Mexican Recipes
Easy Tomato Enchiladas
These chicken enchiladas with red sauce taste like the ones from a good neighborhood taqueria, but they are easy enough for a busy weeknight. The red sauce is homemade and takes about ten minutes, yet it beats anything from a can. Once you make it this way, you will not want to go back.
The two moves that matter most are the sauce and the tortillas. A quick tomato-and-chile red sauce gives the dish its deep, savory backbone, and softening the corn tortillas first is what keeps them from tearing when you roll them. Get those two right and the rest is just filling, rolling, and baking.
Why These Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce Work
The homemade red enchilada sauce is the whole point. You cook a little flour and chili powder in oil to make a quick roux, then whisk in tomato sauce and broth so it turns glossy and thick. That roux step is why the sauce clings to every tortilla instead of running off, and it tastes far richer than the canned stuff.
The filling stays simple on purpose. Shredded chicken and cheese are all you need inside, because the red sauce carries most of the flavor. Keeping the filling plain also means the tortillas roll tight and the enchiladas hold their shape after baking.
Softening the corn tortillas is the step most people skip, and it is the one that saves the dish. A quick dip in warm oil or a few seconds in a hot pan makes them flexible, so they wrap around the chicken without splitting down the middle. Cold tortillas straight from the bag crack every time.
Best of all, these chicken enchiladas with red sauce are flexible. Shredded rotisserie chicken turns this into a fast weeknight dinner, while the same method works with leftover roast chicken or poached chicken breasts. Once you learn the rhythm, you can put dinner on the table without much thought.
The red sauce also gives you room to control the heat. A basic chili powder keeps things gentle and family friendly, but a spoonful of chipotle or a pinch of cayenne pushes the sauce toward a smoky, grown-up version. Because the tomato base is so forgiving, you can taste and adjust as you go without worrying about ruining the batch.
Pro observation: The red sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and a line drawn through it holds for a second. If it looks watery, let it simmer a minute or two longer before you build the enchiladas.
Chicken Enchilada Ingredients
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Enchilada Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Corn vs Flour Tortillas
Corn tortillas are traditional for red enchiladas and hold up better under the sauce. Flour tortillas work if that is what you have, but they can turn gummy, so warm them briefly and do not oversauce.
The Chicken
Shredded rotisserie chicken is the easy choice and adds great flavor. Leftover roasted chicken or two poached chicken breasts work just as well. You need about three cups of shredded meat.
The Cheese
Monterey Jack melts smooth and mild, while sharp cheddar adds more tang. A blend of both is a good middle ground. For a Mexican touch, stir in a little crumbled queso fresco at the end.
The Red Enchilada Sauce
Homemade tomato-chile red sauce tastes best, but a good canned red enchilada sauce is an honest shortcut when time is tight. If you use canned, warm it and thin it with a splash of broth.
Equipment for Chicken Enchiladas
- 9 by 13 inch baking dish
- Medium saucepan
- Small skillet for tortillas
- Whisk
- Tongs
- Mixing bowl
Before You Roll the Enchiladas
1. Heat the oven early. Set it to 375 degrees F so it is ready when the enchiladas are assembled. A hot oven melts the cheese fast and keeps the tortillas from drying out.
2. Shred the chicken first. Have your three cups of shredded chicken ready before you start the sauce. If you are using rotisserie chicken, pull the meat while the oven heats.
3. Set up an assembly line. Put the warm sauce, softened tortillas, chicken, and cheese in a row. Rolling goes quickly once everything is within reach, and the tortillas stay pliable.
Step-by-Step Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce
Start the Red Enchilada Sauce
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and chili powder and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until it smells toasty and darkens slightly. This quick roux is what gives the red sauce its body and cling.
Simmer the Homemade Red Sauce
Whisk in the tomato sauce, chicken broth, cumin, garlic, oregano, and salt. Bring it to a gentle simmer and cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring now and then, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust the salt, then set the red sauce aside.
Mix the Shredded Chicken Filling
In a bowl, toss the shredded chicken with the chopped onion, about half a cup of the shredded cheese, and a few big spoonfuls of the warm red sauce. Moistening the chicken this way keeps the filling from drying out in the oven and helps the flavors blend.
Soften the Corn Tortillas So They Don’t Crack
Warm 2 tablespoons of oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Slide each corn tortilla through the oil for about 10 seconds per side, just until soft and pliable, then set on a paper towel. This is the key step that stops the tortillas from cracking when you roll them.
Fill and Roll the Enchiladas
Spread a thin layer of red sauce across the bottom of the baking dish. Put a scoop of the chicken filling down the center of a tortilla, roll it up snugly, and set it seam side down in the dish. Repeat until all eight enchiladas are packed in a single tight row.
Sauce, Cheese, and Bake the Enchiladas
Pour the remaining red sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas and scatter the rest of the cheese on top. Bake at 375 degrees F for 18 to 22 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is fully melted. Let them rest 5 minutes, then top with cilantro and diced onion before serving.
Chef’s Tips for Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce
Always soften the corn tortillas before rolling. Ten seconds in warm oil, or a few seconds in a dry hot pan, is the difference between tidy enchiladas and a cracked, messy dish.
Do not skip the roux in the red sauce. Cooking the flour and chili powder in oil first is what makes the sauce thick and glossy instead of thin and watery.
Sauce the bottom of the dish before you add the enchiladas. That thin layer keeps the tortillas from sticking and drying out where they touch the pan.
Chicken Enchilada Variations
What to Serve with Chicken Enchiladas
- Mexican rice or cilantro-lime rice
- Refried or black beans on the side
- A crisp cabbage and lime slaw
- Guacamole, sour cream, and lime wedges
Chicken Enchilada Nutrition Facts
Values are estimates per serving of two enchiladas and vary with the cheese and tortillas you use.
Make-Ahead Chicken Enchiladas
These chicken enchiladas with red sauce are made for planning ahead. Assemble the whole dish, cover it tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Keep a little extra sauce back to spoon over the top just before it goes in the oven, since the tortillas soak some up as they sit. Add a few minutes to the bake time if the dish is going in cold.
You can also break the work into stages across the week. Make the red enchilada sauce up to three days ahead and keep it in a jar in the fridge, then shred the chicken whenever you have a spare minute. With those two jobs done, the final assembly takes only a few minutes and the enchiladas feel almost effortless on the night you actually want to eat them.
Storing and Freezing Chicken Enchiladas
Common Chicken Enchilada Mistakes to Avoid
Chicken Enchilada Troubleshooting
Tortillas cracking? They were not soft enough. Warm each one in oil or a dry pan until pliable, and roll them while they are still warm.
Sauce too thin? Let it simmer a few more minutes, or whisk in a little more flour cooked in oil to thicken it back up.
Enchiladas dry? They needed more sauce. Be generous over the top before baking, and cover with foil if they brown too fast.
A Note on Red Enchilada Sauce
Red enchilada sauce is a cornerstone of Mexican home cooking, traditionally built from dried chiles like guajillo and ancho that are toasted and blended. This quick version leans on tomato sauce and chili powder for the same warm, savory color in a fraction of the time. The tomato does more than add color, too. It brings a gentle acidity that balances the richness of the cheese and keeps each bite from feeling heavy. If you love tomato-based sauces, our fresh tomato sauce and tomato basil pasta share the same deep, cooked-down tomato character.
Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce FAQs
More Tomato Recipes to Try
Last updated: July 23, 2026