Oh yes 🌶️🇲🇽 — New Mexico-Style Stacked Red Enchiladas are a classic comfort dish from the Land of Enchantment. Unlike rolled enchiladas, these are layered “stacked” with red chile sauce, cheese, and optionally meat, then baked to bubbly perfection.
🌶️ New Mexico-Style Stacked Red Enchiladas
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
For the Red Chile Sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups New Mexico red chile sauce (or red chile powder + tomato sauce)
- 1–2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (adjust for consistency)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Salt to taste
For the Enchiladas
- 8–10 corn tortillas
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (or beef/pork, optional for meatless)
- 2 cups shredded cheese (Monterey Jack or Cheddar, or mix)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for softening tortillas)
Toppings (Optional)
- Sliced green onions
- Chopped cilantro
- Sour cream
- Extra shredded cheese
Instructions
1. Make the Red Chile Sauce
- In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
- Whisk in flour to make a roux, cook 1–2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in red chile sauce and broth until smooth.
- Add garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Simmer 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
2. Prep Tortillas
- Lightly fry tortillas in a bit of oil or warm on a skillet to make them pliable.
3. Assemble Stack
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Spread a thin layer of red chile sauce in the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch pan.
- Layer tortillas, slightly overlapping, to cover the bottom.
- Top with shredded chicken, onions, and cheese.
- Repeat layers until ingredients are used, finishing with tortillas and a generous layer of cheese on top.
- Pour remaining red chile sauce over the top.
4. Bake
- Cover with foil and bake 20–25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake an additional 5–10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden.
5. Serve
- Garnish with green onions, cilantro, or a dollop of sour cream.
- Serve hot with rice or beans on the side.
🔥 Tips & Variations
- Authentic flavor: Use New Mexico red chile powder for true regional taste.
- Vegetarian: Replace meat with roasted vegetables or beans.
- Stack height: 3–4 layers works best — too tall and it won’t heat evenly.
- Cheese blend: Mix Monterey Jack for meltiness and Cheddar for sharpness.
- Make-ahead: Assemble the night before and bake just before serving.
If you want, I can give a “restaurant-style New Mexico stacked enchiladas” version where the layers are perfectly even, the sauce is deeply flavorful, and the cheese melts into a silky, gooey dream 😏.
Do you want me to do that version?