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Chipotle Braised Chicken Enchiladas

Published: · Modified: by Niki. About 4 minutes to read this article.

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Overhead view of chipotle braised chicken enchiladas covered in salsa roja, cotija cheese, crema, and pickled onions in a casserole dish.

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!

Overhead view of chipotle braised chicken enchiladas covered in salsa roja, cotija cheese, crema, and pickled onions in a casserole dish.

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.
Overhead view of three chipotle braised chicken enchiladas covered in salsa roja, cotija cheese, crema, and pickled onions on a plate.

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!

Angled view of chipotle braised chicken enchiladas covered in salsa roja, cotija cheese, crema, and pickled onions in a casserole dish.
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Angled view of chipotle braised chicken enchiladas covered in salsa roja, cotija cheese, crema, and pickled onions in a casserole dish.

Chipotle Braised Chicken Enchiladas

  • Author: Nicole Cutchall
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 65 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 10 enchiladas 1x
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Description

Smoky chipotle braised chicken rolled into warm corn tortillas, topped with a fruity salsa roja and salty cotija cheese.

Scale

Ingredients

For the chipotle braised chicken:

  • 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • ¼ cup chopped white onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 chipotles in adobo, minced
  • ¾ cup dark beer
  • 2 tbsp enchilada sauce
  • ¼ cup chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • Juice of 1 lime

For the rajas & onions:

  • 2 large poblano peppers
  • 1 medium white onion, finely sliced
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • ½ tsp kosher salt

To assemble the enchiladas:

  • 1 batch salsa roja
  • 1 batch rajas and onions
  • 1 batch chipotle braised chicken
  • 10 corn tortillas
  • ¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
  • 4 tbsp Mexican crema
  • Cilantro for garnish (optional)
  • Pickled Red Onions for garnish (optional)

Instructions

For the chipotle braised chicken:

  1. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, salt, and smoked paprika. Pat each chicken breast dry. Using half of the spice mix, sprinkle evenly over one side of each breast. Flip the chicken breasts, and season the the other side with the remaining spice mix.
  2. In a medium sized dutch oven over medium heat, heat 2 tbsp avocado oil.
  3. Add in the onions and garlic, sauteing 3-4 minutes until onions are soft.
  4. Sear the chicken breasts on each side, about 3 minutes per side.
  5. Add in the minced chipotle and beer. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pot. Cook for 3 minutes.
  6. Add in the chicken stock, enchilada sauce, and lime. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and cook 20-25 minutes over low heat until the chicken is cooked. *See note
  7. After the chicken is cooked through, remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Cook the sauce for an additional 5 mins over medium-high heat to reduce.
  8. Add in the honey and stir to combine.
  9. Shred the chicken, then return to the pot and mix into the reduced sauce.

For the rajas & onions:

  1. Preheat broiler on high.
  2. Clean and dry the poblano peppers. Put both peppers on a small sheet pan, and roast 10 to 12 minutes, turning frequently. The peppers are finished when the skin is charred and peeling in places.
  3. Remove the peppers from the broiler. Put in a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle. *See note
  4. Remove the skin, seeds, and stems from the roasted poblanos. Slice into thin strips and set aside. *See note
  5. Heat the avocado oil in a medium sized skillet over medium heat
  6. Add in the sliced onions and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the onions to be soft, but not overly cooked or burnt.
  7. Add in the sliced roasted poblanos. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.

To assemble the enchiladas:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the chipotle chicken, rajas & onions, and monterey jack cheese.
  3. In an oven safe 9×13 inch casserole dish, spread about a third of the sauce over the bottom of the dish, set aside.
  4. Warm corn tortillas. Place half of the tortillas on a microwave safe plate, cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 30 second increments until warm. *See note
  5. Stuff the tortillas. Place about 2-3 tbsps of the chicken, pepper, and cheese mixture into the middle of a tortilla. Fold the side of the tortilla closest to you over the filling, then carefully continue rolling the tortilla away from you. Transfer the stuffed tortilla to the casserole dish. *See note
  6. Repeat step 5 with the remaining warmed tortillas. Return to step 4 and completed step 4 and 5 for the other half of the tortillas.
  7. Spoon the remaining salsa roja over top of the enchiladas.
  8. Cover the casserole dish with foil, and cook in the oven for 20 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven. Garnish the enchiladas with crumbled cotija, crema, pickled red onion, and chopped cilantro.

Notes

For the chipotle braised chicken:

  • Chicken is cooked through when it registers 165 degrees in the thickest part of the breast.

For the rajas & onions:

  • Allowing the peppers to steam in a covered bowl will help to loosen their skins.
  • If the skin of the pepper doesn’t come off easily, you can try using the back of your knife to carefully scrape off the skin.

To assemble the enchiladas:

  • Corn tortillas need to be warmed before serving to make sure they don’t crack when you roll them.
  • When stuffing and rolling the tortillas, be careful to make sure they don’t crack. We aren’t rolling these tortillas like a burrito. The ends of the tortilla should remain open. It’s ok if they are a little over stuffed.
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Keywords: chipotle in adobo, chicken, braised, smoked paprika, poblano peppers, rajas, onions, monterey jack cheese, cotija cheese, salsa roja, corn tortillas, chicken enchiladas, red enchiladas, cilantro, Mexican crema, roasted peppers, pickled red onions

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