Hairy Bikers Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

This bubbling, cheesy Hairy Bikers Chicken Enchiladas Recipe is made with tender diced chicken, a homemade smoky tomato sauce, and soft flour tortillas, ready in just 50 minutes. The golden cheese crust hides a rich, saucy filling that delivers massive flavour without being heavy or greasy. I love how this dish satisfies that Friday night Tex-Mex craving while keeping things surprisingly light.

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Better Than Takeaway

Making Mexican food at home often beats the local takeaway because you control the salt and grease levels. I used to rely on those yellow box kits from the supermarket, but making the sauce from scratch changed everything for me. The difference in freshness is instant, and you avoid that artificial preservative taste that often lingers with jarred sauces.

What surprised me most was how a few simple pantry spices could create such a deep, authentic flavour profile. By poaching the chicken directly in the spiced tomato sauce, the meat stays incredibly juicy and absorbs every bit of the smoky cumin and chilli, preventing the dry, rubbery texture you sometimes get with oven-baked dishes.

Hairy Bikers Chicken Enchiladas Recipe Ingredients

For the Filling:

• 500g skinless chicken breasts, diced into 2cm cubes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

For the Sauce & Spices:

• 1 tsp mild chilli powder (add more for heat)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 500g tomato passata
• Salt and black pepper

To Assemble:

• 8 small flour tortillas
• 100g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• Handful of fresh coriander, chopped (to serve)

How To Make Hairy Bikers Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

1. Sauté the Base: Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced onions and peppers, cooking gently for 8 minutes until they are soft and slightly caramelised.
2. Seal the Chicken: Turn the heat up slightly and add the diced chicken breast and crushed garlic. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is sealed and turning white on the outside.
3. Make the Sauce: Sprinkle in the chilli powder, cumin, and oregano, stirring well to coat the meat. Pour in the passata, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened nicely.
4. Assemble the Rolls: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/Gas 6). Spoon a generous amount of the chicken and pepper mixture down the centre of each tortilla, roll them up tightly, and place them seam-side down in a baking dish.
5. Bake to Perfection: Spoon any remaining sauce over the top of the rolled tortillas and scatter over the grated cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.

Recipe Tips

• Warm the tortillas: Cold tortillas tend to crack when you roll them. Zap them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before assembling to make them pliable and easy to work with.
• Don’t overfill: It is tempting to stuff them, but overfilled enchiladas will burst open in the oven. Stick to a moderate amount of filling so you can place them seam-side down securely.
• Let it rest: When you pull the dish out of the oven, let it stand for 5 minutes. This allows the sauce to settle and thickens the juices, making it much easier to serve neat portions.

What To Serve With Chicken Enchiladas

These enchiladas are quite filling on their own, but a crisp green salad with a zesty lime dressing cuts through the richness of the cheese perfectly. You could also serve them with Mexican green rice or a simple corn salsa to bulk out the meal for hungry teenagers.

How To Store

Leftovers keep brilliantly in the fridge for up to 2 days and often taste even better as the flavours meld. You can also freeze the assembled dish before baking; just defrost thoroughly in the fridge before popping it in the oven.

FAQs

• Can I use corn tortillas instead? Yes, corn tortillas are more traditional but can be brittle. Briefly fry them in a little oil or warm them thoroughly to stop them breaking when rolled.
• Is this recipe spicy? It uses mild chilli powder, so it is very family-friendly. If you prefer a kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or diced fresh chillies to the sauce.
• Can I add beans? Absolutely. A tin of drained kidney beans or black beans added to the sauce is a great way to make the meat go further and add extra fibre.

Nutrition

• Calories: 395 kcal
• Total Fat: 12g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Cholesterol: 65mg
• Sodium: 650mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 38g
• Protein: 32g

Try More Recipes:

• Hairy Bikers Beef Enchiladas Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Coq Au Vin Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Cod Wrapped In Parma Ham Recipe