This fusion recipe for Smothered Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas combines two favorites into one delicious South of the border inspired meal.
Smothered Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas
Enchiladas are one of my favorite Mexican meals to make. Quite often I end up making them when I have leftovers that need new life to make them interesting to my family. Fortunately, they will eat leftovers without a single complaint on most days. That's exactly how I began making these smothered BBQ chicken enchiladas. Our love of Mexican food and barbecue collide in this dish for one delicious dinner.
Two Kinds of North Carolina Barbecue
Here in North Carolina we have two schools of thought about BBQ. In parts of North Carolina the cole slaw is also tossed with the same seasonings you might use as a dry rub on the smoked meat and then dressed with tangy vinegar we call Carolina Red Slaw. Otherwise, classic creamy homestyle coleslaw is a must.
- The Eastern part of the state is most well known for a tangy and spicy vinegar based BBQ sauce.
- Western NC is most well known for its slant toward a sweet tomato based sauce.
Helpful Tips for Making Chicken Enchiladas
- For topping these smothered BBQ chicken enchiladas, you can go the classic way of garnishing with your favorite taco toppings or serve with a dollop of homemade coleslaw.
- Either way, it's a win. I've done both creamy cole slaw and pico de gallo. They're easy to make and are always family pleasing.
- The barbecue chicken filling for this dish can be prepped in advance and chilled until assembling to save time.
- You can, of course, use your favorite barbecue sauce. We like it spicy so, I always use one that'll bring the heat. It's completely up to you, adapt with your favorite.
- If enhciladas are your jam, checkout my recipe for White Chicken Enchiladas and Breakfast Enchiladas a tasty way to kick start the day.
- You may also like to try this recipe for Chicken Enchilada Skillet from Well Plated.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Smothered Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 3 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 15 oz can chili seasoned tomato sauce
- 1 ¼ cup sweet and spicy barbecue sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- ½ medium red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 small poblano pepper seeded and diced
- olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 8 [8] inch flour or corn tortillas
- 3 cup shredded pepper jack cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Whisk together the chili seasoned tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and ground cumin. Set aside one cup of the sauce for the filling.
- In a skillet saute the diced onion, bell pepper and poblano pepper in a few drizzles of olive oil. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper. Cook for 3 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
- Add the shredded chicken and 1 cup of the tomato-barbecue sauce to the cooked onion and peppers. Mix well and remove from the heat.
- Divide the barbecue chicken between the tortillas. Sprinkle with 2 cups of the shredded cheese reserving 1 cup for the top.
- Place seam side down side by side in the baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining tomato-barbecue sauce and sprinkle the top with 1 cup remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly around the edges and the cheese has melted.
- Serve with pico de gallo and a dollop of sour cream or topped with creamy cole slaw.
Nutrition
My name is Melissa and I'm the Creator of Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen. Cooking, baking, developing recipes and kitchen tips is my passion. I love sharing my dishes and connecting with people through the food that I create.
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Mary M. Martinez
These all look SO good! I can’t wait to try some of them!!!