Red Sauce Chicken Enchiladas

Steps

Every amount is written into the step where you use it.

!Steps marked like this need your attention — stay close so nothing burns.

Red Sauce Chicken Enchiladas

1. Stem and seed the 3 dried ancho chiles and 3 dried guajillo chiles, then toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until fragrant. 4 min
2. Place the toasted chiles in a small saucepan with 1½ cups chicken broth and bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook 8 minutes until the chiles are fully softened. 10 min
3. Transfer the softened chiles and broth to a blender with the 14.5 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes (with juices), 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; blend until completely smooth. 3 min
4. Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in the same saucepan over medium heat, pour in the blended chile sauce, and simmer 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened; season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and set aside. 9 min
5. Place the 1½ lb chicken breast in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce to a steady simmer and cook 15–18 minutes until cooked through. 20 min
6. Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board, let it rest 5 minutes, then shred it into bite-sized strands using two forks. 6 min
7. Finely dice half of the white onion and thinly slice the remaining half for topping; mince the 3 cloves of garlic. 5 min
8. Timing-sensitive step. Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the diced onion for 4 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant; remove from heat and toss with the shredded chicken. 6 min
9. Preheat the oven to 375 °F and spread ½ cup of the red chile sauce across the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. 10 min
10. Timing-sensitive step. Warm the 12 corn tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet for 20–30 seconds per side until pliable, keeping them covered under a damp towel. 5 min
11. Spoon roughly 3 tablespoons of the chicken filling and 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese down the center of each tortilla, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in the baking dish. 6 min
12. Pour the remaining red chile sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas and scatter the remaining 1½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend across the top. 2 min
13. Bake uncovered at 375 °F for 22–25 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling at the edges. 24 min
14. Top with the sliced onion and ¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro; serve immediately with ½ cup sour cream on the side (optional). 2 min

Cilantro-Lime Black Beansside

1. Drain and rinse the 30 oz of canned black beans in a colander; mince the 2 cloves of garlic and juice the lime to yield 2 tablespoons of fresh juice. 4 min
2. Timing-sensitive step. Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and sauté the minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant and just golden. 2 min
3. Add the drained black beans, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt; stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until the beans are heated through and beginning to absorb the spices. 5 min
4. Remove from heat, stir in the 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and serve warm alongside the enchiladas. 2 min