Fire Roasted Chipotle Enchiladas

Fire roasted chipotle enchiladas are a casserole of flour tortillas filled with shredded chicken, cheese, and roasted peppers, then baked under a smoky chipotle sauce until the edges bubble and the top browns. The heat comes from roasted chipotles in adobo, which give the sauce depth without being painfully spicy. The dish works because the tortillas soften in the sauce as it bakes, and the chicken stays moist underneath while the cheese on top gets golden.

Ingredients for Fire Roasted Chipotle Enchiladas

Chicken breast fills the tortillas with lean protein. Fire roasted red bell peppers add sweetness and a smoky char. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce give the sauce its signature heat and smoke. Sour cream tempers the heat and makes the sauce silky. Chicken broth thins the sauce so it coats the tortillas evenly. Cheddar cheese browns on top and melts into the filling. Monterey Jack cheese adds creaminess. Flour tortillas are the structure. Olive oil prevents sticking and helps the edges brown. Salt, black pepper, and garlic powder season the filling and sauce.

Why This Fire Roasted Chipotle Enchiladas Works

The chipotle sauce comes together by blending roasted peppers, chipotle peppers, sour cream, and broth. This mixture is thick enough to cling to the tortillas but thin enough to seep into them as the enchiladas bake, softening them without making them mushy.

The chicken is shredded and mixed with cheese and roasted peppers before rolling, so every bite has filling all the way through. As the enchiladas bake, the cheese melts into the filling while more sauce bubbles around the edges and the exposed tortilla edges get crisp and brown.

Resting the enchiladas for five minutes after roasting lets them firm up enough to serve without falling apart. The residual heat also finishes cooking the cheese so it is fully melted throughout.

Mistakes To Avoid

Overfilling the tortillas makes them tear when you roll them and causes the filling to leak into the sauce. One heaping spoon of filling per tortilla is enough. The enchilada will puff slightly as it bakes and you will have filling in every bite.

Undercooking the chicken leaves it dry and stringy when shredded. Poach or roast the chicken until it reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part, checked with an instant-read thermometer. It will be tender enough to shred easily with two forks.

Using cold sauce straight from the blender makes the filling cold and the enchiladas take longer to roast evenly. Warm the sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat for two to three minutes before assembling, stirring occasionally. This also helps it flow better into the pan and over the rolled tortillas.

Skipping the rest after roasting makes the enchiladas fall apart when you serve them. The cheese and sauce need those five minutes to set slightly so the whole casserole holds together on the plate.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
• 2 cups fire roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 10 flour tortillas, 8 inch
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Place chicken breast in a large skillet, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C), about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and shred with two forks.
2. In a blender, combine chipotle peppers (reserve the adobo sauce), sour cream, chicken broth, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth, about one minute. Pour into a small saucepan and warm over medium heat for two to three minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour half the sauce into a shallow dish for rolling.
3. In a bowl, mix shredded chicken with roasted red peppers, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the center. Oil a 9×13 baking pan generously.
5. Dip each tortilla into the sauce in the shallow dish, coating both sides lightly. Lay it flat, spoon about 1/3 cup filling down the center, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in the oiled pan. Space the enchiladas so they do not touch.
6. Pour the remaining warm sauce over the rolled enchiladas. Roast uncovered at 375°F (190°C) until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the exposed tortilla edges are light golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and let rest for five minutes. Serve warm.