Authentic Style Enchiladas
My father-in-law introduced this method of making enchiladas to the family (supposedly... I wasn't around when they started making these so who knows), and I'm forever grateful.
The key, and main trick to these babies, is using yellow corn tortillas and lightly frying them in hot oil, before soaking them in hot enchilada sauce and stuffing them with your favorite filling. (Though flour is good too).
We typically do a pan of cheese, chicken, and beef. After I started making these myself, I started adding sauteed onions & peppers too.
I've even done a bean and cheese version. The options are endless. To each their own enchilada.
Note: it’s really easier to make these with 2 people so you can have an assembly line of sorts.
How to make them:
Pre-brown and season your beef, and same with your chicken.
You could get rotisserie chicken and pull it yourself, you could boil chicken breasts and then shred it. I actually use canned chicken a lot in my kitchen. Whatever you want to do.
I recommend seasoning your chicken with salt & pepper after its shredded before you use it.
Here is how you want your assembly line to look when you are standing at your stove: tortillas to the left, left side of oven a shallow frying pan of vegetable oil, next a shallow frying pan of red enchilada sauce, and then your baking dish that will hold your enchiladas to the right of the stove.
Above your baking pan, you will want to have your bowls of chicken, cheese & beef ready for quick filling.
These are really so easy to make that even Jacob can help make them. But again, it’s best to have 2 people. It gets a little messy.
Person #1 will drop a tortilla into sizzling hot vegetable oil, briefly frying to make it more workable, really only about 5-10 seconds. Once the tortilla begins to bubble, with a pair of tongs quickly move the tortilla to the enchilada sauce and coat both sides well. Drop the tortilla into your baking pan and the second person will fill, roll and line them up neatly in the pan.
It is completely up to you how you fill them- chicken & cheese combo in one tortilla, only chicken/only cheese/only beef, however you like. Just make sure not to over fill them and don’t over-do it on the cheese. Once your pan is full, top with more enchilada sauce and more cheese. Put in the oven on 400 until bubbly.
Ingredients:
Yellow corn tortillas or flour tortillas
Vegetable oil
Red enchilada sauce
Shredded cheese (we prefer Monterey Jack)
Shredded chicken
Seasoned ground beef
*optional: beans, sauteed onions, green chiles
Toppings:
Green onions
Jalapenos
Sour cream
Olives
Avocado or fresh guacamole
Minced red onion
Lime juice
Cilantro
Bonus: I did this whole process, except with green enchilada sauce, and I filled them with sautéed onions and cream cheese. Absolutely sinful.
Double Bonus: put powdered garlic, salt and pepper in your sauteed onions for max flavor. (Once your onions have cooked, put in a block of cream cheese and combine well).
Fresh guac tip: all you need to put in a bowl with a couple mashed avocados is salt, garlic powder, minced red onion, lime juice, and a little cilantro. Minced jalapeno for a kick.
Guacamole life hack: sprinkle the below fresh fruit preserver on your guac before covering tightly and storing in the fridge to prevent browning. Works like a charm.
