Stewed Chicken Enchiladas with Red Mole Sauce and Quesillo
Oaxacan-style chicken enchiladas layered with tender stewed chicken and topped generously with vibrant red mole sauce and creamy quesillo cheese. This Mexican recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, water, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 4 cups water
- 3 whole garlic cloves
- 1 whole bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 small corn tortillas
- 2 cups red mole sauce
- 1 cup shredded quesillo (Oaxacan string cheese)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh onion
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a medium pot, place 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs with 4 cups water, 3 whole garlic cloves, 1 whole bay leaf, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook gently for 25 minutes until the chicken is tender.
- Step 2: Remove the chicken from the broth and shred it finely with two forks. Reserve the broth for another use or discard.
- Step 3: Warm 8 small corn tortillas on a dry skillet until pliable, about 30 seconds per side.
- Step 4: Dip each tortilla briefly into 2 cups warm red mole sauce to coat, then fill with shredded chicken and roll tightly. Place the enchiladas seam side down in a baking dish.
- Step 5: Pour any remaining mole sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle 1 cup shredded quesillo cheese evenly on top.
- Step 6: Preheat oven to 375°F, bake the enchiladas for 15 minutes until the cheese melts and bubbles.
- Step 7: Remove from oven and garnish with 1/4 cup chopped fresh onion and 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro before serving.








