Creamy Cheddar Chicken Enchiladas

These enchiladas split the difference between Texas-style and homestyle Mexican. The filling is loaded with shredded chicken, sour cream, and grated cheddar, while the sauce sticks closer to a chunky ranchera with tomatoes, green chiles, and onion simmered down until thick.

The critical move most home cooks skip is the quick oil dip for each tortilla. Five seconds in hot oil softens corn tortillas so they roll without cracking and seals the surface so they don’t dissolve into mush under the sauce. Skip that step and you get a sad casserole instead of distinct enchiladas.

Draining the canned tomatoes and reserving the liquid is the second smart move. You control the sauce thickness by adding the reserved juice back as needed, instead of having to simmer forever to evaporate.

Thirty minutes of simmering is what concentrates the sauce. Don’t rush it. The tomatoes need time to break down into a glossy, slightly sweet base that coats the enchiladas without sliding off.

Kitchen Tips

• Use rotisserie chicken to skip the cooking step. Two cups of pulled meat from a store-bought bird is just right.
• Heat the oil to shimmering but not smoking for the tortilla dip. Too hot and they crisp instead of softening.
• Roll the enchiladas tight and pack them snug in the dish. A loose roll falls apart in serving.
• Cover with foil for the first 15 minutes of baking, then uncover to brown the top.

Variations

• Add a layer of black beans inside the rolls for extra protein and fiber.
• Top with sliced black olives and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro before serving.
• Substitute roasted poblano peppers for canned green chiles for fresher flavor.