Enchiladas

Introduction

This is an authentic Mexican enchilada recipe with two fillings: juicy chicken with chipotle sauce, and a potato-and-black-bean version. It takes time, but everything is made from scratch apart from the tortillas.

The key move is dipping the tortillas fully in the sauce before rolling them. That keeps them soft in the oven and gives the whole dish a deeper, cleaner chili flavor.

Step-by-step

Ingredients

Chicken and sauce

• 1 whole chicken, about 1.6 kg (3.5 lb)
• 1 can chipotle in adobo, about 200 g (7 oz)
• 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1.5 l water (6 cups), plus more for stock

Potato and bean filling

• 600 g potatoes (1 lb 5 oz), cut into 1 cm cubes
• 1 can black beans, about 400 g (14 oz), rinsed and drained
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• Salt and black pepper

Salsa

• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 bunch coriander/cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt and black pepper

Assembly

• 12 corn tortillas
• 250 g shredded cheese (9 oz)
• 2 avocados
• Extra coriander/cilantro
• Extra sauce

Method

1. Roast the chicken: Heat the oven to 220 °C / 430 °F. Remove the backbone from the chicken, press it flat, and rub it with a little oil and salt. Roast until the thickest part reaches 74 °C / 165 °F, about 35 minutes.
2. Make the chipotle sauce: Cook the chipotle in adobo with onion, salt, sugar, chili powder, oregano, smoked paprika, and cumin for 15 minutes. Blend it smooth with a stick blender or in a blender.
3. Shred the chicken: Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes, then pull all the meat off with two forks. Set the meat aside.
4. Make stock: Put the carcass in a large pot with water. Bring it up, skim if you want to, and simmer as long as you can, ideally 3-4 hours. Strain it and use some of the stock in the sauce.
5. Cook the potatoes: Boil the potato cubes in well-salted water for 10-15 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape. Drain well and let them steam dry.
6. Make the salsa: Mix the tomatoes, onion, coriander, olive oil, lime, sugar, salt, and pepper. Set aside so the flavors can settle.
7. Fry the potatoes: Heat a little oil in a skillet and fry the cooked potatoes for about 10 minutes, until they pick up some color and dry out a bit.
8. Cook the beans: Soften the onion in a little oil. Add the black beans, cumin, and smoked paprika, then heat through until everything is glossy and well seasoned.
9. Thin the sauce: Add stock to the chipotle sauce until it becomes fairly loose. It should coat the tortillas, not sit thick like stew.
10. Dip the tortillas: Dip each corn tortilla fully into the sauce, then fry it in a little oil for 15-20 seconds per side. It should still stay soft and pliable.
11. Fill and bake: Add the filling, roll the tortillas, and arrange them snugly in a baking dish. Top with cheese and bake until melted and heated through.
12. Serve: Serve with salsa, avocado, coriander, and extra sauce on the side.