Want to embark on a culinary journey to Mexico?
Let’s dive into one of its most exquisite recipes.
Enchiladas is a flavorful delight of Mexican cuisine, encompassing tantalizing flavors of chicken meat, cheese, and spices.
While there are many different options of fillings to choose from, chicken remains the most versatile one among all.
Mastering the art of cooking perfect chicken for Enchiladas is not so difficult. We bet once you know how it’s done, you might even make it in your sleep.
Whether you are a professional chef, or a homemade perfectionist looking to perfect your Enchiladas game, this article will be an absolute guidance to you.
So, grab your apron, and dive into the perfect method of cooking the chicken for delicious Enchiladas.
How to Cook Chicken for Enchiladas?
This section presents a brief on the basic steps on how to make chicken enchiladas. The tips mentioned in this section are extremely important for a tender and juicy recipe.
#1. Choose the Right Kind of Chicken
To make an authentic Mexican enchilada, make sure to pick the right cut of chicken. While many will think it is okay to use any kind, that’s not true.
You must buy only boneless chicken breasts or thighs, as they are easy to shred and cook easily. Also, boneless shredded chicken tends to absorb all the flavors and spices more strongly.
#2. Marinate the Chicken Well
Marination is the most important step to get a flavorsome blend of spices. Mix all herbs and spices with the chicken well.
The longer you marinate it, the better the spices infuse in the chicken. Though, it is suggested to always place the chicken in marinate for at least 30 minutes.
#3. Cook the Chicken Properly
It is extremely important to cook the chicken well enough before proceeding to the recipe. There are many methods of cooking the chicken: roasting, poaching, and grilling.
Whichever methods you choose, do it slowly to ensure the chicken meat is tender and juicy. Cook the chicken the right way and enchiladas can be a lip-smacking addition to any High Protein Diet.
#4. Shred the Chicken
When the chicken is cooked well enough, take it out and start shredding it with two forks. You can also shred it with your hands. Ooh, be careful, it might be too hot! Also, while doing this, make sure that the chicken is all juicy and moist.
#5. Assemble and Bake the Enchiladas
Since now the chicken is perfectly cooked, and spices are infused into it, it’s time to bake the enchiladas.
Once you are done cooking the chicken, start filling the tortillas with the chicken filling and patch them up on the baking tray. Put your favourite sauce all over it and bake it for 20 to 25 minutes at 1500 F.
By following these steps, you’ll land up with a delightful enchiladas recipe, with perfectly cooked chicken meat. We bet, your excitement is taking over right?
Well, just wait a little more till you know more about the different techniques to cook enchiladas so that you can select one which suits you the most.
But first, let’s see how the chicken in enchiladas is garnished with delicious flavors.
How to Season Chicken for Enchiladas?
Seasoning any dish infuses it with delicious flavors of spices and complements the overall taste. Here is a detailed guide on garnishing the enchiladas.
#1. Garlic and Onion powder
The most important seasoning of the chicken for enchiladas is garlic and onion powder.
These two ingredients provide a beautiful aromatic flavor to the recipe. You can sprinkle this on top of the enchiladas when they are ready. Or you can also mix it in with the chicken while marinating.
#2. Salt and Pepper
Every recipe is incomplete without a pinch of salt. Salt and pepper are the two major ingredients that add the foundation of the flavor in any dish.
The first thing to keep in mind while cooking chicken for enchiladas is to add salt and pepper to it.
#3. Spices and Herbs
For added hotness you can use chilli flakes, paprika, or chilli powder however you like. Also, you can adjust the spice of enchiladas by moderating the amount of these spices. Apart from the chillies, add herbs to the recipe such as oregano and coriander for added taste.
Remember that the seasoning is key to bursting flavors of a recipe. Hence, put them according to your preferences, and ta-da, you’re ready with a delicious meal.
You can also check the exotic Chicken Recipe Ideas for Dinner here!!
How to Boil Chicken for Enchiladas?
The most simple and effective method to cook chicken for enchiladas is to boil it. Most people do this as it is effortless and preserves the natural juicy flavor of the chicken.
