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Homemade Red sauce for Chicken Enchiladas
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Chicken Enchiladas with a Homemade Red Sauce

This dinner can be made in under one hour, despite making your own red sauce from scratch.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Enchiladas, Red sauce
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 2 servings
Author JoAnn

Ingredients

RED SAUCE

  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 Tablespoons chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 cups chicken stock

For the Chicken Enchiladas

  • 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil
  • 1/2 of a sweet onion peeled and chopped
  • 8 oz. bag of southwestern flavored precooked chicken.  I chop my up into smaller pieces.
  • 4 oz. can of diced green chiles
  • 1/2 can of re-fried beans
  • 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 6 burrito sized flour tortillas
  • 2 cups of cheese shredded

Instructions

Making the Red Sauce

  • Place a small saucepan over medium heat, begin to heat oil
  • Once oil is heated, add flour and whisk together for about 1 minute, till thoroughly combined.
  • Stir in all remaining seasonings.
  • Gradually add the chicken stock, while whisking constantly. 
    Continue till all lumps are removed.
  • Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Sauce will slightly thicken.

While sauce is simmering...

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  • Place refried beans in a microwavable bowl, and heat on high for 2 minutes.
  • After 2 minutes, stir. Heat again for 1 minute.  Remove from microwave.
  • In a 10"-nonstick skillet, add the 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil and turn to medium-high heat.
  • Once heated, add chopped onion and saute, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, for about 5-6 minutes.
  • Add green chilies, salt and pepper.  Saute for about 2 minutes more.
  • Add precooked chicken and heat until warm through, approximately 3 minutes.
  • Remove from heat. Sit aside.
  • Assemble your enchiladas.
  • Place a tortilla on a flat surface.
  • Spread about a tablespoon of the enchilada sauce down the middle of the tortilla.
  • Spread about a tablespoon of the re-fried beans on the surface of the tortilla, concentrating mainly down the middle.
  • Sprinkle some of the chicken/onion mixture on top of the beans.  I just used my hands.
  • Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the cheese on top of the chicken mixture.
  • Moving from one side of the tortilla, roll it up into a tube and place in an ovenproof, deep container.
  • Lay the tortillas in a row, next to each other.
  • Spread the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the shells.
  • Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
  • Place in the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until cheese appears bubbly.
  • Serve with chopped iceberg lettuce and chopped tomatoes.