Authentic Enchilada Recipe
Best Homemade Enchiladas – This authentic Mexican recipe makes the most cheesy and delicious veggie, beef, or chicken enchiladas with red sauce! They’re amazingly easy to prepare with just 4 ingredients, and perfect to feed a crowd.
Why We Love This Authentic Enchilada Recipe
Raise your hand if you, too, are in love with ooey-gooey cheesy, meaty, savory, and flavorful enchiladas! (Obviously everyone has their hand up…I mean, why else would you be here, right?) This traditional Mexican dish has long been a staple on menus at Tex-Mex eateries, and today we’re making a simple Authentic Enchilada recipe that tastes as good – if not better! – than versions at even the best local Mexican restaurants.
Here, we are preparing chicken enchiladas with red sauce, but this 4-ingredient recipe is great to customize in all sorts of ways. You can swap the chicken for any cooked shredded protein, or even make a vegetarian version. Then, choose your sauce, and finish the dish with whatever fresh toppings you like!
Of course, to make the most amazing authentic enchiladas you simply need to first make your own authentic enchilada sauce. See our super-easy recipe to make homemade Red Enchilada Sauce. Or Green Sauce (salsa verde)! But, ok, if you don’t have time or simply don’t wanna, go ahead and pick up a can of ready-to-use sauce from the store. No judgment here!
Ingredients You Need
- Corn tortillas – regular 6-inch tortillas (or use flour tortillas)
- Cooked shredded chicken – use leftovers or start with our easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken recipe
- Cheese – I like to use a shredded Mexican cheese blend
- Enchilada sauce – your choice of red sauce (as seen here) or green sauce
How to Make Authentic Enchiladas
- Preheat the oven and set out a mixing bowl. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Next, combine the shredded chicken and cheese in the bowl.
Pro Tip: Before combining the meat and cheese, I suggest slightly warming the corn tortillas to help them roll more easily without cracking. Wrap a stack of them in foil and set in the oven for several minutes while it preheats. Or wrap the stack in a paper towel and microwave on 50% power in 5-second bursts until warm.
- Lay the tortillas out on a clean work surface. Add a scoop of the chicken and cheese mixture on one side of each tortilla. You should have approximately 1/3 cup per tortilla.
- Carefully roll the tortillas around the chicken and cheese mixture. Then, place each tortilla roll in the baking dish with the seam side down.
You should have two rows of enchiladas all snuggled in together, like in the picture below.
- Next, pour the homemade red sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Use a spatula to spread the sauce over every inch of the corn tortillas.
Get the Complete (Printable) Authentic Enchilada Recipe + VIDEO Below. Enjoy!
- Cover the pan with foil, bake for 20 minutes, uncover the pan, and bake for 5 more minutes.
- Then remove the pan from the oven and let set on the counter for several minutes to cool slightly. Serve the enchiladas with any sort of topping you like… Keep reading to see some of our favorite toppings!
Recipe Variations
- Tortillas – Corn tortillas are traditional, but you *can* use flour tortillas if you prefer.
- Protein – Swap chicken with shredded beef or cooked ground beef, pulled pork, cooked shrimp… Well, honestly, pretty much any cooked meat you like!
- Vegetarian – Skip the meat entirely and use the filling from our Black Bean and Sweet Potato Skillet Enchiladas recipe to make this oven baked recipe.
- Shredded Cheese – Use whatever cheese you want! Kick things up with spicy pepper jack, or keep things simple with classic shredded cheddar cheese.
- Sauce – This recipe is equally fabulous with a bright homemade green enchilada sauce, or creamy white chicken enchilada sauce.
- Servings – For a smaller gathering, you can easily halve the recipe and put it in an 8×8 pan. Just note that you may have to lay some “sideways” to all fit in.
Serving Suggestions
I looove to load up a plateful of hot and delicious enchiladas with a variety of refreshing toppings. Add-ons like crunchy shredded cabbage and sliced radishes, crumbled queso fresco, homemade Pico de Galo, sliced avocado, and chopped cilantro are a fabulous contrast and make the flavors POP!
You can also add a dollop (or two) of sour cream, hot sauce, guacamole, or any other Tex-Mex-inspired toppings you want!
Authentic enchiladas are usually served with Mexican rice and beans for a filling, super-satisfying meal. We have a great variety of rice recipes on our site… Try some of our favorites recipes to pair with Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes, like Arroz Amarillo (yellow rice), Cilantro Rice (AKA Copycat Chipotle Rice), the easiest Spanish Rice, and Arroz Verde (green rice).
Keep things simple (and easy) with a traditional side of beans nestled next to your chicken enchiladas with red sauce. Readers love our Best Refried Beans and classic Mexican Pinto Beans recipes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Corn tortillas are the traditional choice for making enchiladas. But feel free to use flour tortillas if you want.
Yes, this easy chicken enchilada recipe is great to make ahead and freeze! I suggest assembling the dish in a disposable aluminum pan, so it can go right from the fridge to the oven.
You can put the enchiladas together and freeze them unbaked. Or bake the pan, cool completely, then cover tightly with aluminum foil and freeze. They’ll keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake per the recipe instructions.
Enchilada leftovers are delicious! Transfer the cooled leftovers to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Looking for More Traditional Mexican Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Pollo con Mole Poblano
- Carne Asada Tampiqueña (Mexican Steak)
- Chori Pollo (Chicken Chorizo)
- Mole de Olla
- Carne Adovada
Authentic Enchilada Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 14-16 corn tortillas
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken or swap pork or beef
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 2 cup Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce
- Optional Toppings: shredded cabbage, crumbled queso fresco, sliced radishes, slice avocado, chopped cilantro, lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a mixing bowl and a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spray the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the bowl, combine the shredded chicken and Mexican cheese blend. Toss well to mix.
- Lay the tortillas out on a clean work surface. Portion the chicken and cheese mixture on one side of each tortilla. You should have approximately 1/3 cup per tortilla.
- Roll the tortillas around the chicken and cheese mixture. Then place each tortilla roll in the baking dish with the flap side down.
- Pour the homemade red enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Use a spatula to spread the sauce over every inch of the corn tortillas.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes. Then uncover the pan and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Top the enchiladas with any sort of enchilada topping you like… Crumbled queso fresco and cilantro or traditional, but you can dress them up with all sorts of cold fresh crunchy veggie toppings!
Wow, these enchiladas were incredible! The homemade sauce truly makes all the difference, I’ll be making this again and again.
I’ve tried several enchilada recipes before, but this one takes the crown. The flavors are authentic, the textures are perfect, and the dish is so customizable.
This authentic enchilada recipe was absolutely phenomenal! My family couldn’t stop raving about how delicious dinner was – this one’s a keeper!