Enchiladas Rojas- Red Enchiladas

Enchiladas Rojas or Red Enchiladas are made with a red chile sauce and can be filled with your favorite protein or cheese.

These enchiladas are also know as Enchiladas Mexicana. Unlike Tex-Mex enchiladas, which I grew up eating, these have a simple chile sauce and are not baked.

Serve them with Rice and Beans for a complete Mexican Meal the whole family will enjoy.

Ingredients for Enchiladas Rojas

The main ingredients are: Tortillas, Enchilada Sauce, Filling, and Toppings of your choice.

First you need to make the Red Enchilada Sauce. To make the enchiladas faster, make the sauce a day before and store in the refrigerator.

Enchiladas Mexicana are always made with corn tortillas. Since these are getting drowned in a sauce, store bought tortillas are a great option.

Then choose your filling for the enchiladas. Here I’m using leftover chicken that I had cooked and seasoned with some spices.

Leftover rotisserie chicken, Salsa Chicken, or Thanksgiving Turkey are some great options. If you are using leftover meat, be sure to warm it up before assembling the enchiladas.

You can also do Shredded Beef, Red Shredded Beef, Refried Beans, Sweet Potato and Black Beans, or just fill them with your favorite cheese.

How to Prep the Tortillas

Enchiladas consist of the corn tortilla being smothered in sauce. Therefore they need to be prepped with some oil and a light frying to build a barrier. Otherwise they will just disintegrate in the sauce.

Heat a non stick skillet over medium heat, add a little oil and lightly fry them for about 20 seconds on each side. We don’t want them crispy, just warm.

Place them on a plate and cover with foil while you continue frying the rest of the tortillas.

Traditional Enchilada Dip Method

I’ll go over the traditional way to make enchiladas rojas, the dip method, and a easier method below.

If you just made the enchilada sauce then, you don’t need to warm it up. However, if it was stored in the refrigerator, then you will need to warm it slightly in a sauce pan.

Next use tongs or your hands, to dip the oiled tortilla into the enchilada sauce. It’s ok if the very top doesn’t have sauce, you can add more once it’s rolled.

Then place it on a plate and add the filling, in this case I’m using shredded chicken. Now you can either roll it or fold it in half like a taco and place in a serving plate or pan.

Continue making your enchiladas and top with more sauce if needed.

Easy Enchilada Method

For the easy and less messy enchilada method, start by rolling all the enchiladas with the filling inside. Keep in mind this method will not have enchilada sauce inside of the tortilla.

Once all the enchiladas are rolled, we’re going to add some sauce to the bottom of a serving plate or dish. Now the rolled enchiladas will go right on top of the sauce.

It’s best to do this right before you plan on serving the enchiladas. Spoon or pour the warm sauce over each enchilada to cover it completely.

You want all the exposed tortilla to be covered in sauce. I personally think this way is easier and less messy, but you can choose which method you like best to make the enchiladas.

How to Serve and Reheat Enchiladas Rojas

As I mentioned in the begining, these enchiladas rojas are not baked. Once the sauce is on, they are ready to be served with toppings.

Enchiladas Mexicana are traditionally served with fresh toppings like shredded lettuce, cabbage, radishes, onion, crema, or avocado.

These enchiladas are best eaten right after making them. If you have leftovers, store them in an air tight container up to 3 days. Then re-heat in the microwave or bake in the oven. If the enchiladas are too dry add extra sauce as needed.

To prep these ahead of time, use the easy method and roll all the enchiladas with your filling of choice. To serve, warm up the enchiladas in the microwave or oven, then pour warm enchilada sauce over them. Serve with toppings of your choice.

For a full meal serve with Arroz, Frijoles, or Ensalada de Nopales.

Try the bean version also known as Enfrijoladas.