The process is extremely simple and starts with putting the chicken into a pan or a pot. Now comes the most debated step, which is to add the seasoning or not.
While many people choose to add it in this step, you can skip it and season enchiladas later when the dish is ready. Also, put some garlic cloves, onions and bay leaves into the pot along with the chicken.
Now, pour water into the pan till the chicken is covered in it well. Close the lid, boil it for 15 to 20 minutes, and use in the enchiladas.
Although boiling is a simple and effective method to cook chicken for enchiladas, there are two other methods that are equally perfect. Check these out in the further sections.
How to Cook Chicken for Enchiladas in the Crock Pot?
The slow cooking method is considered by many to be the most effective one. This is because the chicken cooks slowly, the flavors and spices penetrate inside it and enhance the flavor of the dish.
Hence if you cannot understand how to cook shredded chicken for enchiladas, try out the slow cooking method.
The slow cooking of the chicken is done in a crock pot, also called a slow cooker. The steps to cook chicken in a crock pot are listed below.
- Put the chicken in the crock pot.
- Season the chicken with the spices and herbs of your choice. You can also skip it and add seasoning after the chicken is cooked.
- Pour some broth, enchilada sauce or salsa in the pot to keep the chicken moist. This will let all the flavors seep into it well.
- Do not add too much of any liquid.
- Start cooking on low heat, for about 5 to 6 hours.
- Take the chicken off the pot, and shred it for enchiladas.
This is how you perfectly and slowly cook the chicken in a crock pot without much effort.
However, if you do not have so much time, and want an instant option to cook your chicken, an instant pot will be the best.
How to Cook Chicken for Enchiladas in Instant Pot?
Here are the steps to cook chicken in an instant cooker within a few minutes, if you want a faster option.
- Put the chicken in the instant pot.
- Season the chicken with the spices and herbs of your choice. You can also skip it and add seasoning after the chicken is cooked.
- Pour some broth, enchilada sauce or salsa in the pot to keep the chicken moist. This will let all the flavors seep into it well.
- Do not add too much of any liquid.
- Start cooking for about 6 to 8 minutes.
- The cooker will automatically release the pressure once the cooking time is over.
- Take the chicken off the pot, and shred it for enchiladas.
Whether you choose to cook chicken slowly in a crock pot or fast in an instant pot, you’ll get nice, tender and juicy chicken.
So, grab on your ingredients and start cooking.
How Long to Boil Chicken for Enchiladas?
We understand that it is quite confusing to guess how long to cook enchiladas.
Well, the time it takes to boil the chicken depends upon the quantity of the chicken you are taking. Also, the thickness of the pieces of chicken add to its cooking time.
However, generally boneless chicken would take around 20 minutes to boil, give or take. If you want to reduce the cooking time, cut the chicken into smaller pieces, as bigger ones take longer to cook.
Moreover, boiling is a relatively faster and more effective method than any other to cook chicken. This is because you can then easily shred the chicken for enchiladas, without any hassle.
How to Shred Chicken for Enchiladas?
Once the chicken is cooked, you now ought to shred it so that it can be used in enchiladas.
Usually, there are two different methods used to make shredded chicken for enchiladas. You can either shred them with your hands, once it has cooled down a bit. This will give you more distinct and moist shreds.
Or, the other method to shred the chicken well is by using two forks. You can use them to hold the chicken and pull it apart multiple times to shred it. This method will give you cleaner shred and is best for most optimal shredding.
Tip: Remember to check for any bone or cartilage while shredding the chicken. If you find any, make sure to remove it from the chicken shreds.
Bonus Tip: Brown Chicken Instead of Boiling to Make Spicy Enchiladas
Boiling is undoubtedly the most effective method of cooking chicken for enchiladas. But our chefs keep coming up with their new inventions too.
We have encountered another excellent method of cooking and shredding the chicken which needs no boiling.
You only have to brown the chicken in the pan with a little oil and spices. Once the chicken has turned brown roasted colour, take it off the pan and shred it with your hands.
This is another flavorsome way to cook chicken for enchiladas.
Spice up your dinner with mouth-watering enchiladas that are packed with flavor! Bon appetit!