Enchiladas Rojas

So enchiladas have been one of my favorite foods since I was little and one of the reasons I have always loved Mexican cuisine. Tortillas stuffed with chicken, beef or beans. Slathered in enchilada sauce and topped with cheese and baked. That's typically how most recipes are done in the US, however the authentic enchiladas in Mexico are a completely different experience and that's what we are making today.

RECIPE

Ingredients:

  • 2 chicken breasts (or thighs)

  • 1/2 onion (Cut into quarter pieces)

  • Handful epazote leaves

  • 2 bay leaves

  • Coarse Kosher Salt

  • 3 ancho chiles (or guajillo, pasilla, etc.)

  • 3 chipotle chiles

  • 1 Garlic clove

  • Coarse kosher salt to taste

  • Canola Oil

  • Tortillas

  • Cotija cheese

  • Crema

  • Pickled Onion

  • Thinly sliced radish

Method:

  1. Get a pot of water over medium heat. Add a big pinch of salt, 1/4 of the onion, the epazote leaves, and the chicken breast. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes, then shred and set aside.

  2. Meanwhile, clean the seeds and stems from the dried chiles. (Optional) Toast the chiles on a cast iron pan. In a small pot of water, add the chiles and simmer for 10 minutes or until soft. Set aside, do not drain the water.

  3. In a blender, add the hydrated chiles, garlic, other 1/4 piece of onion and some of the chile water. Blend the chiles until smooth. Add more water as needed. The sauce should be fairly thin.

  4. In a pan over medium heat, add oil to cover the pan. Add the sauce and turn the heat to low. Fry the sauce for 10 minutes.

  5. In another pan, heat about an inch of oil. Shallow fry the tortillas on both sides until just firm.

  6. Smother the fried tortillas in the hot sauce, stuff with the chicken and set them on a platter.

  7. To serve, cover the enchiladas with additional sauce and add crema, cotija cheese, pickled onion, sliced radish or any toppings you would like.

Ethan Chlebowski