Make Extra Enchiladas
Enchiladas are a bit fussy and messy because of the assembly, but the results are soooo worth the extra effort. My advice is to make more than you need because everyone fights over the leftovers. Saucy, cheesy, and packed with a delicious filling. It’s Christmas every day!
Red or Green? Christmas Style Enchiladas
Go into any restaurant in New Mexico featuring southwestern cuisine, and the staff will ask, do you like your dish or enchiladas “red or green?” In other words, do you want your enchiladas with red or green sauce? How about BOTH, which makes it Christmas Style Enchiladas? It does not have to be the holiday season to get enchiladas with red and green sauce, and above all, you do not have to choose between the rich red or the tangy green sauce. It’s Christmas year-round!
New Mexico Cuisine
Friends of mine hosted hubby and me at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We devoured the delicious food and, more importantly, learned about the Native American, Mexican and Spanish cultural influences on this historical cuisine. I recommend Red or Green New Mexico Cuisine by Clyde Casey for a great cookbook about bold flavors and cuisine history.
Enchiladas the Dinner Hero
In the previous post, the Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas recipe uses a rich homemade red sauce. This recipe uses ground turkey, or leftover roast turkey meat (dark or white), and store-bought red and green sauces, which keeps cooking simple during a busy season. Use any preferred tortilla – flour, corn, or grain-free.
Make a Festive Dinner
In addition to being a great meal, enchiladas are also a festive dinner with a vibrant history that can bring Christmas to the dinner table year-round. Serve with Charred Poblano Coleslaw with Pepitas or your favorite salad.
Looking for festive Christmas comfort food ideas? From colorful main-course ideas to classic veggie sides, these red-and-green recipes bring warmth, flavor, and cheer to your holiday table. Perfect for planning your Christmas dinner menu.
More Leftover Turkey Recipes
More recipes to try
get the ultimate turkey Day Guide
Make Thanksgiving easy with the Complete Thanksgiving Guide. Includes tricks to get the family to help, tips for make-ahead recipes, cooking timeline, and more than a dozen recipes for the perfect turkey and delicious sides.
Enchiladas with Red and Green Sauce – Christmas Style
Christmas Style enchiladas with red and green sauce and delicious melted cheese are the perfect festive meal during the holiday or any day. This recipe is simple to make using ground turkey or leftover roast turkey and readymade sauces.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Turkey
- Method: Stovetop and Oven
- Cuisine: Southwest
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tomatillos, diced
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 1 lb ground turkey or 2 cups finely diced leftover roast turkey (dark, white, or combo) or cooked chicken, diced
- 15-oz can pinto beans or Anasazi beans, rinsed and drained
- 10-oz can of green enchilada sauce
- 10-oz can of red enchilada sauce*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 8 8-inch tortilla – flour, corn, or grain-free **(I use Siete Grain Free Tortillas – almond, cassava, or cashew flour)
- 2 cups shredded cheese. I used Irish cheddar, which is white, but Monterey Jack or cheddar is also good
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º.
- Cook Filling: Heat olive oil in a skillet. Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos, dice them into small pieces, and add them to the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the chopped onion and cook until it is soft. Add spices and stir to combine. Add ground turkey/chicken to the skillet, break it up with the back of a fork and cook for 5 minutes or until no pink remains. If using leftover cooked turkey/chicken, add diced meat to warm through. Add beans and cook until heated through. Add lime juice, salt, and cilantro and stir to combine.
- Assemble Green Sauce Enchiladas: Coat the bottom of an 8-inch square casserole with 2 – 3 Tablespoons of green sauce. Fill each tortilla with 2 tablespoons of meat filling and roll it up carefully. Place it seam-side down in a casserole dish. Repeat with three more tortillas. Spoon any remaining meat mixture along the sides of the casserole or on top of the enchiladas. Top each tortilla with sauce to completely cover. Don’t leave any open areas without sauce. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Assemble Red Sauce Enchiladas: Repeat the above steps with four more tortillas and red sauce in another 8×8 dish. Coat the bottom of an 8-inch square casserole with 2 – 3 Tablespoons of red sauce. Fill each tortilla with 2 tablespoons of meat filling and carefully roll it up. Place it seam-side down in a casserole dish. Repeat with three more tortillas. Spoon any remaining meat mixture along the sides of the casserole or on top of the enchiladas. Top each tortilla with sauce to completely cover. Don’t leave any open areas without sauce. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Bake: Sprinkle both dishes with cheese and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Notes
*For a homemade red sauce, see Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas
**If not following a grain-free or paleo diet, whole wheat flour tortillas work great. If gluten-free, use corn tortillas.
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4 responses to “Christmas Style Enchiladas – Red and Green Sauce”
These are terrific. So easy to make and so delicious. Every night should be enchilada night.
Thank you and I agree with enchiladas often!
Quick, easy delicious recipe. 10/10 would recommend!
Thanks for the thumbs up.