It’s surprisingly easy and fast to make red enchilada sauce from scratch, and it tastes so much better than the canned stuff. We typically have all the ingredients already, and I love being able to whip something up out of the pantry. Plus, you can make it as spicy as you want! If I were not feeding a 5-year-old, I would probably double down on the chipotle.
In the spirit of cooking whatever you happen to have on hand, it’s also easy to experiment with the enchilada filling. Sauteed mushrooms, leeks or zucchini would be yummy, or you could throw in some black olives or corn. Ground beef or turkey would also work.
Note: If you don’t have precooked chicken, you can simmer a boneless chicken breast in the sauce until cooked through (about 15-20 minutes), then shred or chop into small pieces.
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 14 1/2-oz can low sodium chicken broth
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground chipotle
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz cooked chicken, chopped or shredded (see note above)
1 15 1/2-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp masa harina (see my note about masa here)
cooking spray
12 medium corn tortillas
16 oz shredded cheese (Mexican blend)
3 green onions, chopped
For the sauce: In a small pot, combine 1/2 cup of the chopped onions, garlic, tomato sauce, chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, oregano, chipotle and salt. Pulse with an immersion blender until smooth (or do this in a regular blender). Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes.
For the filling: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the rest of the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to low and add chicken, black beans and 1/2 cup of the sauce; stir until everything is coated and hot. Sprinkle in the masa and stir until absorbed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the assembly: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 13×9 pans (or equivalent) lightly with cooking oil. Pour about 1/4 cup of the sauce into each pan and spread to coat the bottom. Heat up the tortillas in the microwave (this helps keep them from tearing).
Spoon the filling into each tortilla in a line down the middle, and add a generous sprinkle of cheese. Roll up gently and place in the pan, seam side down. When the pans are full, pour the rest of the sauce over the tortillas and top with the rest of the cheese.
Bake uncovered until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Garnish with chopped green onions.
Pictured: Corning Ware Green Macrame P-332 Roaster, Corning Ware Blue Cornflower P-332 Roaster
Thrifted Kitchen 