Chipotle Braised Chicken Enchiladas

I absolutely love Mexican cuisine! I don’t do a good job of showcasing just how much I love it on my blog, so I’ve made it a goal of mine to share more Mexican recipes.

When Zac and I lived in Seattle, one of our favorite restaurants was a place called Barrio. It was a modern Mexican kitchen serving upscale Mexican food. My favorite dish is their chipotle braised chicken enchiladas! We’ve both been missing Seattle a lot lately, so I wanted to recreate these enchiladas. They are hands down the best enchiladas I’ve ever made!

The key to great Mexican food is building layers of flavor. Each component of the enchiladas are prepared so that their flavors can not only stand alone, but also combine without overpowering each other. Let’s take a look at each of the components.

Chipotle Braised Chicken

Enchiladas are typically stuffed with some form of shredded meat, in this case chicken. Most of the time, the meat is prepared in a simple manner either roasted, poached, or grilled. This works just fine, but for my recipe, I wanted more flavor out of the chicken. I braised my chicken in a dutch oven in a combination of chipotle, smoked paprika, and beer. This braise infuses the chicken with smoky flavor, then honey and lime juice are added to mellow out the smoke and add a bright note to the rich sauce.

Rajas & Onions

The shredded chicken is combined with rajas and onions. Rajas are roasted poblanos. I roast mine under the broiler, but you could roast them on a grill or gas stove as well. Roasting chars the poblano and enhances its flavor. The roasted poblanos are then sliced and combined with thinly sliced sauteed onions.

Corn Tortillas

The rajas & onions and shredded chicken are combined with monterey jack cheese then rolled in a warm corn tortilla. You can substitute flour tortillas in a pinch, but corn tortillas really work the best for a few reasons.

• Corn tortillas have more flavor than flour tortillas. They taste of toasted corn and can stand up to the bold flavors of chipotle and dried chiles in the salsa roja.
• They can stand up to being drenched in salsa roja without falling apart or becoming soggy.
• They have a chewy texture that adds another dimension to the enchiladas.
• Store bought tortillas will work just fine, but if you are feeling adventurous enough to make your own, a tortilla press will make the job easier.

Salsa Roja

The enchiladas are topped with a fruity salsa roja. The salsa is comprised primarily of dried guajillo, ancho, and chipotle morita chiles. You can read all about the benefits of dried chiles here. Salsa roja has a slight sweetness that acts to balance and mellow the smoky heat of chipotle braised chicken.

Garnishes

Enchiladas would not be complete without a few garnishes. You can choose to leave these off, but each one does its job in unifying the flavor of the enchiladas.

• Cotija cheese is like Mexican parmesan. It is crumbled over the enchiladas and adds a salty bite.
• Crema is like Mexican sour cream. It is sour, tangy, and creamy. It offsets the richness of the enchiladas.
• Pickled red onions add texture and brightness. The acidity adds balance to the complex flavors in the enchiladas.
• Cilantro has notes of citrus and adds freshness to the dish. I love finishing enchiladas with cilantro.

There are a few different components to this dish, but I promise all of them are worth making and combine to make the most amazing enchiladas ever! Give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it in the comments!

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