Full confession time: I’ve never been to Mexico. Talk about a travesty! Believe me, I would give anything to be enjoying one of their fine resorts right about now, but alas, remaining on the cold prairie I must. That being said, I really and truly enjoy Mexican cuisine when I’ve tried it at authentic restaurants in my city. Tacos, taquitos, tostadas - I’m all in. But enchiladas are where my heart is at. I love the spicy, full-bodied sauce that smothers the corn tortillas filled with shredded chicken and cheese. Sometimes I skip the meat and use roasted zucchini, corn and black beans instead. Whatever way you roll, you don’t want to skip the canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, as they are the KEY ingredient here.
If you’ve never tried them, here’s the deal. Chipotles in adobo are smoked and dried jalapeño peppers that have been rehydrated and canned in a sweet and tangy purée of tomato, vinegar, garlic, and some other spices. This ruddy sauce packs some major heat, so do proceed accordingly. I used 2 Tbsp of the sauce in this recipe, but you do you. Any leftovers keep for a good long while in the refrigerator. Use them in marinades, sauces, stews, chili, and more enchiladas. Look for them in the Latin goods section of most grocery stores.
There are a few steps here, but the end result is worth it. I like to add the toppings in the middle of the table then everyone can garnish their enchiladas as they see fit.