Mexican · Dinner

Red chicken enchiladas

Name: Red chicken enchiladas
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 12 enchiladas
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 5 cups low-sodium chicken stock, divided; 8 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded; 3 garlic cloves; 1/4 white onion; 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 3 tablespoons neutral oil, divided; 12 fresh 6-inch corn tortillas; 6 ounces queso fresco, crumbled; 1/2 cup Mexican crema; 1/2 small white onion, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup cilantro leaves

Corn tortillas dipped in a fried guajillo-ancho chile sauce, rolled around juicy shredded chicken, warmed briefly, and finished with queso fresco, crema, onion, and cilantro.

About 1 hr 40 minTotal

About 1 hr 30 minActive

$$Cost

ModerateDifficulty

Makes 12 enchiladas

Equipment

Finely chop and simmer longer; press through a sieve when the sauce must be smooth.
Best durable full-size pick
Vitamix 5200 Blender · 64-Ounce Container
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Finely chop and simmer longer; press through a sieve when the sauce must be smooth.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched variable texture control, hot-food guidance, container capacity, stable model identity, warranty, storage burden, and exact retail destination. Kwilt has not cooked with this blender.
Vitamix 5200 Blender · 64-Ounce Container: Its variable-speed range can move from a deliberately rustic salsa to a smooth chile sauce, and the established 64-ounce system is useful well beyond these breakfast Recipes. Trade-off: It is expensive, loud, and tall enough to conflict with some upper cabinets; a less powerful blender is adequate for these softened salsa ingredients.
Another workable path: Finely chop or crush the softened ingredients, simmer longer, and press through a sieve when a smoother result is essential.
Sources
Vitamix 5200 specifications
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 12 enchiladas

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
5 cups low-sodium chicken stock, divided
8 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
3 garlic cloves
1/4 white onion
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
12 fresh 6-inch corn tortillas
6 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
1/2 cup Mexican crema
1/2 small white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves

Instructions

Simmer chicken gently with 1 teaspoon salt and 3 cups stock until it reaches 175°F and shreds easily, 20 to 25 minutes. Rest in broth 10 minutes, shred, and moisten with 1/2 cup broth.
Toast guajillo and ancho chiles briefly in a dry pan without blackening. Cover with remaining 2 cups hot stock for 20 minutes, then with garlic, onion quarter, oregano, cumin, and remaining salt until completely smooth. Strain.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan. Carefully add chile purée and fry, stirring, until darkened and thick enough to coat a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes. Adjust with reserved chicken broth if necessary.
Heat oven to 350°F. Heat remaining oil in a skillet and pass each tortilla through it for about 5 seconds per side—pliable, not crisp. Dip in warm red sauce, add chicken, roll, and place seam-side down in a lightly sauced dish.
Spoon over only enough sauce to keep the tortillas moist and warm in the oven 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately with queso fresco, crema, sliced onion, and cilantro.

MexicoMexican regional home cooking

From the table

About this recipe

Enchiladas rojas vary across Mexican households and regions in chile blend, filling, folding, and garnish. This is a rolled guajillo-ancho chicken branch, not a universal formula and not the flour-thickened chile gravy associated with some Tex-Mex plates.

Enchiladas rojas vary widely across Mexican households and regions. This is a rolled guajillo-ancho chicken branch, not a universal formula and not a flour-thickened Tex-Mex chile gravy. A quick oil pass protects corn tortillas from disintegrating; long casserole baking would erase their texture. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Choose a documented rolled guajillo-ancho chicken branch, preserve the Mexican oil-dip technique, and limit oven time to warming rather than casserole cooking.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe