red sauce vs. green sauce. They were both incredibly tasty and there were few if any left over.

My red sauce chicken enchilada recipe, just before it went into a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. No-one could vote on which enchiladas were better — red sauce vs. green sauce. They were both incredibly tasty and there were few if any left over.

It's Football Sunday again, I just made the white bean and chicken chili recipe a few weeks ago, so I need another dish, and I've got all day to make it. I head to the Food Network website and one suggestion for game day is enchiladas. For some reason I am in the mood to make enchiladas today! I scout 5 - 6 recipes and then decide on my own. We are making enchiladas two ways -- one with green sauce and one with red sauce. I have no idea what I am doing, but that has never really stopped me before, so why start now?

The first thing to do is make the sauces. I find a few great recipes for a homemade red enchilada sauce, but I bought a small can of Old El Paso red enchilada sauce as a back-up in case I screw it up. I have many of the ingredients on hand, or close enough. So here is my recipe for a red enchilada sauce, and eventually, the finished product. Enchiladas invovle steps, take your time and enjoy! And feel free to use prepared sauces, shredded rotisserie chicken and pre-grated cheese, I won't judge (ok, yes I will!!). They'll still be yummy, but a little extra effort sure does pay off if you have the time and inclination.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE RED ENCHILADA SAUCE:

Olive oil, a good swirl for the pan
Large container of mixed color grape tomatoes, or any combination of fresh tomatoes, roughly 2 lbs. in total
3 - 4 cloves of garlic, whole
1/2 white or yellow onion, rough chopped
1/2 each red and orange bell pepper, rough chopped
2 fresh jalapeño peppers, finely chopped (or the equivalent amount of jarred jalapeños)
(2) 4 oz. cans of diced green chiles
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 small container of chicken stock
1 small can El Paso Red Enchillada Sauce - or, skip, add 2 - 3 TBSP. tomato paste, another splash of chicken stock and amp up the spices!!
1 large bunch chopped fresh cilantro

Put a good drizzle of olive oil in a medium sized sautee pan over medium low heat. When it comes to temperature (the oil will ripple in the pan), add the tomatoes, garlic cloves, chopped onions and bell peppers. Let them hang out for 5 minutes or so, stirring the pan occasionally. Add the spices and let them get toasty for 2 - 3 minutes, then add the jalapenos, green chiles and a splash of chicken stock.

grape tomatoes, onion, garlic, bell peppers, jalapeños, canned green chiles and spices cook up, then cook down, and are eventually blended into a cohesive sauce to cook the chicken breasts, dip your tortillas in before rolling them, and top off the …

A mix of grape tomatoes, onion, garlic, bell peppers, jalapeños, canned green chiles and spices cook up, then cook down, and are eventually blended into a cohesive sauce to cook the chicken breasts, dip your tortillas in before rolling them, and top off the enchiladas before baking.

Cover and let cook for 10 minutes or so until the tomatoes give up and start to wilt. Add the can of El Paso sauce because what the heck (or a few tablespoons of tomato paste, extra chicken stock and extra spices instead) and again, let this cook for 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat until it cools -- approximately 20 minutes -- and then add the mixture (or 2/3 of it, if you want some chunk to the sauce) to a blender and process until smooth. A hot sauce will explode in a blender, so PLEASE wait for it to cool!! Taste it -- it should have a little heat, but the chicken and cheese will cool it down. Do not be afraid! Adjust the seasoning if needed, add the chopped fresh cilantro and return to the pan.

The finished red sauce, ready to cook the chicken, with some homemade refried beans in the background. My son Adam made the beans and a killer guacamole. It’s great to have help in the kitchen!

INGREDIENTS FOR THE ENCHILADA FILLING, WRAPPERS AND TOPPING:

(4) large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 3 lbs. (yes, you can just shred a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken or two from the grocery store!)
8 - 10 oz. each grated cheddar and monterey jack cheese (yes, you can get pre-shredded Mexican blend cheese!)
some of the chopped fresh cilantro
(8) fresh, best quality corn tortillas, 6" size or so - I LOVE the La Tortilla Factory brand yellow corn and wheat tortillas, best I can find in New England!
fresh sour cream for topping
jarred sliced jalapeños for topping

The chicken breasts, before and after cooking. Once cooled apart from the sauce, they shred quite easily and can be used in both the green and red enchiladas.

