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These Chorizo Enchiladas are SO EASY and just what you need in your life! With layers of tender corn tortillas, a hearty chorizo and ground beef filling, and my rich homemade enchilada sauce, this recipe delivers comfort food at its finest. Plus, they come together easily in a single baking dish, making cleanup a breeze. Whether you’re a busy parent or simply craving a taste of Mexican food at home, these enchiladas are sure to impress!
Do you LOVE enchiladas? Well, then you must try these: Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, Beef Enchiladas, Amazing Chicken Enchiladas, Red and Green Enchiladas, Pork Enchiladas, Zucchini Enchiladas.
Why You’ll Love This Chorizo Enchilada Recipe
You’ll love this Chorizo Enchiladas recipe not only for its incredible taste but also for how adaptable it is. The blend of spicy chorizo and ground beef creates a satisfying filling, while the creamy, melty cheese pulls it all together. Top it off with fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, or a dollop of sour cream, and you’ve got a meal that everyone will rave about. This dish is perfect for busy weeknights or as a showstopper at your next gathering. Let’s get cooking!
What is Chorizo Anyway?
Chorizo is a Spanish or Mexican pork. It’s seasoned with paprika, garlic, dried chiles, and lots of other ingredients, giving it its spicy flavoring. Chorizo looks like and is used similarly to ground sausage. It has a high fat content, so it often is more mushy and wet than other protein you might cook up.
Ingredients Needed for Chorizo Enchiladas
Most of the ingredients needed are staples and spices you most likely have in your panty already! Here’s everything you’ll need:
For the Enchilada Sauce
- Butter: For richness and flavor.
- All-purpose flour: To thicken the sauce.
- Tomato paste: Adds a robust tomato flavor.
- Chili powder: For a bit of spice.
- Ground cumin: Enhances the depth of flavor.
- Paprika: Adds a smoky touch.
- Garlic powder: For a hint of garlic without the chopping.
- Onion powder: Another layer of savory flavor.
- Chicken bouillon cube: Boosts the umami.
- Salt: To taste.
- Chicken broth: Forms the base of your sauce.
For the Tortillas and Filling
- Corn tortillas: Traditional choice for enchiladas.
- Neutral oil: Such as avocado oil or canola oil, for frying.
- Ground beef: For a heartier filling.
- Medium onion: Diced, to add sweetness.
- Ground chorizo: The star of the show for that spicy kick.
- Shredded cheese: Any mix of sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack works great.
Toppings (Optional)
- Sour cream
- Red onion
- Tomatoes
- Cilantro
- Avocado
- Black olives
- Taco sauce
Variations
- Vegetarian option: Replace beef and chorizo with black beans and roasted sweet potatoes.
- Cheese enchiladas: Skip the meat and double the cheese for a cheesy delight.
- Different proteins: Use shredded rotisserie chicken or spicy chorizo for a twist.
- Store-bought: Use store-bought enchilada sauce for a shortcut.
How to Make Chorizo Enchiladas
For full recipe details, including ingredients needed and measurements, see the printable recipe card down below. Here are step by step directions and what to expect when making these enchiladas:
1. Prepare the Enchilada Sauce
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add butter and flour and whisk to combine to create a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stir in tomato paste, all spices and bouillon. Cook for a couple more minutes.
Whisk in chicken broth and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Prepare the Meat
Add diced onion, ground beef and chorizo to a large skillet and cook over medium/high heat until meat is browned and onions are soft. I like to get a little color on everything to ensure ultimate flavor, so I brown until meat is a bit crispy. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Prepare the Tortillas
Heat a small skillet over medium high heat and add about a 1/2 inch of oil. Once oil is hot and bubbly (about 350° F), using tongs add a corn tortilla and fry for about 20-30 seconds. Flip to the other side and fry another 15-20 seconds.
Transfer to a paper towel lined dish and continue the process until all tortillas are fried, stacked and ready to go. Set aside.
Pro Tip: Use FLAT tongs to flip your tortillas to eliminate tearing.
4. Put it All Together + Bake!
Preheat oven to 375° F. Place a little enchilada sauce at the bottom of a large casserole dish (or two smaller ones).
One at a time, dip corn tortillas in enchilada sauce and fill with a couple tablespoons of the meat mixture and about a tablespoon of cheese.
Next, roll tortillas up and place into casserole dish, lining them up nice and snug one after the next. Top with remaining cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is hot and bubbly.
Remove and let rest for a few minutes before scoring each tortilla “rollup” and serving with optional toppings.
Chorizo Enchilada Topping Ideas
Here are a few topping ideas to add to your enchiladas! These are completely optional, add what you like!
- sour cream
- diced red onions
- diced tomatoes
- chopped cilantro
- diced avocado
- sliced black olives
- taco sauce
Storing Directions For Chorizo Enchiladas
Allow leftover enchiladas to cool to room temperature. Place in an airtight container with good fitting lid and into the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, portion out what you need and microwave in 30 second intervals.
