This is a classic taqueria dish that is even better when made at home. Although the preparation takes some time, enchiladas are delicious and fun for parties or potlucks. You can fill and roll the tortillas ahead of time and then top with the sauce and cheese and bake immediately before serving. To make cheese enchiladas, omit the chicken and fill the tortillas with cheese; pour the sauce over all and proceed.

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 servings

　　1 cup corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil

　　5 garlic cloves, peeled

　　1 onion, peeled and quartered

　　4 tomatoes, cored and quartered

　　6 dried mild chiles, like guajillo or California, stemmed and seeded

　　2 teaspoons ground cumin, plus more to taste

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　1 quart chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160)

　　About 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

　　Forty 5-inch corn tortillas

　　1 cup queso Chihuahua (page 85), or shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

　　

Step 1

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chiles and cook until the tomato juices are released and the chiles are soft, about 5 minutes. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper.

　　

Step 2

Transfer this mixture to a blender and blend until smooth, adding sufficient chicken stock to make a loose but still creamy mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning. Moisten the chicken with about half of the sauce, or enough to make it pasty.

　　

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a deep skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the tortillas, one at a time, until softened and pliable, about 10 seconds. Drain on paper towels.

　　

Step 4

Line a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla, roll tightly, and put in a large baking dish. The rolls should be placed snugly against one another. Pour the remaining sauce over, top with the cheese, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until heated through. Serve hot.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.