Why This Recipe Works

This quick and easy Tex-Mex dish comes together in two parts. By building the sauce in the skillet before rolling the enchiladas and baking them in the same skillet, we kept this dish in one pan. Combining softened onion with a heavy dose of chili powder packed some seriously sweet and earthy flavors into our bold red chile sauce. Blooming garlic, oregano, and tomato paste quickly before stirring in some chicken broth brightened the savory flavors while balancing the heat. Chopped onion and a squeeze of lime at the end helped round out the heavily spiced sauce with some freshness.

Before You Begin

If you do not have a 10-inch skillet, make the sauce in a 12-inch skillet and transfer the remaining sauce in step 1 to an 8-inch square baking pan. In step 2, arrange the enchiladas in the baking pan before adding the reserved sauce and the remaining cheese.

Instructions

For the sauce: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat oil in 10-inch ovensafe skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add chili powder, flour, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in broth and bring to simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Measure out 1 cup sauce and set aside, leaving remaining sauce in skillet.

For the enchiladas: Stack tortillas and wrap in damp dish towel. Microwave until pliable, about 30 seconds. Place ¼ cup Monterey Jack across center of 1 tortilla, tightly roll tortilla around cheese, and place seam side down in sauce in skillet. Repeat with remaining 5 tortillas and 1¼ cups Monterey Jack, arranging enchiladas side by side in single row in skillet.

Pour reserved sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Monterey Jack. Bake, covered, until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until sauce is bubbling around edges, about 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with onion and serve with lime wedges.