

I’ve always been such a foodie and I really appreciate a good meal. I’m the type of girl who would much rather eat my money rather than wear it. Does that make sense? Like when I got my first job I would spend my money buying ingredients to make recipes instead of going shopping like a regular teenager would do. But I guess I’m not a regular girl lol.

But back to my friends moms enchiladas. My friend told me that her mom puts chocolate in her enchilada sauce. and at first before I knew this I was excited to try them and then I immediately thought that’s not going to work. I was afraid I was going to have to fake liking the food. (I hate doing that)

Turns out I was pleasantly surprised. The chocolate doesn’t overpower the sauce at all. It actually enhances the flavor of the sauce. The sauce is actually my favorite part of making enchiladas. I can eat that stuff all by itself it’s that yummy!

I usually make enchiladas at least twice a month. They are so yummy and cheap that I can’t help myself. Yall know I love my cheap and easy meals. However they don’t taste cheap when you’re eating them.

If the only Mexican food you’re used to is what you get at the americanized mexican restaurants we all know and love then you’re going to be pleasantly surprised when you taste these.

To make this a complete meal try some one or both of these sides to go with the enchiladas

• Authentic Mexican Rice
• Mexican Pinto Beans

Red Sauce for Enchiladas

The red sauce is super easy and doesn’t take long to make. All it requires are 8 guajillo chilies, 2 garlic cloves, 1/4 piece of white onion and 1/4 piece of Abuelita chocolate (not pictured).

Tear the stems off of the chilies and dump out the seeds. Put chilies in a pot and cover with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and let simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Put the onion and garlic cloves in a blender. Add the chilies and the remaining water to the blender and blend for a couple of minutes.

While blending the sauce rinse and dry the pot that the chilies were cooking in. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot and heat over medium heat. Once hot strain the blended sauce into the pot. Add the chocolate to the pot and stir well. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir it some more and season with salt to taste and remove from heat.

Making the enchiladas

Now it’s time to start on the tortillas. Authentic chicken enchiladas are made with corn tortillas which will need to be fried first.

Frying will make the tortillas pliable and will keep them from getting soggy. Don’t skip this step.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add enough oil to it for frying. Once hot fry the tortillas on each side for a few seconds. Transfer the tortillas to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Fill the tortillas with the shredded chicken and roll them up. I used about 3 cups of shredded chicken for 14 tortillas.

Many people like to dip their tortillas in the sauce before assembling the enchiladas. I used to but I don’t usually anymore because it’s messy and takes more time. And what I’m usually trying to do is get dinner on the table and fast! So it’s totally up to you if you do it or not.

After rolling them up I microwave them to heat up the chicken. Or you could have the chicken already heated before putting it in the tortillas. I prefer to pour the sauce on the enchiladas it is much quicker. Then I garnish them with crumbled queso fresco.

Authentic Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Try these authentic chicken enchiladas for a real Mexican food experience! Serve them with rice and beans for a complete and filling meal.

Other Recipes You May Like:

• Cheese Enchiladas with a Spicy Chocolate Sauce
• Enchiladas Made with Chile Guajillo Sauce

Looking for more enchilada recipes? Check out these delicious recipes from my favorite bloggers!

• Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas – Garlic and Zest
• Queso Chicken Enchiladas – Bowl me Over