Rookie Pan
← All recipes
Mexico, Americas · Chicken Enchiladas Rojas

Butter Chicken Enchiladas

Indian-Mexican fusion: tender butter chicken rolled in flour tortillas, smothered in creamy tomato masala sauce and mozzarella, then baked until bubbling.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time45 min
Marinating+ 20 min
DifficultyMedium

Method

  1. Cut the chicken into 2 cm pieces and mix with the yogurt, garam masala, chili powder, garlic, ginger and salt; marinate in the fridge. Finely chop or blend the tomatoes and finely chop the onion.

    Add in this stepBoneless chicken thighs 300 gPlain yogurt (for marinating) 4 tbspGaram masala (for marinating) 1 tspKashmiri chili powder (or paprika), for marinating 1 tspGrated garlic 2 tspGrated ginger 2 tspSalt (for marinating) ½ tsp

  2. Heat the oil in a 26 cm pan over medium-high heat. Shake excess marinade off the chicken and spread it in a single layer. Leave it untouched for 2 minutes, then turn, cooking in all until charred in spots, and set aside on a plate; it finishes cooking in the sauce.

    Add in this stepCooking oil 1 tbsp

    medium-high heat

  3. Lower the heat to medium heat, melt the butter in the same pan and cook the onion for until soft and pale golden, then stir in the garam masala and chili powder for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and sugar and simmer over medium-low heat for , stirring, until thick and a little butter seeps out at the edges.

    Add in this stepButter 30 gOnion 80 gGaram masala (for the sauce) ¾ tspKashmiri chili powder (for the sauce) 1 tspTomatoes (or canned whole tomatoes) 300 gSugar 1 tsp

    medium heat→medium-low heat

  4. Stir in the cream, the kasuri methi crushed between your palms and the salt, then return the chicken with its juices and simmer over low heat for . It is ready when the chicken shows no pink when cut and the sauce coats a spoon. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200 °C.

    Add in this stepHeavy cream 100 mlKasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) 1 tspSalt (for the sauce) ½ tsp

    low heat

  5. Lift the chicken out with a slotted spoon, leaving the sauce in the pan. Spread a few spoonfuls of sauce in a 23×18 cm baking dish. Lay a line of chicken across each tortilla, roll it up snugly and place seam side down in the dish. Pour over the remaining sauce, covering the tortilla ends so they don't burn, and scatter the mozzarella on top.

    Add in this stepFlour tortillas (20 cm) 4Low-moisture mozzarella, shredded 80 g

  6. Bake at 200 °C (oven) for , until the sauce bubbles and the cheese has melted with golden spots.

    oven

  7. Rest for 5 minutes, drizzle with yogurt thinned with a little water, and finish with cilantro.

    Add in this stepPlain yogurt (for topping) 2 tbspCilantro 5 g

Cook's tip

Kashmiri chili powder is mild and gives a bright red color; if you can't find it, use paprika with a tiny pinch of cayenne. Kasuri methi gives butter chicken its signature aroma but can be skipped. With chicken breast, shorten the simmering so it doesn't dry out.

Cooking it at camp

Make the butter chicken at home and bring it cold. At the campsite, warm the tortillas in a pan, roll up the chicken, then top with sauce and cheese in a covered pan or Dutch oven over low heat until the cheese melts.