Authentic Enchiladas Rancheras are a popular Mexican food dish that combines savory flavors and traditional ingredients.
These delicious enchiladas are made with tender chicken and melted cheese rolled in warm tortillas and covered with a red sauce. The real star of the show, however, is the flavorful ranchera sauce that gives the dish its unique and rich taste.
If you’re looking to satisfy your cravings for authentic Mexican cuisine, this recipe, with its delicious enchilada sauce, will guide you through the steps of making enchiladas rancheras at home, complete with a homemade ranchera sauce that will elevate the dish to a whole new level of deliciousness.
It is likely to become one of your favorite Mexican Food Dishes, as well as Enchiladas Recipes!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavor – You’ll love the flavor of the tomato and chile ranchero sauce! It’s a little spicy, but you can adjust the heat to your preference.
- Easy – You likely already have many of the ingredients on hand, and you will have a delicious dinner on the table in an hour.
- Cheese – With queso fresco and Monterey Jack cheese, you’ll get that delicious cheese flavor. It’s not as cheesy as Tex-Mex recipes, but don’t worry, you’ll love the entire flavor combination.
- Leftovers – This is a great recipe to use leftover chicken or turkey.
What You’ll Need
Equipment
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Ingredients
Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don’t have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.
- Tomatoes – You’ll need four large ripe tomatoes. Canned tomatoes will work also if you don’t have fresh tomatoes.
- Jalapeno peppers – Use jalapenos or serrano peppers.
- Onion – I used a white onion, but you can use a sweet or yellow onion as well.
- Garlic cloves – Use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
- Mexican oregano – I used Mexican oregano, but you can use regular oregano.
- Cumin – I used ground cumin.
- Salt
- Water – Use water set aside from the ranchera sauce.
- Corn tortillas – I used corn tortillas in the recipe, but you can use flour tortillas in the recipe as well.
- Chicken – Shred leftover rotisserie chicken, or cook your chicken and shred it.
- Cheese – Monterrey Jack or Mexican blend
- Toppings – shredded lettuce, queso fresco, chopped avocado, chopped cilantro, diced onion, diced jalapenos
How To Make Enchiladas Rancheras
Ranchero Sauce:
- Core the tomatoes and remove the stems and seeds of the peppers. Place the tomatoes and peppers in a pot and cover with water. Simmer over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.
- Reserve ½ cup water from the tomatoes and spoon the tomatoes and peppers into a blender. Add the onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, and water and blend until smooth.
- Pour the sauce back into the pot and simmer for ten more minutes.
Enchiladas:
- Heat the oil in a skillet until sizzling. Heat a tortilla for 5 seconds and carefully turn it over for 5 seconds; continue with the remaining tortillas. Keep the tortillas warm.
- Dredge a tortilla through the sauce, making sure both sides are covered.
- Heat the chicken in the microwave for 2 minutes, then season with cumin and salt. Spread some chicken and cheese in a tortilla and roll up. Place the tortilla seam-side down in a large pan. Repeat until all the tortillas have been filled and rolled. (You can serve now, or bake at 375° for 15 minutes.) Top with your favorite toppings before serving.
Recipe Tips
- To make the sauce less spicy, remove the seeds of the jalapenos.
- You can pour the sauce over your enchiladas or dip your tortillas in the sauce before adding the chicken and cheese and rolling them up.
- The tortillas will be hot and can be served as soon as they are filled and rolled, or you can bake in the oven for 10 minutes to heat through.
Variations
- Cheese Enchiladas Rancheras – Instead of using chicken, use cheese for the enchilada filling.
- Turkey Enchiladas Rancheras – Instead of using chicken, use an equal amount of shredded turkey in the enchiladas. It’s a great way to use up leftover turkey.
What To Serve With Enchiladas Rancheras?
- Mexican Rice / Spanish Rice
- Instant Pot Refried Beans or Instant Pot Black Beans
- Skillet Queso
- Restaurant Style Salsa Roja
- Homemade Tortilla Chips
FAQs
Place the enchiladas in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 to 5 days.
Yes. Place the enchiladas in a freezer-safe, airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Yes, you can cook and shred the chicken ahead of time. You can also make the ranchera sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it until you are ready to serve. Reheat it on medium heat in a medium saucepan on the stove until heated through.
More Enchilada Recipes
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Recipe
Enchiladas Rancheras Recipe
Ingredients
Ranchero Sauce:
- 4 large tomatoes
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers or serranos
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup water reserved from boiling tomatoes
Enchiladas:
- 2-3 tablespoons oil
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 ½ cups shredded cooked chicken rotisserie
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
- Optional Toppings: Queso fresco cilantro, avocado, shredded lettuce, sliced onions
Instructions
Ranchero Sauce:
- Core the tomatoes and remove the stem and seeds of the peppers. Place the tomatoes and peppers in a pot and cover with water. Simmer over medium high heat for 5 to 10 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.
- Reserve a ½ cup water from the tomatoes and spoon the tomatoes and peppers into a blender. Add the onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt and water and blend until smooth.
- Pour the sauce back into the pot and simmer for 10 more minutes.
Enchiladas:
- Heat the oil in a skillet until sizzling. Heat a tortilla for 5 seconds and carefully turn it over for 5 seconds, continue with the remaining tortillas. Keep the tortillas warm.
- Dredge a tortilla through the sauce making sure both sides are covered.
- Heat the chicken in the microwave for 2 minutes, then season with cumin and salt. Spread some chicken and cheese in a tortilla and roll up. Place the tortilla seam side down in a large pan. Repeat until all the tortillas have been filled and rolled. (You can serve now, or bake at 375° for 15 minutes.)
- Top with your favorite toppings before serving.
Notes
You can pour the sauce over your enchiladas, or dip your tortillas in the sauce before adding the chicken and cheese and rolling them up.
The tortillas will be hot and can be served as soon as they are filled and rolled, or you can bake in the oven for 10 minutes to heat through. Storage:
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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