Enchilada Cazuela Recipe

Cook beef

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and sauté 3–4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.

Season beef

Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, black pepper and 1/2 cup tomato sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 4–5 minutes until flavors meld and mixture is slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm.

Prepare chicken

If using leftover cooked chicken, shred into bite-sized pieces. If using raw, poach chicken breasts in simmering salted water for 12–15 minutes until cooked through, then shred.

Season chicken

In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat and sauté 1/2 cup chopped onion until softened, add 2 teaspoons garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add shredded chicken, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook 3–4 minutes until warmed and well-coated.

Rehydrate chilies

Bring 1 cup water or broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add stemmed, seeded dried chilies and simmer 6–8 minutes until softened. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Blend sauce

Transfer softened chilies, garlic, quartered onion, 1 cup broth (use the soaking liquid), tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon oregano and 1 teaspoon salt into a blender. Puree until smooth, adding up to 1/4 cup additional broth to reach a saucy consistency.

Cook sauce

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour blended sauce into pan and simmer 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, to remove raw edge and slightly thicken. Adjust salt to taste and set aside warm.

Prep tortillas

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly brush both sides of each corn tortilla with oil (about 2 tablespoons total). Warm tortillas briefly in a skillet or on a comal until pliable, about 20–30 seconds per side, or wrap in foil and warm in oven for 5 minutes.

Fill tortillas

Spread about 1–2 tablespoons of red enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch or medium cazuela baking dish. Take each warm tortilla, place 2–3 tablespoons of prepared filling (beef or chicken) in center, roll tightly and arrange seam-side down in the prepared dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas (should yield 10–12 rolled enchiladas).

Top and bake

Pour remaining red sauce evenly over rolled enchiladas, using about 3/4 cup total (reserve extra for serving). Sprinkle 2 cups shredded cheese evenly over the top. Bake in preheated oven 12–15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. If you like browned cheese, broil 1–2 minutes at end, watching closely.

Garnish

Remove from oven and let rest 3 minutes. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top. Serve hot, spooning additional sauce if desired.

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add 1 cup long-grain rice and toast, stirring, until edges begin to turn translucent, 2–3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup finely chopped onion and 1 teaspoon minced garlic and cook 1 minute.

Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato sauce and 2 cups chicken broth. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15–18 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.

In a skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil or lard over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup chopped onion and sauté 3–4 minutes until translucent.

Add 1.5 cups cooked pinto beans and 2 tablespoons water or broth. Mash beans with a potato masher or fork to desired consistency, cooking 3–5 minutes until heated through. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and adjust with more water/broth to reach preferred texture. Keep warm.

Plate two enchiladas per serving with a scoop of Mom's rice and a portion of refried beans. Offer extra red sauce and optional substitutions (blanca, green, mole, chipotle, diabla) on the side. To substitute steak, swap the filling for 1 lb thinly sliced cooked steak seasoned to taste (add $5) or one of the listed sauces for $2 extra.