Red chile chicken enchiladas

For as much Mexican food as I eat and have eaten in my life. I realized there are a lot of dishes I've never made at home. I've either had them at a restaurant or eaten them in someone else's home. So when I was looking through recipes for this week I realized that some of my favorite dishes I've never made for myself.

One of those dishes being rolled enchiladas. I've made green chile chicken enchiladas before, but those are more like a casserole that are layered and stacked. I've never made the single layered rolled enchiladas before and whats even crazier is I've never made red chile enchiladas. I figured it was high time I did.

To start the enchiladas I had to prepare the filling. In this case it was chicken. To make the chicken I stewed it in water with onions, garlic, bayleaf, pepper corns and cumin. Basically I made chicken broth. I used two chicken breast with the bone in and skin on. 

I let this cook for 40 minutes. While that was cooking I prepped my other ingredients which consisted of grating cheese and chopping one whole yellow onion.

Now the fun part frying the corn tortillas. I have I mentioned that I don't like to fry things? I really, really, do not enjoy having to fry anything. I mostly don't like frying because working with hot grease scares me and I hate it when the grease splatters and burns me. Anyway I had to get over it and fry my corn tortillas.

The key to frying corn tortillas for enchiladas is for the grease to be HOT! If the tortillas doesn't bubble and sizzle the second you put it in the skillet the grease isn't hot enough. I only fry them about 10-15 seconds on each side. I don't want them hard or crispy like chips. Just want them soft enough to roll.

By this time my chicken is cooked and ready to be shredded. 

I didn't forget that lovely chicken broth the chicken came out of. I strained it and put in the fridge to use in something else this week. Chicken's done, tortillas are fried, cheese and onions are ready so its time to make enchiladas. But wait, what about the enchilada sauce? Here is were most people go wrong with me is on their choice of enchilada sauce. 

I am from New Mexico and the only thing that ever goes on our enchiladas is either red or green chile. I mean it when I say this makes a huge difference in the taste of your enchiladas. Most store brand "enchilada sauces" are tomato based and too sweet, yuck! I love a nice simple red chile puree sauce. Which thanks to my mom I happened to have a fresh jar straight from New Mexico.

Red chile sauce can be made at home and is awesome. However its hard to find the New Mexico chiles in my hood so I used the jar sauce from one of my favorite New Mexico restaurants. Now time to assemble the enchiladas which is really easy.

To assemble all I did is take one corn tortilla put some fresh onion and shredded chicken in it then roll it up. Sorry I didn't get a picture of the chicken going in the tortilla but again I was hungry and in a hurry. I kept repeating this method until I had a dish full of enchilada rolls.

Next I poured my red chile sauce over the top.

Then added more fresh onions ( I really, like a lot of onion on my enchiladas).

Then I covered the whole thing is sharp Cheddar cheese.

I put these in the oven for 30 minutes to melt the cheese and heat through. Next time I will do it for 20 minutes 30 was a little too long. 

The final product looks like this!

Look at that warm bubbly goodness. It just brings a smile to my face and warms my heart whenever I look at it. Dinner was really good! The best part is there were left overs so I got to eat them again today! Life is good!

So far Mexican week is getting off to a great start!