The Chicken Enchilada Red Sauce is the heart of your Mexican dish. Making your own sauce is surprisingly easy and incredibly rewarding. The homemade version allows you to control the spice level and add your own personal touch.
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email below and we’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Why this Red Chicken Enchiladas Sauce Recipe is a Keeper
Our recipe uses a base of simple ingredients like onion, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Tomato paste and broth create a vibrant base. Feel free to experiment! You can add a kick of heat with chopped chilies, a smoky depth with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or even a hint of sweetness with roasted peppers.
- 10 Minute Sauce: An amazing sauce that you can use on so many things.
- Easy Ingredients: All simple ingredients but you can add or take out things to make the perfect sauce for your family.
- Family Friendly: This tomato sauce is great for all your Mexican dishes. You will come back to this recipe again and again.
- Adaptable: You can make the enchilada low-carb, meat free use different peppers or green chile if you like. Make these enchiladas, enchilada filling the way you like them.
If you’re looking for more Mexican inspired recipes, try these Simple Mexican Skillet, Veal Mexican Stuffed Shells, Mexican Burger
What else can I use this Red Enchilada Sauce for?
Enchilada sauce is a versatile ingredient that goes way beyond enchiladas! Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
- Casseroles: Enchilada sauce adds a Tex-Mex flair to casseroles. Try a chicken tamale casserole, southwestern ranch casserole, or a cheesy enchilada mac and cheese.
- Soups and Stews: For a quick and flavorful soup, whip up some enchilada soup with chicken or vegetable broth, beans, corn, and your favorite protein. Enchilada sauce can also add depth to chili.
- Dipping Sauce: Thin out your enchilada sauce with a little broth and use it as a dipping sauce for nachos, fries, or taquitos. Or place in a baking dish and put oven chicken breasts.
- Marinades: The rich flavors of enchilada sauce can be used as a base for marinades for chicken, fish, or tofu.
Chicken Enchilada Ingredient Notes
It is easy to make your own sauce. Go ahead and buy corn tortillas, sour cream, and rotisserie chicken for the shredded chicken mixture but if you really want to make an impact, try making this recipe. You will never buy enchilada sauce again.
- Chili Powder: Provides that heat to the sauce.
- Tomato Paste: For the best enchiladas use a good quality tomato paste.
- Chicken Broth: Make your own broth or buy your favorite brand.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: It makes a tangy flavor for the homemade red enchilada sauce.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
With over 200 easy and delicious dinner ideas, you'll never have to worry about what to make for dinner again.
Variations and Substitutions to Make Chicken Enchiladas Red Sauce
You can make some variations for this homemade sauce.
- Chicken Broth: You can use a chicken stock, bone broth or even a vegetable broth to make the red enchilada sauce recipe.
- Seasonings: Sugar, cumin and garlic can add some flair to the sauce. You will love this recipe with red chile or make a cheesy chicken enchilada.
Best Enchilada Sauce Pro Tip
Simmer the sauce longer to thicken it up.
How to Make Homemade Chicken Enchilada Recipe
You can make red sauce ahead of time to make a quick and easy to make dinner. This chicken enchiladas recipe is a real keeper.
These are the basic steps for making Authentic Mexican Enchiladas Sauce. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions. Let us know if you follow the recipe.
1. Mix
First, in a small bowl, add the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and All Purpose Seasoning blend. Then in a medium pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
2. Cook
Then add the spice mixture to the hot oil and stir constantly for 1 minute. The color should get darker and then stir in the tomato paste. Slowly add the stock and whisk until there are no lumps.
3. Boil
Bring to a slight boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Finally, remove from heat and stir in vinegar.
Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe FAQs
Expert Tips for Making This Recipe for Easy Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce
This simple sauce recipe that’s so much better than canned enchilada sauce. You can make your favorite enchilada sauce better with these expert tips.
- Use good ingredients. Splurge for a good quality chili powder or cayenne pepper since that is the flavor base of this easy Enchilada Sauce.
- Mix it Up. You can always cut back on the chili powder to suit your family’s tastes. Remember you can always add more, but you can’t take it out or use things like adobo seasoning.
- Vinegar Substitute: If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can substitute distilled white vinegar in its place.
- Add Chipotle Pepper: For a little kick and warmth add these or chiles.
- Warmth: A pinch of cinnamon or paprika give great warmth to the sauce and flavor for your casseroles.
- Cheese: Always add your favorite cheese. Sauce and cheese are the perfect combination.
- Green Enchilada Sauce: Check out the green salsa sauce instant pot recipe featuring a green sauce salsa verde.
What to Serve with Homemade Chicken Enchiladas Sauce
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email below and we’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Chicken Enchilada Red Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons Flour
- 1 tablespoon Chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon Dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon All Purpose Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons Tomato paste
- 2 cups Chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and House Seasoning blend.
- In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the spice mixture to the hot oil and stir constantly for 1 minute. The color should get darker.
- Stir in the tomato paste.
- Slowly add the stock and whisk until there are no lumps.
- Bring to a slight boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Remove from heat and stir in vinegar.
Expert Tips
- Use good ingredients. Splurge for a good quality chili powder or cayenne pepper since that is the flavor base of this easy Enchilada Sauce.
- Mix it Up. You can always cut back on the chili powder to suit your family’s tastes. Remember you can always add more, but you can’t take it out or use things like adobo seasoning.
- Vinegar Substitute: If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can substitute distilled white vinegar in its place.
- Add Chipotle Pepper: For a little kick and warmth add these.
- Warmth: A pinch of cinnamon or paprika give great warmth to the sauce and flavor for your casseroles.
Estimated Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
This recipe is my personal adaption of an ethnic-inspired recipe. It is not intended to be an authentic recipe. I’ve recreated this recipe because I enjoy the flavors and I want to encourage my readers to expand their tastes and try new flavor combinations. The recipe, ingredients, and processes may have been adapted to make the recipe accessible to the average American. I have provided links to authentic versions of the recipe in the post above. I encourage you to visit these pages and learn more about the traditional version(s) of this recipe.
This homemade sauce is incredibly flavorful and simple to prepare. I’m going to stick to this recipe from now on.
I love that I can whip this up a few days ahead of time and then just throw my dish together! It makes it so simple and the flavor of homemade sauce is so much better! Love the cumin added in.
There’s smply no comparison! I actually believed I hated enchiladas until I stared making homemade enchilada sauce. Absolutely scrumptious!
So easy to make with everyday pantry ingredients and oh so good. I made a double batch and had some extra, so glad I did because I had previously made chicken chicken noodle that turned out pretty bland.
I added some of the enchilada sauce and turned that bland chicken soup into a delicious flavorful meal
This will be the sauce I make from now on!
It’s delicious, I added a small pinch of pepper and salt, thanks😊
Is it possible to use regular white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar?
Of course.
Substituted the tomato paste and chicken broth with tomato sauce and 2 Tbs chicken broth granules and 1 cup of water. Not too spicy. Loved it
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for your recipe options.
Thanks for the recipe. You should probably clarify if it’s chicken broth or stock. Ingredients say broth but picture has stock and instructions say use stock
Honestly, I use the 2 interchangeably – whatever I have on hand. but I will fix the recipe so it’s more clear.
This is a very good enchilada sauce. Ty!!!!
You are very welcome!
This sauce is amazing! A new favorite for sure.
Thank you for this. I love learning how to make homemade sauces.
Wow I love the way this sauce looks! Can’t wait to make my own enchilada sauce at home. Thank you so much for sharing.
This tastes just as good as it looks!