Description
Hearty New Mexico-style stacked red enchiladas featuring layers of corn tortillas, savory meat, rich red chile sauce, and melted cheese, optionally topped with a fried egg and cilantro.
Ingredients
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 lb ground beef or shredded cooked chicken
- 2 cups red chile sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional, for garnish)
- 4 large eggs (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; sauté onion 3–4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned and fully cooked, breaking it apart. Drain excess fat. If using shredded chicken, stir in and heat through.
- Season meat with cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper; remove from heat.
- Warm red chile sauce over low heat.
- Lightly warm corn tortillas in a dry skillet to make pliable.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Place one tortilla on top.
- Spoon a layer of meat over the tortilla, sprinkle with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and drizzle with red chile sauce.
- Repeat layering (tortilla, meat, cheese, sauce) for three tortillas per stack; create four stacks in the dish.
- Top each stack with remaining sauce and cheese.
- Bake uncovered 15–20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Optional: Fry eggs separately and place one on top of each stack before serving.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Notes
- Vegetarian option: Use sautéed zucchini, mushrooms, black beans, or roasted sweet potatoes instead of meat.
- Use green chile sauce for a regional variation.
- Add refried beans between layers for extra richness.
- Top with sliced avocado, shredded lettuce, or diced tomatoes for freshness.
- Increase heat with diced green chiles or a pinch of cayenne pepper in the meat mixture.
- Warm tortillas before stacking to prevent cracking and maintain pliability.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish / Mexican
- Method: Baking / Layering
- Cuisine: New Mexican / Southwestern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stack
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
