Baked Enchiladas with Melty Cheddar Chicken Sausage

Name: Baked Enchiladas with Melty Cheddar Chicken Sausage
Prep time: 20
Cook time: 30
Total time: 50
Yield: 1
Ingredients: vegetable oil; package The Sausage Project Melty Cheddar Chicken Sausage, casings removed and crumbled; 15-ounce can salsa roja; 20-ounce can red enchilada sauce; shredded pepper jack cheese; shredded mild cheddar cheese; shredded Oaxaca cheese; ground black pepper; 6-inch soft corn tortillas, preferably a mix of white and yellow; crumbled queso fresco cheese, divided; chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Servings: 1

Dinner

Melty Cheddar

Mexican

There are family-style recipes that feed a crowd, and then there are the ones that actually bring everyone to the table. A bubbling tray of enchiladas absolutely falls into the second category. Once that mix of chili sauce, melted cheese, and rolled tortillas hits the table, empty seats disappear fast. And with Melty Cheddar Chicken Sausage eliminating the need to eviscerate a rotisserie chicken, this version comes together a whole lot easier than traditional enchiladas.

This recipe keeps everything you love about classic enchiladas while streamlining them into an easy weeknight dinner. Simply brown the sausage, roll it into tortillas with queso fresco, then layer everything into a baking dish with enchilada sauce, salsa roja, and a trio of melty cheeses that pair perfectly with the cheddar packed into the sausage itself. It’s rich, comforting, and guaranteed to turn an ordinary weeknight into something worth gathering around.

Chef’s tip: Can’t find Oaxaca cheese? Swap in low-moisture mozzarella or Monterey Jack for a similarly satisfying cheese pull.

See Recipe

Two baked enchiladas cut in half on a plate.

Two whole chicken sausage enchiladas on a plate

A cheesy tray of baked enchiladas with chicken sausage.

SERVING MULTIPLIER:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 package The Sausage Project Melty Cheddar Chicken Sausage, casings removed and crumbled

1 15-ounce can salsa roja

1 20-ounce can red enchilada sauce

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Oaxaca cheese

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

10 6-inch soft corn tortillas, preferably a mix of white and yellow

1 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese, divided

chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Servings: 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it's hot, add the crumbled chicken sausage and cook for 6–8 minutes, until browned. Stir in the salsa roja and simmer for 3–4 minutes, until slightly reduced.

In a large bowl, stir together the enchilada sauce, half of the cheddar, pepper jack, the Oaxaca cheeses, as well as the black pepper.

Spread about ½ cup of the enchilada sauce mixture onto the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Fill each tortilla with about ⅓ cup of the sausage mixture and about 1 tablespoon queso fresco. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in the dish in two snug rows.

Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the tortillas, then sprinkle with the remaining cheddar, pepper jack, and Oaxaca cheeses.

Bake for 20–25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly golden on top.

Remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving so the sauce can thicken. Once it's settled, garnish with the remaining queso fresco and chopped cilantro, if desired. Serve warm.