Best Ever Red Enchilada Sauce

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Made in a cast iron skillet, this sauce uses ingredients you probably have at home.

Start with the sauce.

Red enchilada sauce is versatile and easy to make. Once you’ve tried the homemade sauce, I doubt you will use canned again. Most of the ingredients for this sauce are spices, hopefully, ones you already have in your pantry. The sauce freezes well if you want to make a double batch and can be used on anything from enchiladas to scrambled eggs. This recipe comes from Carlsbad Cravings. Let’s get started.

Chili powder is the main spice

You can adjust the heat to your liking

After you make the sauce, stay tuned for assembling enchiladas.

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Best Ever Red Enchilada Sauce

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 3 tablespoons chili powder NOT cayenne pepper-see notes

• 1 tsp EACH ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, ground coriander

• 1/2 tsp EACH smoked paprika, salt, dried oregano

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for spicier)

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil like canola

• 1/4 cup tomato paste

• 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• a pinch of cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

add a pinch of cayenne or chipotle chili pepper to kick up the spice

Directions

1. Whisk the flour and all seasoning together in a small bowl (through oregano or optional cayenne pepper); set aside.

2. Melt the butter in the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour mixture and cook while whisking for 2 minutes. Whisk in the tomato paste until completely combined and continue to cook for 1 minute.

3. Reduce the heat to low, then gradually whisk in the chicken broth. Continue to whisk until smooth and the lumps are dissolved. Whisk in cocoa powder, sugar and cinnamon.

4. Bring the sauce to a simmer and continue to simmer, whisking often, until it thickens to your desired consistency, about 5-7 minutes. Keep in mind the sauce will thicken a little as it cools.

5. Remove from heat and stir in apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired with additional salt, cayenne, sugar or vinegar. If the sauce thickens too much, simply whisk in additional chicken broth, a little at a time until it reaches desired consistency.

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With a few ingredients more, enchiladas may be dinner tonight.

How to Make Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 12 corn tortillas

• canola or vegetable oil for frying

• 2 cups shredded chicken (recipe below)

• Best Ever Red Enchilada Sauce

• 1 small can diced green chilis, drained

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1 1/2 cups grated Monterrey Jack cheese

• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

• Toppings (optional) - sliced green onion, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, diced black olives

Step 1 - Flash Fry Corn Tortillas

• To flash fry tortillas, add enough canola or vegetable oil to a cast iron/medium skillet so it covers the bottom and heat over medium-high heat.

• Working with one tortilla at a time, add tortilla and lightly fry for about 10 seconds on each side, just until soft with a few bubbles but not brown or crisp, transfer to paper towels. Repeat with all tortillas.  Drain on paper Towels

Step 2 - Make the Chicken Enchilada Filling

• Add 2 cups of shredded chicken to a large bowl and season with 1/2 teaspoon each of chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. 

• Stir in 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, 1/2 cup sour cream and a can of drained green chilies until evenly coated.   Stir in 1 cup Monterrey Jack and 1 cup cheddar.

Step 3 - Assemble the Enchiladas

• Spread 1/2 cup Enchilada Sauce on the bottom of a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish (layer will be very thin).

• Fill each tortilla with a generous amount of filling (about 1/3 cup).

• Roll up each tortilla and place seam side down in prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. 

• Top enchiladas evenly with remaining enchilada sauce followed by remaining cheeses.

• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

• Serve with any of the toppings - enjoy!

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Photos and recipes courtesy of Carlsbad Cravings and Mary Van Hiel

Watch how to make these on my YouTube channel

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