Enchiladas of the World
In Mexico an enchilada is a tortilla dipped in chile sauce and folded around a little filling. Texas covered it in cheese and chili gravy, New Mexico stacked it flat with an egg on top, and home cooks turned it into a casserole. Here is every style, step by step.
Enchiladas Rojas (Red Chile Chicken Enchiladas)
Corn tortillas rolled around shredded chicken and baked in a smooth red sauce of toasted guajillo chiles and tomatoes, finished with melted Chihuahua cheese, raw onion rings and cilantro.
Enchiladas Verdes (Green Tomatillo Chicken Enchiladas)
Corn tortillas passed through hot oil, rolled around shredded chicken and baked under a tart green sauce of simmered tomatillos, serranos and cilantro, then finished with crema, queso fresco and raw onion.
Enchiladas Suizas (Creamy Green Chicken Enchiladas)
Chicken enchiladas baked in a broiled tomatillo and serrano sauce enriched with cream, under a blanket of melted cheese, Mexico City's famous "Swiss" enchiladas.
Enchiladas Potosinas (Red Chile Masa Enchiladas from San Luis Potosí)
Small tortillas made from masa dyed red with ancho chile, folded around a cheesy tomatillo and chile filling, rested overnight, then fried crisp and served with crema, onion and guacamole.
Enchiladas Mineras (Guanajuato Miners' Enchiladas)
Tortillas dipped in guajillo chile sauce and fried, rolled around fresh cheese and onion, then buried under fried potatoes and carrots, lettuce and pickled jalapeños, with chicken and a tomato salsa on the side.
Enfrijoladas (Tortillas in Black Bean Sauce with Chorizo)
Warm corn tortillas dipped in a smooth black bean sauce, folded into quarters and topped with crumbled chorizo, salsa verde, fresh cheese, parsley and onion: Mexico's fast, comforting bean enchilada.
Enmoladas with Mole Coloradito (Mole Chicken Enchiladas)
Corn tortillas dipped in a brick-red Oaxacan mole of ancho chiles, roasted tomatoes, sesame, almonds, raisins, spices and Mexican chocolate, rolled around shredded chicken and sauced at the table.
Tex-Mex Cheese Enchiladas with Chili Gravy
Corn tortillas rolled around Monterey Jack, cheddar and raw onion, baked under a smooth brown chili gravy of toasted ancho, cumin, garlic and oregano thickened with a roux: the classic Texas enchilada.
New Mexico Stacked Red Chile Enchiladas with a Fried Egg
Blue corn tortillas fried soft and stacked flat with longhorn cheese, minced onion and a deep red New Mexico chile sauce, melted in the oven and crowned with a fried egg.
Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile
Chicken enchiladas rolled with green chile sauce, smothered in Monterey Jack and more green chile, baked, then blanketed with a pint of sour cream and baked again until bubbling.
King Ranch Chicken (Texas Layered Enchilada Casserole)
Layers of oven-crisped corn tortillas and a creamy sauce of chicken, onions, jalapeños, cumin and canned tomatoes with green chiles, bound with Colby Jack and topped with crushed corn chips.
30-Minute Skillet Beef Enchiladas
Fried corn tortilla strips simmered in one skillet with ground beef, onion and red enchilada sauce, then topped with Colby Jack, black olives and scallions and served with sour cream, on the table in 30 minutes.
Tex-Mex Restaurant-Style Cheese Enchiladas with Chili Con Carne Gravy
Restaurant style, not any one restaurant's recipe: fried corn tortillas dipped in a beefy red chile gravy of ancho, guajillo and arbol chiles, rolled around cheddar and onion and baked under more gravy and cheese, the way Texas combination plates serve them.