Cheese Enchiladas With Chili Gravy

  • Yield 4 to 6 servings
  • Time 1 hour
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Cheese Enchiladas With Chili Gravy

Melina Hammer for The New York Times

Here is a recipe adapted from one that the great Tex-Mex scholar and restaurateur Robb Walsh serves at his El Real Tex-Mex restaurant in Houston. You can find similar ones served all over South Texas, often served with rice and refried beans. I think it’s an excellent side dish for a cookout of grilled chicken or pork, but you could also slide a few fried eggs over the top and call it breakfast, or don't and use vegetable stock or water, and call it a vegetarian supper. Make sure to leave some bare tortilla peeking out on each side of the gravy and cheese so it grows crackly and awesome.

Featured in: Enchiladas Are The Saucy, Cheesy Addition To Your Dinner Table. 

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Southwestern, American Cheese, Cheddar, Tortilla

4 385

Ingredients

For the chili gravy: 

  • ¼ cup neutral oil, like canola, or use lard or chicken or beef fat
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ideally Mexican oregano
  • 2 tablespoons chile powder
  • 2 cups chicken broth, ideally homemade or low-sodium if store-bought

For the enchiladas:

  • ½ cup neutral oil, like canola
  • 12 yellow corn tortillas
  • 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, or a mixture of 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese and 1 1/2 cups American cheese, like Velveeta
  • 1 medium-size white onion, peeled and chopped
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
      657 calories; 50 grams fat; 17 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 21 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 20 grams protein; 72 milligrams cholesterol; 629 milligrams sodium
      • Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation

  1. Prepare the chili gravy: In a medium sauté pan set over medium-high heat, heat oil or fat until it begins to shimmer. Whisk in flour and stir continuously until it turns into a light brown roux, roughly the color of coffee ice cream, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, oregano and chile powder and whisk to combine, then continue whisking for another minute or so, until roux becomes fragrant.
  3. Add chicken broth, slowly, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking until sauce begins to thicken. Turn heat to low and let sauce simmer an additional 15 minutes or so. Add broth as needed to adjust the thickness of the gravy. Keep warm.
  4. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
  5. Prepare the tortillas: In a medium sauté pan set over medium-high heat, heat oil until it begins to shimmer. Using tongs or a wide spatula, place a tortilla in the hot fat; it should start to bubble immediately. Heat tortilla for about 10 to 15 seconds a side, until soft and lightly browned. Remove tortilla and set on a rack set over a baking pan, or just on a baking pan if you don’t have a rack. Repeat with remaining tortillas, working quickly.
  6. Using a ladle, put about 1/2 cup chili gravy in the bottom of an 8-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it out a little. Roll a few tablespoons of cheese into each tortilla, then place it seam-side down in the pan, nestling each one against the last. Ladle chili gravy over the top of the rolled tortillas and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.
  7. Transfer to oven and bake until sauce bubbles and cheese is melted, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle chopped onions over top and serve immediately.
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Adapted from Robb Walsh

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