To Freeze: allow enchiladas to cool completely before placing in an airtight and freezer safe container. These will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe Tips and FAQ:
Yes! Assemble the enchiladas according to the directions above up until baking. Cover the pan of enchiladas in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake as usual as the recipe directs.
No, a lot of times there is a natural thin casing around ground chorizo when you remove it from the outer packaging. While chorizo cooks, the casing will soften and you won’t even notice it was there. If you’re using a cured chorizo, then you would need to remove the casing as it will be tough and difficult to eat. For this recipe, we are using a soft, raw chorizo so it doesn’t need to be removed. I purchased my chorizo from a Mexican store and it was not in any casing, but rather sold in bulk (like regular sausage). However, many store-bought chorizo packs will be sold in casing in a tube shape.
Because of its reddish color from the peppers and spices, it’s sometimes difficult to know when Chorizo is fully cooked. You will be able to tell because the color will begin to dull and the moisture will cook out. It should only take about 6-7 minutes in a skillet over medium/high heat. For this recipe, the cooked meat is then baked in the oven, so there’s no need to fret about getting it perfect before baking.
While Chorizo can be spicy, you should also be able to find a non-spicy variety depending on where you are shopping. Many stores will label their chorizo “hot” and “mild”. The heat from the chiles, paprika and/or chili powder all contribute to a spicy chorizo. For this recipe, mixing it with the ground beef settles down the spice a bit and makes it palatable even for those who are very sensitive to heat.
Frying the corn tortillas is not necessary, but highly recommended as it not only make them more pliable for “rolling” but it also brings out their delicious flavor.
While corn tortillas are traditional for enchiladas, YES you can absolutely use flour tortillas instead. I will admit that most of my enchilada recipes use flour tortillas because that is what my family prefers. For these Chorizo Enchiladas, I really feel like the traditional corn tortillas lend a perfect flavor profile. Feel free to swap them out for flour tortillas if you prefer, though. If you do go the flour tortilla route, there is no need to fry them in oil. Simply microwave them with a damp paper towel on top in 30 second intervals until soft enough to roll.
Yes, you can. While I think homemade sauce is superior to store-bought, I totally get that sometimes you’re in a pinch and short on time. Use your favorite canned enchilada sauce. That will totally work and nobody will judge you!
What to Serve with Chorizo Enchiladas
Any Mexican inspired side dish will be perfect for these Chorizo Enchiladas, but here are a few ideas:
- Mexican Street Corn
- Mexican Corn Casserole
- Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad
- Taco Soup
- Grilled Corn Salsa
- Fresh Tomato Salsa
- Jalepeno Queso Fundido
- Spanish Rice
- Mexican Rice
- Refried Beans (pinto or black)
More Mexican Inspired Recipes to Try!
- Taquitos Recipe
- Taco Meat Recipe
- Taco Rice
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 5-Star Beef Birria Tacos Recipe
- Crockpot Chicken Taco Meat
I hope you love these Chorizo Enchiladas and want to add them into your dinner rotation! I would love for you to leave a star review and a comment letting me know what you think! Have a great day, friends!
If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.
Chorizo Enchiladas Recipe
Ingredients
for the enchilada sauce-
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- salt to taste
- 3 cups chicken broth
for the tortillas and filling-
- 24 corn tortillas
- 1/4 cup oil neutral oil (like avocado, vegetable or canola) – may need extra
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 lb ground chorizo
- 24 oz shredded cheese any mixture of sharp cheddar, colby jack, monterey jack, etc. will do
toppings-
- sour cream optional
- red onion diced, optional
- tomatoes diced, optional
- cilantro fresh, chopped, optional
- avocado diced, optional
Instructions
prepare the enchilada sauce
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add butter and flour and whisk to combine to create a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in tomato paste, all spices and bouillon. Cook for a couple more minutes.
- Whisk in chicken broth and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
prepare the meat
- Add diced onion, ground beef and chorizo to a large skillet and cook over medium/high heat until meat is browned and onions are soft. I like to get a little color on everything to ensure ultimate flavor, so I brown until meat is a bit crispy. Remove from heat and set aside.
prepare the tortillas
- Heat a small skillet over medium high heat and add about a 1/2 inch of oil. Once oil is hot and bubbly (about 350° F), using tongs add a corn tortilla and fry for about 20-30 seconds. Flip to the other side and fry another 15-20 seconds.
- Transfer to a paper towel lined dish and continue the process until all tortillas are fried, stacked and ready to go. Set aside.
put it all together!
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Place a little enchilada sauce at the bottom of a large casserole dish (or two smaller ones).
- One at a time, dip corn tortillas in enchilada sauce and fill with a couple tablespoons of the meat mixture and about a tablespoon of cheese.
- Roll tortillas up and place into casserole dish, lining them up nice and snug one after the next.
- Top with remaining cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for another 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is hot and bubbly.
- Remove and let rest for a few minutes before scoring each tortilla "rollup" and serving with optional toppings.