Once you have returned the red enchilada sauce to the pan and gently heated it through, nestle the chicken breasts into the pan and cook for 10 minutes per side until cooked through - or if using rotisserie chicken, give it a gentle stir and heat it through, ever so mildly. Remove the pan from the heat (again) and remove the chicken to a glass plate and allow to cool.

TO ASSEMBLE THE ENCHILADAS:

Mildly heat the corn tortillas so that they don't tear when rolling, either in a 250 degree oven for 5 - 7 minutes, or a 2 - 3 minutes in a microwave, covered in damp paper towels. Take the tortillas one by one and dip each side until fully covered in the warmed red enchilala sauce. Place in an oiled baking dish which has a light coating of the red sauce on the bottom. Add a modest amount (3 - 4 TBSP.) of shredded chicken to the inside of the tortilla, some grated cheese, a bit of fresh cilantro and roll, placing the seam side down in the baking dish. They should be full but not exploding. Fill your dish with rolled enchiladas, drizzle a small amount of sauce over the top, sprinkle more cheese and cilantro on the top and toss a few jalapeños here and there, depending on your tolerance for heat. Set aside and start on the green enchiladas. And relax, most of the work is already done, you will be using many of the already prepared ingredients from the red ones!

INGREDIENTS FOR THE GREEN ENCHILADAS:

Listen, I did not go all out and do a fresh tomatillo/cilantro sauce. You can, but this project was about as ambitious as I was willing to take on! One day I will and I promise to share. Feel free to use pre-prepared sauces for each recipe, I just had time and felt like making my own red. You may also show me up and do all homemade sauces, hats off to you!! And be sure to share your recipes with me.

INGREDIENTS:

Remaining shredded chicken from above
(8) fresh, best quality corn tortillas, 6" size
(1) 10 oz. package of Frontera Green Chile and Tomatillo Enchilala Sauce (we love this sauce!)
(1) package Queso Fresco (Mexican cheese) OR use more of the cheddar/jack combo OR use a combo of both
sour cream from above
chopped cilantro from above
jarred jalapeños from above

Oil a baking dish, put a splash of the green sauce on the bottom and place a warmed corn tortilla in it. Add the shredded chicken (3 - 4 TBSP.), a good sprinking of queso fresco and/or cheddar/jack combo cheese, 2 - 3 TBSP. of sour cream (yes, INSIDE the enchilada!) and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. Roll and place in dish, seam side down. Repeat. Top with the rest of the green sauce, any leftover cheese, another toss of cilantro and a sprinkling of jarred jalapeños.

You now have two assembled baking dishes of enchiladas. Many of these steps (sauces, etc.) can be done in advance and these can hang in the fridge or be frozen for another time until ready to bake. I feel there will be an enchilada assortment (pre-made and baked off at the last minute) at this year's SuperBowl party.

The red and green sauced enchiladas, ready to bake. I started with 16 tortillas and made 10 of the red and 6 of the green, because I did not have two pans of the same size. Things disappear around here, I give away a lot of food!!

BAKING YOUR ENCHILADAS:

Make sure both of the dishes are at room temperature or close enough. Place both in a 400 degree oven and bake for 15 - 20 minutes until the cheese on top of each is melty and slightly browned. Remove, let cool for 5 minutes or so, and then plate. Top with a dollop of sour cream, an avocado slice, a cilantro sprig and a wedge or two of fresh lime. Both of these are amazingly delicious. Again, you can prepare the components in advance, you can prepare the assembled enchilada casseroles in advance and refrigerate or freeze, too! They may be a little work, especially when making the sauces from scratch, but these recipes produced 16 enchiladas which 4 people basically demolished (though I send my sons home with some leftovers). 16 enchiladas can serve 8 people with a side of rice and/or refried beans and a green salad. Don't forget the Corona!

I attempted a vote and no-one could pick a favorite. The red sauce is a bit spicier, and the green ones get a creaminess from the sour cream inside the enchilada that is delightful. Pick one, mix it up, I don't care! Enchiladas are the unsung heroes of Mexican food and I feel these recipes gives them their day in the sun!

One deliciously baked red enchilada with tomato salsa, sour cream, an avocado slice, a cilantro sprig and a wedge of lime. Good stuff and worth the effort! Make 2x the recipe and freeze one for a rainy day! PS I liked the green better :-)

Red & Green Sauce Chicken Enchilada Recipe